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        General >> Problems >> Very low ride height
        
(Message started by: muskrat on Sep 1^st, 2008, 7:27pm)

Title: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 1^st, 2008, 7:27pm

Hi wonder if anybody can help? I'm on my second Scorp but this one seens to have a very low ride height especially at the rear.

I've just returned from Cornwall, admittidly with a pretty well loaded up car with a roofbox as well but I was worried about how close the tyres were to the wheel arch when fully loaded. I could just get my fingers in the gap and I was worried about the tyres hitting the arch when the suspension bounced.

I never remember my previous Scorp having this and whilst we made it to and from Cornwall with no mishaps there was a smell of hot oil / burning from the rear when we got home after about 250 miles.

Any advice would be welcome as I want to get it sorted before we go back next year.

Cheers

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Highlander on Sep 1^st, 2008, 8:26pm

Springs?

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by cuzza on Sep 1^st, 2008, 8:44pm

was your other a estate ? saloons dont get self leveling me thinks ? :)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 1^st, 2008, 8:53pm

cuzza.
Some saloons have self levelling rear air shockers,there is a compressor behind the front bumper on nearside,an electronic level sensor between the body and the offside rear suspension and a relay in the aux box supplied via fuse 30.
GOZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by cuzza on Sep 1^st, 2008, 9:01pm

well you learn somthing new every day ...was,nt sure about saloons :P...but know now ;D

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 1^st, 2008, 10:18pm

OK thanks, I'll look into whether or not ih has self levelling suspension. It's a 98 model if that sheds any light.

Thanks again.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 1^st, 2008, 10:43pm

muskrat.
Just look at the rear shockers,if they haven't got airbags round them they aren't self levellers.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Highlander on Sep 1^st, 2008, 11:22pm

Thats only the very early models that ran with a compressor Gozz, later models dont have that set up.

The self levelling was available for the saloon but never heard of one that had it

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 9:27am

Highlander.
All my hearses and limos have got the system from 95 to 97,I dont have any 98 cars.In the 97 handbook you will find the relay and fuse shown ::)
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Jonnycab on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 1:45pm

Without self levelling suspension, which I very much doubt your saloon has, then the ride height is purely down to the springs. Some springs seem to be tougher than others, hence the higher ride height.

Ford did produce heavy duty springs for the saloon which were fitted to models that had a factory fitted tow bar, but unfortunately these along with all Scorpio rear springs are no longer available from Ford. I have personally hunted high & low for a pair of HD springs but have never managed to find a pair yet.

There are after market standard springs available, but there is no guarantee that these will make the rear sit any higher. I think it's just pot luck if you get a stiffer pair or not :-/

I think it's just a case of spotting a Scorp saloon that sits higher at the back & asking the owner if they'd like to part with their rear springs ;)......... ;D

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 2:05pm

Many thanks for all of the advice, much appreciated.

I asked about this when the car went through its MOT in July and they said the springs were OK. But that was not when loaded and so it would have sat higher anyway.

Shame about the springs no longer being available as that was my next plan - to just have them replaced regardless and hope it solved the problem.

In the handbook it says that the self levelling suspension on saloon models activates when the engine is running. As I only ever checked the height without the engine running is it worth putting some load on the back and seeing what happens when I start it up?

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by cuzza on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 8:22pm

there use to be spring assisters available some years back ....look around caravan type places these where simple to fix and remove they where designed for towing and heavy loads ...like i say these things may no longer be out there but it would help you when loading up for holidays ....?? :)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Highlander on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 8:51pm

on 09/02/08 at 09:27:07, gozz wrote:

Highlander.
All my hearses and limos have got the system from 95 to 97,I dont have any 98 cars.In the 97 handbook you will find the relay and fuse shown ::)
GOZZ.

Maybe a special for the stretched stuff??
I've never seen that system on any of the scorpios i've had or seen, only heard a handful of people on the forum who actually had it and then only on very early models, anyone else seen it?

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 2^nd, 2008, 10:10pm

Muskrat.
You could always get a pair of Grayston spring assisters,simple to fit,just jack the car up,let the springs drop,and wind them in between the coils.They are hard rubber,and do work.Grayston 020 8974 1122.www.springassisters.co.uk
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Jonnycab on Sep 3^rd, 2008, 1:01am

Scorpio spring assistors are available on Ebay :)...........

........HERE (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spring-Assistors-FORD-SCORPIO-95-ON-Towing-Suspension_W0QQitemZ290257005462QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116)

Been thinking about getting a pair myself, but I'm not sure that they will really lift the rear that much, maybe half an inch possibly ? :-/

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 3^rd, 2008, 1:20pm

Thanks for the info on the spring assistors. I'd take a half inch improvement to be honest, so it's something that I'll look at.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by cuzza on Sep 3^rd, 2008, 9:16pm

spring assistors wont lift your car a great lot but they do exactly what it says on the tin ...stop you sinking so low under load 8)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Highlander on Sep 5^th, 2008, 11:46am

on 09/03/08 at 13:20:48, muskrat wrote:

I'd take a half inch improvement to be honest

Wouldnt we all!! ;)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 5^th, 2008, 2:14pm

Highlander.
D'ye mean aroond or alang ? ;D
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by v4-max aka Cheekyboy1 on Sep 5^th, 2008, 5:19pm

sill y question but does your scorp have the standard wheels on it? and are you sure the previous owner never fitted a lowering kit?

