OK, so what's happening here?
When you generate a preview with the "Use CSP for final preview render" Content Manager setting UNCHECKED (aka CM previews)...
View attachment 1434705
CM uses the current skin that it's/you're viewing, or have selected in a list, and the current KN5, and fires up it's internal renderer to make a preview image using the selected preview preset.
The settings in /data, data.acd, the car's /extension/ext_config.ini, the skin's individual ext_config.ini are
NOT applied. So none of the KN5's added in skin-specific ext_config's for wings, winglets, number-plates etc are rendered. And if the model is encrypted with "clumsy-mode" encryption, you get blue crystals.
When you have "Use CSP for final preview render" checked (aka CSP previews), CM will actually launch AC in the background and get CSP involved. NOW the settings in /data, data.acd, the car's /extension/ext_config.ini, the skin's individual ext_config.ini
ARE all applied. And just like when you check "Align with data", the ride height (amongst everything else) is visible.
Since encrypted cars HAVE to be decrypted to be viewable in-game, even that hurdle is removed, and we can have nice previews.
Finally, CSP generates the render from the "modified" KN5.
And looking at all the folks who have reported that their previews are fine and dandy, this is exactly what they have done.
Now. If you're brave and have a backup of the KN5 (CM makes one, but belts AND braces, right?) you can, having applied "Align with data", use the "Update model" button at the bottom of the same panel. This updates the current KN5 with the current-in-use data settings (/data or data.acd) and saves it (with a backup, 'cos as Ilya as well knows, "stuff" happens...)
Now, when you make a CM Preview, the effects of /data or data.acd are "baked" into the KN5.
WARNINGs:
1. Many things may change, not just the ride height. I've found modders (even good ones) to be shockingly sloppy with this. The data settings and the saved KN5 in some instances differ wildly. Wheels move, wheelbase inaccuracies are revealed, camber is suddenly applied, wheels are spacered because Graphic adjustments etc.
2. Sometimes you'll mess up the ambient shadows by doing this, and have to update them. After updating the model, navigate to the left-most tab in the CM showroom parameters panel, with the left arrow icon, and click "Update Ambient Shadow". Select your prefs or accept defaults, and update the shadows.
3. I'd be especially careful with complex code-heavy mods like those from RSS and even more so, VRC. Backup, backup.
Good luck, fellow traveller