So always trying to learn new tricks or techniques watching Mcamis videos the other day I see he recommends setting suspension neutral or preload with the rear hanging, car jacked up. This certainly would make it easy for sure.

I've always done it with the car setting on the ground, driver in seat, etc. (for initial setup) Which is a PITA to reach and get at things unless you have a drive on lift to access things from underneath. And even then its a PITA.

So my question is wouldnt your neutral setting with everything handing be WAY out with either positive or negative preload when the car is down.

I get that from there you can adjust it to what the car wants. But it seems "risky" with that as the starting point.

AFter probably over thinking this I called their shop (bought stuff like wishbone and other parts in the past from them) to see if I could get clarification. The guy confirmed set it with it all hanging and no need to worry about the weight etc. Work from there doing what the car tells you.

So my question is how many go about setting their 4 link this way? Definately makes it easier. I always made moves at the track with it this way but knowing the neutral was set painfully at race height and weight.

In reality, if the car stays off the wall the first run to see what it wants - there shouldn't be a problem.

I'd say there are pro's and con's to both. If you set it on the ground with jack stands and rear tires off with the driver in the car then you have no access issues, that's what I would do. Just need to do it once and the adjust based on what's required.

I would also say they the faster the car is the more it could matter where a low HP combo may not matter.

No way!

rear end hanging....from the shocks? What if one is a bit shorter than the other in mount? Lot's of what if's that are avoided IMO if the car is sitting like it races.

I make mine with the car sitting on the ground on all fours. No driver weight. I can make a preload adjustment in under 5 minutes while standing on my feet and usually without even getting dirty. Never even considered doing it any other way.

I set mine that way , rear hanging with four link and anit-roll all neutral. My car will carry the front wheels around 50 feet out and slightly pull to the left that way. To be on a string I have to put 1/2 flat of negative preload it it.

Used to set pre load car setting on the ground driver weight in every time. In 2003 while working on car with rear hanging by the shocks had to take preload off right upper bar. I marked it and loosened it and finished what I was doing. Put bar back on and by feel and the mark I made felt good about it.Put back on floor and was good. Put back in air let hang again and messed with and BY accident figured out that I could set preload with rear hanging by shocks. Been doing that way ever since 2 of my own and 3 belonging to other people. Let hang, take up slack, and give 2 flats. No theory,no geometery class, just dumb luck and has worked for me the last 17 years.

Done it both ways...results are the same.

Really? Here I thought it was going to be some new moves that the wife would enjoy.

I mounted some 2x12 boards on wheel dollies, set the tires on them and have ample room to make adjustments to 4 link and anti-roll.

Thanks for the comments. Both ways seem to make sense but it would seem the "on ground and weight in car" method would be more exact (starting out).

I know if I set the car with the On ground method and then let the rear hang(even with a neutral setting) the bar is not neutral when lifted. I am not sure it is one or two flats or 10??

In the end I agree if you can get safety a few runs it wouldnt matter to get the car dialed in.

The main reason I ask is my car, corvette, is nearly impossible at the track to get under and even in a garage, unless you jack it rediculously high, to get under it.

Pre-load for what? There are multitudes of adjustments. Pre-load is last ditched.

I'd imagine at the point a pro stocker needs negative pre-load last ditched.... it's sold for a rigid new replacement.

I don't run pre-load in my "flimsy flyer" six point roll bar, no arb 5 second n/a sbc factory condition 69 Nova.

If you have a halfway decent rigid chassis & arb, you can use the dampers to manage rearend rotation low hp - below 1100 hp.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,