How can new shocks raise my car?

[RealMcCoy]

Originally Posted by Mista Grimm

I've had the springs on for years and my shocks weren't bad, even after so many miles. No improvement on the ride. I replaced them cause I had a noise which turned out to be the thrust bushings. But the car was low enough way back when I first installed the springs, I was happy with the height. Now it's ugly as hell.

KYBs are a high pressure gas shock.. They will increase the spring rate somewhat.. It's not at all unusual to see them raise the ride height slightly.

[wraith]

Originally Posted by RealMcCoy

KYBs are a high pressure gas shock.. They will increase the spring rate somewhat.. It's not at all unusual to see them raise the ride height slightly.

when you release the strap when they are new, you cant push them back in by hand?

[TwIzTeD_3kGt]

Originally Posted by wraith

when you release the strap ehen they are new, you cant push them back in by hand?

I've replaced many-a-strut in my day, and I don't sit there and try to push each one back in. But I do know that some can support my full weight and not budge, and some go right back in.

[tachyon_ftl]

Originally Posted by TwIzTeD_3kGt

I've replaced many-a-strut in my day, and I don't sit there and try to push each one back in. But I do know that some can support my full weight and not budge, and some go right back in.

Well, true. When I did mine last summer, I put Bilsteins all around. The rears you can push in with your hands; the fronts, no way. Like Twizted said, I think you could stand on the fronts and they wouldn't move much.

Having said that... Sam still has it correct I think. Shocks are dampers. The fact that they may be very stiff dampers doesn't mean that they'll support weight; it just means that they take a while to move when subjected to a force. And the internal gas pressure that extends the strut has less to do with the difficulty in pushing it down than that stiff damping, especially if the strut has more damping for compression than extension. So, I don't think that the shocks are "raising" the car up unless the KYB is also designed to be both a spring and a shock, which I wouldn't think is the case.

Grimm, you sure that the tops of the springs are correctly seated in the rubber rings? And that the springs are all in right side up? And that all the little rubber bushings in the middle of the stack are in, and are in right side up? Sorry to ask dumb questions, but unless the KYB's are supposed to be supporting some of the weight of the car, or their dimensions don't match the stockers, I don't see them being the reason.

[lawdogg]

Grimm make sure those springs are seated properly.

[RealMcCoy]

Originally Posted by wraith

when you release the strap when they are new, you cant push them back in by hand?

It often takes considerable effort to do so... I've never really measured the force necessary, but I would guess it would be like pulling 50-75lbs off each end of the car..

That being said, I originally missed the post where the OP said it was different from one side to another, and it had raised it back to stock height...(+1.5 inches?) Something is wrong..