Steeda Ultralite Linear without rear spacers

[cjldad]

Anyone running these springs without the spacers on the rear spring to bring them back up? Let's see what you are working with if so..
Thanks!

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[BmacIL]

One of my good friends has them with the 1/8" spacers. IMO they need at least the 1/8" rear spacer to be 'right' height. That raises the rear ~1/4".

 

[SteedaTech]

Anyone running these springs without the spacers on the rear spring to bring them back up? Let's see what you are working with if so..
Thanks!

The Ultra light Liner springs have been revised.
The drop is 1.125 front and rear 1.0 inches.

 

[cjldad]

The Ultra light Liner springs have been revised.
The drop is 1.125 front and rear 1.0 inches.

So what were they before? One of the guys on here just spoke with your guys and still ordered a setup with a 1/8" spacer..

 

[CrazedAntelope]

I've had two versions of the Ultralites on my Eco. For the first set, I had to use a fat 12mm spring spacer to get the ride somewhat even. Now I am using a newer revision of the Ultralite rear spring and if memory serves me right, I am pairing it with a 6mm spring spacer. Furthermore, I am now running a front coilover setup and the ride height is adjusted quite low in the front, and the 6mm spacer on the rear makes the car look just right to me.

I would recommend using a spring spacer unless Steeda has revised the spring again. For reference, my 2nd set of Ultralites were purchased April 2017.

 

[Rebellion]

So what were they before? One of the guys on here just spoke with your guys and still ordered a setup with a 1/8" spacer..

I guess it'll depend on your aesthetic taste..if you want some rake in order to have equal wheel well heights, just 1/8" on drop difference (as with the revised ultralites) isn't enough. I would even go for a 1/4" spacer, as with my current setup. There are some handling penalty if you use spacers thou.

 

[SteedaTech]

I guess it'll depend on your aesthetic taste..if you want some rake in order to have equal wheel well heights, just 1/8" on drop difference (as with the revised ultralites) isn't enough. I would even go for a 1/4" spacer, as with my current setup. There are some handling penalty if you use spacers thou.

Could you explain the handling penalty you are referring too? I know that if you put excessive rake there is a handling penalty.

On another note, related to the billet shock mount the dust boot simply slips over the shock stud or shaft and nut, once over the nut it covers the spherical bearing.

Thanks,

Steeda Tech

 

[cjldad]

I'm pretty sure he's referring to the fact that you are missing some spring action that you could be getting in place of the spacer..

 

[Rebellion]

Could you explain the handling penalty you are referring too? I know that if you put excessive rake there is a handling penalty.

On another note, related to the billet shock mount the dust boot simply slips over the shock stud or shaft and nut, once over the nut it covers the spherical bearing.

Thanks,

Steeda Tech

Thanks for the boot instructions!

On the handling penalty...comparing hypothetical scenarios with every thing else equal (alignment, mods, tires, etc.) A) a car with X springs, B) same car with X springs plus rear spacers.

The B car will understeer way more than car A, due to the raising on roll center and even larger raising of the center of gravity. The center of gravity does raise more when viewed in proportion to the roll center...in other words, provides more leverage for rear roll (longer lever arm, roll center as fulcrum and center of gravity as point of force application).

Having significant more roll in the rear, which adds compliance to the rear, while the compliance in the front remains unchanged will cause significant increase in understeer. Another way of visualizing is that the line between front and rear roll center, and the line between front and rear center of gravity gets more separated on the rear and closer on the front, opening the angle towards the rear.

This is essentially what happened when I added the spacers to my car, increased understeer in a very overt way...was perceivable with daily driving. There are, of course, countermeasures to compensate for this effect. In my case, I added a stiffer rear sway bar. Could also compensate by having more front camber relative to the rear, just to name a few alternatives.

 

[cjldad]

I think the "problem" comes from looking at the tire to fender gap vs the overall rake of the vehicle.. My PP is like 1.8" from the tire to fender on the front and 1.2" from the tire to fender on the rear. Those are just eyeballing with a tape measure. So if it get's lowered 1" all around, that leaves .8" in the front and .2" in the rear.. Stance hasn't really changed, but the look has since things are coming closer together.

 

[Rebellion]

I think the "problem" comes from looking at the tire to fender gap vs the overall rake of the vehicle.. My PP is like 1.8" from the tire to fender on the front and 1.2" from the tire to fender on the rear. Those are just eyeballing with a tape measure. So if it get's lowered 1" all around, that leaves .8" in the front and .2" in the rear.. Stance hasn't really changed, but the look has since things are coming closer together.

Exactly :cheers:

Some of us are particularly sensitive about having this asymmetry in wheel well gaps...hence the spacers. With PP tires, I believe it's even worse since the rear tires are significantly taller than the front, adding to the visual effect.

 

[SteedaTech]

I think the "problem" comes from looking at the tire to fender gap vs the overall rake of the vehicle.. My PP is like 1.8" from the tire to fender on the front and 1.2" from the tire to fender on the rear. Those are just eyeballing with a tape measure. So if it get's lowered 1" all around, that leaves .8" in the front and .2" in the rear.. Stance hasn't really changed, but the look has since things are coming closer together.

Make sure you vehicle is on a flat surface and no additional weight is added to the rear when you take your measurements.
Also, measure from the center of the hub to the wheel opening for accurate measurements.
Steeda Tech

 

[cjldad]

Yeah, would be less noticeable with a square setup I'm sure..

 

[SteedaTech]

Thanks for the boot instructions!

On the handling penalty...comparing hypothetical scenarios with every thing else equal (alignment, mods, tires, etc.) A) a car with X springs, B) same car with X springs plus rear spacers.

The B car will understeer way more than car A, due to the raising on roll center and even larger raising of the center of gravity. The center of gravity does raise more when viewed in proportion to the roll center...in other words, provides more leverage for rear roll (longer lever arm, roll center as fulcrum and center of gravity as point of force application).

Having significant more roll in the rear, which adds compliance to the rear, while the compliance in the front remains unchanged will cause significant increase in understeer. Another way of visualizing is that the line between front and rear roll center, and the line between front and rear center of gravity gets more separated on the rear and closer on the front, opening the angle towards the rear.

This is essentially what happened when I added the spacers to my car, increased understeer in a very overt way...was perceivable with daily driving. There are, of course, countermeasures to compensate for this effect. In my case, I added a stiffer rear sway bar. Could also compensate by having more front camber relative to the rear, just to name a few alternatives.

You are correct whether you raise it with a different rear spring or spacer you will have the same effect as it changes the front to rear roll axis.

Steeda Tech

 

[SteedaTech]

Yeah, would be less noticeable with a square setup I'm sure..

Here Is a current pic of the Steeda Ultralite stance thanks to wmfateam

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