Adjusting rear ride height with TC Kline adjusters

[Almuliman]

Preamble: Please bear with me – I'm a total newbie when it comes to adjustable suspensions.

My 128 came with a full TC Kline double adjustable kit. It's riding just a little too low inasmuch as the flap in front of the passenger side rear wheel grazes the road over bumps, potholes, and expansion joints at speed unless I make the suspension far too hard for daily driving.

My problem is that I can't figure out how to adjust the rear upper spring seats to raise the car. I mean, I obviously need to move the seat up or down, but how do I spin it? Is there a particular tool or just anything that'll grab the non-threaded holes? Do I need to undo a holding screw in the threaded hole (on the right out of view on the pic)? I don't think I need to unbolt anything else, although there's comment from tckline back in 2014 to undo the bottom shock bolt and push down the whole assembly to make room.

As I said above, total newbie to this kind of operation (obviously) and I've tried finding an answer already, but to no avail.

[Papa Popov]

I don't have coilovers so I can't comment on the procedure to raise ride height, but I do know that most kits come with spanner wrenches to adjust the collar.

I'd assume this is what you need https://www.tcklineracing.com/webdoc...Details794.cfm

[Almuliman]

Originally Posted by Papa Popov

I don't have coilovers so I can't comment on the procedure to raise ride height, but I do know that most kits come with spanner wrenches to adjust the collar.

I'd assume this is what you need https://www.tcklineracing.com/webdoc...Details794.cfm

Yeah, I have those, but they only (appear to?) fit the front.

[Papa Popov]

Originally Posted by Almuliman

Yeah, I have those, but they only (appear to?) fit the front.

Looks like you need to unload the suspension (drop the arm or leverage it down) then just spins the collar, no spanners required for TC Kline.

Vid of a dude adjusting the rear ride height on an E90 w/ TC Klines

[Almuliman]

Thank you! That's the ticket. I don't have a wrench big enough to grab (and fit at the same time), but I can unload the suspension enough with leverage. Off to Napa tomorrow when the stores open!

P.S. Still not that good at searching, apparently <sigh>

[Almuliman]

I can't unload the suspension enough with the shock attached, but I also can't get the shock off: The bottom nut [edit: not bolt <facepalm>] on the shock just spins. Doesn't spin the shaft, just spins. Which explains the extra "locking" nut on that side... <facepalm>

On the upside, I'm pretty sure I ve discovered the source of the clunking from that area, which the previous owner said a couple of different shops hadn't been able to pinpoint (but they also, apparently, missed the whole spinning bolt thing, so...).

Going to call TC Kline tomorrow for any advice and to price a new shock in case I need to get destructive.

[Almuliman]

I've tried splitting the stripped nut, but can't get enough room to angle the chisel with the nut up in the camber arm.

I'm thinking I could undo the upper shock mount and drop the shock and camber arm out to have them still together, but free of the car. Then, I could remove the lower shock mount from the camber arm and voila! have full access to the lower (stripped) nut to split it.

Am I missing something that'll keep that from working out?

[HP Autosport]

Looks like you have the 10" TCKR springs. There is a lot of preload on that spring to require the lower control arm to be dropped before any adjustments can be made. A correct size punch can also work when there isn't so much preload.

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by Almuliman

I've tried splitting the stripped nut, but can't get enough room to angle the chisel with the nut up in the camber arm.

I'm thinking I could undo the upper shock mount and drop the shock and camber arm out to have them still together, but free of the car. Then, I could remove the lower shock mount from the camber arm and voila! have full access to the lower (stripped) nut to split it.

Am I missing something that'll keep that from working out?

Instead of trying to remove the nut(s) on the pin, have tried to remove the mount with the damper? Two torx bolts.

[Almuliman]

Originally Posted by HP Autosport

Instead of trying to remove the nut(s) on the pin, have tried to remove the mount with the damper? Two torx bolts.

So I had that thought too after posting, but I had enough room to *start* chiseling. Chiseled away at it for a while and did make some progress, but it didn't seem to really make a difference, so I closed down for the night, intending to undo those two bolts and lift the whole thing out. Not sure why, but I put the wheel back on and lowered the car back down (tired? deep in thought? <shrug>).

Next day: Lifted the car, nut and washer drop off. Literally just fell off. I must have destroyed what thread was left on the shock the night before. <sigh>

Pulled the shock out and, lo and behold: it's shot anyway. No rebound after compression.

Talked to TC Kline and it turns out they don't do the double adjustable for the non-M lower arm anymore, so I'd have to upgrade to the M camber arms plus two new shocks to keep the double adjustability. I don't track the car, so I decided to go with the non-adjustable Konis (same valving as the single adjustable TC Klines) and am taking the opportunity to replace the 700 lb springs with 500s for a more comfortable street ride. Oh, and since I'm in there and the upper bushings look like they're the originals, I'm replacing those with PowerFlex bushings.

With the softer springs and shocks that actually, you know, work, it should be like having a new car. I'm going to leave it lowered, but just a little higher to get rid of the occasional scraping (the original purpose of this whole odyssey).

[Almuliman]

Originally Posted by HP Autosport

Looks like you have the 10" TCKR springs. There is a lot of preload on that spring to require the lower control arm to be dropped before any adjustments can be made. A correct size punch can also work when there isn't so much preload.

Correct, those are the 10" springs. See my post above, but in short I'm replacing them with the 500 lbs springs, so I'll be dropping the control arm to do that anyway.

Boy, am I learning a lot about working on suspensions! Good thing as our Volvo S60 is also in need of a full refresh. Did the (super easy) rear shocks on that already, but I'm *not* looking forward to the fronts. Looks like they're a PITA to get out of and into the knuckle.

[HP Autosport]

Looks like you got it all resolved!