How to Set Preload and Adjust Ride Height on a Divorced Spring Suspension

If you’re working on a car with a divorced rear spring setup, you might be wondering how to properly set your ride height and preload. Don’t worry—this process is actually pretty straightforward once you know what to look for.

What’s a Divorced Spring Setup?

First off, let’s clear up what we mean by a divorced setup. On some cars, especially those with multi-link or double wishbone rear suspensions, the spring and shock (damper) are mounted separately. The spring sits on the lower control arm, and the damper mounts to a different spot on the same arm. This is different from a typical coilover, where the spring and shock are combined into a single unit.

Step 1: Adjusting Ride Height

With a divorced setup, you set your ride height using the spring perch. Here’s how:

• Support the spring so it’s not under load.

• Find the locking collar on the spring perch.

• Move the collar to your desired position for ride height.

• Lock it in place with the appropriate tool (usually a 5mm Allen or similar).

That’s it! The car will now sit at the height you set once you put it back on the ground.

But here’s a crucial tip:
After you’ve set everything and lowered your car, you need to let the suspension settle. The first time the car hits the ground, the suspension needs to compress and maybe even roll a bit to find its true resting position. Sometimes, things can shift slightly as everything seats itself.

Pro tip:
Take your car for a short drive around the block or gently bounce it up and down to jostle things into place. This helps the suspension “settle” so you can get an accurate measurement of your ride height.

Step 2: Setting Preload

Preload is super important for keeping your spring from bouncing around, especially over big bumps or dips. Without it, the spring could actually come loose when the suspension is fully extended.

Here’s how to set preload:

• With everything installed (spring, damper, control arm, etc.), start threading the damper body into the lower mount.

• As you do this, you’ll see the control arm move up and the spring start to get snug.

• Keep turning until the spring is just held in place and can’t wiggle around. A good rule of thumb is to go about one full turn past where the spring first gets tight.

• Once the spring is secure, lock the damper in place with the locking ring.

Now your spring is locked in and won’t go anywhere, even over the roughest roads.

Final Check

After everything’s set and you’ve let the suspension settle (either by bouncing the car, rolling it back and forth, or taking a short drive), check your ride height again. If you need to tweak it, just lift the car, adjust the spring perch, and make sure your preload is still good. It’s a quick process once you get the hang of it.

Always double-check that your locking rings are tight before you hit the road. A loose spring or damper can cause all sorts of headaches.

That’s all there is to it! With these steps—and by letting your suspension settle before making final adjustments—you’ll have your divorced spring setup dialed in for both comfort and safety.