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 5^th, 2008, 10:12pm

Standard 12 spoke alloys and I'm sure the previous owners never fitted a lowering kit.

But I have checked the fuse box and there is a 20amp fuse in position 30. Not checked for the relay yet but why would the fuse need to be there if it doesn't have the levelling suspension?

Will check for the relay tomorrow, weather permitting.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by Jonnycab on Sep 6^th, 2008, 2:34am

The reason the 20 amp fuse is in there is probably because the previous owner stuck it in there to see if it would work ;)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 6^th, 2008, 9:25am

Muskrat.
Did you look at the rear shockers ? have they got airbags round them or not ? it only takes a glance ::)
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 6^th, 2008, 11:12am

Gozz,

I did have a look and couldn't see anything that resembled air bags but I'll have another, closer look today.

I'l try and get a piccie up so that you can see what's there.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 6^th, 2008, 5:25pm

muskrat.
Two more ways to ascertain whether or not it's self levelling,look underneath the nearside of the front bumper,is there a compressor ?, get under the rear of the car,the offside suspension arm has a rod connected to a black box,(height sensor)
bolted to the underbody.If your springs are so flat that they need to be replaced,I have a pair already packed up for another chap who changed his mind !. They are used but good.£25.00 all in.However if you regularly carry weight I would suggest you add assisters.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 6^th, 2008, 7:01pm

Hi here is the picture that I took through the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch:

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk110/muskrat_05/Brian100518.jpg

Also I checked for the relay and it's not there.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 7^th, 2008, 1:08pm

Muskrat.
They look like standard shockers,the air type are thicker.The airbag is a bit lower down fixed to the bottom of the outer part,if you put your hand over the top of the tyre you can feel it.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 7^th, 2008, 9:45pm

Gozz,

I've now had a better look at the suspension from underneath and behind. Could quite clearly see the shocker all the way down and there was no sign of anything resembling an air bag.

Springs also looked OK actually, so it looks like spring assistors are the way to go.

Thanks for all the help with this.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by dxt on Sep 9^th, 2008, 7:37pm

hi ... I had exactly the same problem. Turned out to be the shocks --- totally cream crackered. 2 shocks from my friendly local ford breakers and now fine. Just as added insurance I put a couple of spring assister's on and now wonderful.
Cheers dxt

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by muskrat on Sep 10^th, 2008, 9:58am

Hi dxt,

Thanks, that's very helpful. Looks like new shockers and spring assistors then... :)

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by mr._floppy on Sep 10^th, 2008, 3:51pm

Fetch my smelling salts.

Fitting shocks from a breaker's yard, is that wise :-/

Anyhoo, unless they are self-levelling ones, shocks don't really affect the ride height.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Sep 10^th, 2008, 7:41pm

mr-floppy.
Its OK fitting scrapyard shockers if they work,not much point if they don't.You are quite right about standard ones not changing the ride hight,but if you drive constantly with clapped out ones,the excessive hammering will ruin the springs.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by harry.m1byt on Sep 16^th, 2008, 11:21pm

I tow and fitted some of those spring assistors a few months ago, the Grastone (sp?) rubber ones. They do lift the back end slightly with no load and they are certainly still available - they just make them in different widths between the coils for different springs rather than any specific car. I had a bit of fun putting them on and it is worth mentioning.....

The arrive packed as a complete circle, of a larger diameter than the spring. It takes some effort to get the ends apart to feed around the spring, you fight to get them in place feeding it around in the spring, then as soon as you let go they fly back out due to their beng no pressure or weight on the spring to keep them in place.

I tried it several times and could not get it to stay put until I could get the wheel back on plus weight back onto the spring. I eventually hit on the idea of putting the rubber in place then getting someone to hold it there, whilst I put some duct tape around it to make it stay put. No doubt the tape will come off eventually, but once the weight is on the spring there is no chance of the rubber coming out and even if it is jacked up, the rubber will have settled into its new shape.

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by dxt on Oct 25^th, 2008, 1:21pm

Recently fitted new shocks and spring assister's on rear as I had the same problem. When we took the old shocks off they were completely cream crackered. Rides like a dream now.
DT

Title: Re: Very low ride height
Post by gozz on Oct 25^th, 2008, 5:23pm

muskrat.
Did you sort out the problem ? I just got some more rubber assisters from Towsure. They are of the Pyramid brand,and are very reasonably priced,they appear OK,time will tell !
GOZZ.