I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Ride height .
Please accept my apologies if this has been covered before, I have searched but haven’t found it.
I wish to replace the suspension on my 2008 NC, and install Meister R Sportive . My car has 46k miles and whilst the suspension is not ‘shot’ by any means, it does feel like it could be a tad sharper. I have a set of Meister R Sportive (new, unused) that I wish to install. I would like to keep the ride height as high as possible , as near to OEM as I can. I do understand that the Meisters are naturally lower, but they are ride height adjustable. What I’d like help with please, is how to set the Meisters to their highest ride height. Should I set them to the same length as the OEM’s that are coming off ? If less, less by how much ? What I want to avoid is fitting them, and then having to back under, disconnect, adjust, re-connect , measure, repeat. Should I set the length to 25 mm less than OEM ?
It’s not just the length of them that sets ride height.
The spring rates are also different.
All you can do is fit the suspension - settle the car - then adjust the suspension to the height you want.
NOTE - the suspension pivot bolts need loosening when you settle the suspension or you will introduce a twist in to the suspension bushes.
The bolts get re-tightened after the car is at the new ride height.
Personally I would lower the car a little - the 2009 and later cars are lower than the 2006-2008 cars from the factory.
This is my 2006 car set at 345mm ( arch to wheel centre )
No issues with road humps etc - never bottomed out on anything yet.
If so what do you think of them, I’m considering them for my car but worried theyll be a bit cheap and nasty too stiff and ruin my car. It’s a daily driver so dont want anything too extreme, but my current oem bilsteins are completely shot, car rolls like no tomorrow and floats all over the place.
NO - I went with the Tein Flex Z coil overs.
Car is deffo stiffer than stock Bilstein suspension but I prefer it that way ( the car is not a daily )
My mate has the Meister CRD ( the ones before the new Sport Z set )
I would say his rides smoother than mine on the softer settings.
His is also set to 345mm both ends.
Hello, I have a 2008 2.0. Have just fitted Sportives (Sportive 2), happy with them, taken all the wallow out of the previously pretty knackered Bilsteins. They aren’t as comfy as the OEM. I don’t have any reference points as regards more expensive options so don’t know if spending more would have been better! But I’m happy with them. Didn’t want the adjustability of the more expensive ones, I’m not a twiddler and didn’t want the faff of always thinking I should be chasing a perfect set up.
Had mine set up by Roddison, quite a lot of rake to get the corner weights perfect - 350mm rear and 320 front - I’ve actually put the fronts up to 330mm as it was too low at 320!
