The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

olr159w wrote:Can anyone advise the standard height for front and rear based, I assume, on something like the distance from wheel centre to wheel arch at TDC?

thanks

The Sprint workshop manual has the basic dimensions you need but in a different format. The top of the sill height from level ground is quoted as 356 mm ( Door step height ). The sill is level and is quoted for an unladen car with seats in the mid-position.
HTH,
Tony.

I aimed for 60cm from the ground to the centre of each wheel arch.
This is lower overall than the height quoted by Tony and the sills are about 3cm higher at the back than they are at the front.



Ian.

Thanks everyone.

Here's what it looks like right now.

I'm happy with the back. The front might get a raise . I'll wait for it to re-settle a bit first

I just drove it around the block for the first time in ages. Compared with a modern car of course the brakes felt poor and the steering was vague. It's out of tune. It's a lot noisier in general. But the worst thing is the "extra" noise that sounds like something knocking/vibrating. Per other thread I resolved the sub frame rear mount absence of protruding tube by using a spacer cut to length from one of the front sub frame spacers. It's a close fit through the sub frame. I feel pretty certain it's causing the noise, more noticeable at idle than anything else. I'll have to get some narrower tube.

m

As far as I can make out, my car is still on its original standard springs and standard non adjustable shocks.
Measured on flat and level concrete, the ride height from the wheel centres to the top of each wheel arch is 335mm, all 'round.
The pic attached shows the car, but obviously not on level ground.
I like the way it sits, (& rides) but after reading this and other threads, I suspect that the springs have sagged over the 40 years.
Cheers,
Rob

The stance on sundowners looks good to me. Ol if youre happy with the rear height adjust the fronts to get level sills and job done.
Remember though that front ride height is going to change the tracking quite a bit so recheck after any height adjustments

Tony

Thanks.

My intention is to raise the front a bit more so that it is more or less level. I think the rears on mine look higher than sundowners and yet they sit at 325 to his 335 so its deceptive. But whatever, I think they are going to stay where they are and the fronts can come up to meet them.

I test drove it today; the first drive in ages. The tracking needs doing anyway. It needs a tune I'm quite sure. It ran OK but was noisy - partly because it is and partly because there is a mystery vibration. See other thread about sub frames but basically I know something I can try.

The worst of it is this all started with the rear axle leaking oil into the drum. I did that job ages ago and have been faffing around with the suspension ever since. After driving it I'm pretty sure it still has an oil leak; irrespective of the new seals etc. I'll start a new thread on that. Just about ready to take it to the crusher though.

m

Yep fronts are at least an inch too low....

Its a labour of love. You will get there. Happy to tune it for you...PM me re when and where.

Jonners

Appreciate the offer Jonners

Perth Western Australia. You pay the flights......

It's not so much the height thing that brings to mind the crusher. Its the seeming impossibility of getting it back on the road at all, especially if I have to take the rear axle to bits all over again

rgds

I'm aware that this post isn't offering anything, but......
I'm sure I read somewhere that when ordering new, standard spec, non adjustable, after market, shock absorbers, the vendors supply on the basis that one size fits all. (Which is NOT the case.)
AND that the Sprint initially had shocks fitted that provided a higher ride height than other Dolomites.
Now, I've just searched all over to find where I'd read this but to no avail. So, there is a good chance I may have dreamed it. (see my signature)
If its true, then all Sprints that are fitted with non-adjustable, after market, shocks......and that haven't been molested, will have a lower ride height than factory.
Can any of you either confirm this or tell me I'm dreaming?
Thanks & Cheers,
Rob

I found it on Rimmers site.......The factory spring seat height for both front and rear shock absorbers varies between Dolomite Sprint and other Dolomite models. Sprint models had a higher seat to give an extra 1/2" ride height.
Rob

Further weirdness.

I know you said its a labour of love Jonners but.....

So I wound up the front shock adjusters some more. 15mm on the NS and 18mm on the OS. Previously the ride height wheel centre to front arch was 317 and 320. Once dropped off the jack the height showed as about 360 but I just took it around the block to let it settle down a bit.

Now the NS is 330 but the OS is only 320. Admittedly the wheels aren't quite straight but I can't see that making a difference.

How can this be? I get the change in seat height might not cause the exact same increase in road height. On the NS I added 15mm to get an extra 10mm in ride height. But on the OS we add 18mm to get 3mm????

thks

Seriously, what you need to do here is get it roughly how you want it, ie more or less level front to back and side to side. Don't worry at this stage about a few mm either way.
Then put some miles on it, say a couple of hundred for starters to let the initial spring settling process take place. At this point the car will probably need lifting an inch or so, again rough it out then do some proper miles, a couple of thousand should do. Only then is it worth getting finicky with the adjustments. On my final one, I put my weight in birdseed on the drivers seat so it was level with me in it! But that IS a bit OCD!

Steve

It wasn't so much the point that it was mm out one side or the other.

The issue was that I added an amount to both sides and got substantially more ride height change on one side than the other. ie I added 15mm to NS and got 10mm change but added 18mm to OS and only got 3mm change. I think that's odd. Bear in mind these aren't new springs and the whole lot has been on the car over 10 years.

The other thing is the Gaz seat adjusters are maybe 2/3 - 3/4 of the way up already. Is that an issue?

m

Just thinking that the difference between sides may have something to do with differing compliance of your suspension bushes.

I would loosen the bolts off especially on the lower wishbone where its attached to the subframe, then retighten it when
the weight is on the wheels.

Jonners

Well its done. Not the best angles but here's some pics :
But here's a shot of each shock. They are wound fairly high I guess although I read somewhere that Gaz shocks have short bodies. However, one side is still different from the other. From bottom of shock tube to adjuster seat the NS is 125mm whereas the OS is 151mm
I can't fix that. It is what it is.

I think it's odd though. To me it suggests a twisted chassis or something but I'm not even going to think about it.

Also I feel I should bare my soul about driving it with the tie rod ends only finger tight. I could have sworn I tightened everything. Very very very luckily, having gone round the block etc, one steering arm only popped out when getting into reverse to back into the drive again.

Could have killed myself. Humbling experience. My daughter was in the car at the time also.

m

M

Another thing you have missed - the locknut, your picture only shows one - you should have two fitted and they lock together

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j ... 1715374916

Paul