pleasants9

so i dont know if this has been gradual or more abrupt but it is fairly obvious at this time that my car is leaning to the right (passenger side) if I measure the gap from the top of the tire to the bottom of the fender I about about 3 inches on the driver side front tire and about 2 inches on the passenger side front tire & 3 3/4 driver rear and 3 1/2 passenger rear. I replaced the front springs in the car a little over 3 years ago and the rear monoleaf spring about 5 years ago. I have not replaced the shocks to my knowledge, could they be the issue? What should I be looking at/checking out to figure this out?

Thanks!

doorgunner

Even when you are parked at different locations the passenger's side is still lower.....just making sure your favorite parking spot isn't causing the "lean".

The shocks shouldn't cause that much lean unless one of them is damaged.

Does either front wheel look as though it is leaning?

Is there bending/damage to either lower arm?

Are the two rubber bushings on EACH arm coming apart?

If both front coil springs are not correctly rotated against the "stops" in the lower arm spring "groove", the car will not sit level.

Are the rear "spring bolt" nuts threaded the same distance from the end of each bolt?

Being a rookie....that's all I have.

pleasants9

alright thanks, i need to get off my butt and get under the car and see what could be causing this issue.

doorgunner

Good idea......you don't want a "lean" to end up in a "crash" because something is "coming loose"!

Keep us update......you could save someone else a problem

Tom73

Instead of measuring the fender gaps, measure the distances from key frame points to the ground. This will tell you if you have some type of sag or if it may be a body alignment issue.

Tom...

pleasants9

well i briefly jacked it up, looked around all the rubber gromets and everything are still there for the suspension, they are a little cracked but no chunks missing. The spring seemed to be solid wasnt loose or broken from what i could tell. looked up into the well of the A-arm where the shock goes up into it and on the inside bottom of the a-arm seemed to be a yellowish green goup amassed there, maybe the shock blew? could this cause a lean? Its getting late so i will try to get another look when i get home from work tomorrow
.

doorgunner

Good point!

Also.....try adjusting the driver's side rear spring bolt nut to reduce the fender lip gap to the top of the tire----it may help the car "settle" so that more clearance is gained on the front passenger tire.

pleasants9

so update....I got under the car and started measuring clearances. I found that the passenger side lower ball joint is different from the driver side. I found that the distance between the bottom of the spindle and the top of the A-arm (all lower side) is about 1/2 inch shorter on the driver side than driver side. So I thoguht maybe the ball joint collapsed or something that could explain it. So I bought a brand new Moog ball joint and replaced the lower passenger ball joint. Got it all done and set the car back down with the exact same result! afte rlooking at the top nuts its obvious that the lower ball joints are different make but now i pose the question which one is correct? Are there published clearances or distances i can use to continue troubleshooting where my problem is originating? I still have a solid inch difference between the driver and passenger side front fender and wheel. photos will be attached.

pleasants9

Passenger side lower ball joint


driver side lower ball joint


passenger upper ball joint


driver upper ball joint

RedRedRed

It's hard tell without measuring, but from photos, it looks like the drivers ball joint is taller than the passenger. Since the spring supports the lower A arm, I would think that could cause the difference. The DS A arm would be sitting higher off the spindle assembly than the PS side is.

Measure the tip of one lower A arm to the ground, then the exact same measurement on the other side. If it's different, that's where the problem is. Imagine if the rubber boot section of the ball joint were twice as tall, but only on the driver side. How lopsided would the car sit?

A half inch at the ball joint could easily translate to an inch at the fender lip. The further you get from the point where the A arm is connected to the frame, the more the distance becomes.

You shouldn't run different suspension components on either side of the vehicle anyway. One side should have the same components as the other.

doorgunner

Take pics holding a tape measure against the parts in question.......try to keep the camera level with each part so there is no distortion.

Members will be able to give you better advice.

gjohnson

Might be an optical illusion but the a-arms look different at the end where the ball joint attaches.They should be identical looking

pleasants9

not to sound ungrateful but what i wrote in the post above the photos is already stating what your alluding to REDREDRED, unless im misunderstanding your comment. Yes the Moog ball joint on the passenger side lower A-arm seems to be giving a 1/2 inch shorter distance between the A-arm and spindle (compared to driver lower ball joint), which i believe is the culprit. I will try to get better photos with a measure tape as i realize they are not great comparisons. Since I know the moog ball joints are of decent quality and should be proper, how can i verify that the distance from the moog ball joint (passenger side) is correct compared to the driver side. I know none of the ball joints are original as i replaced the whole front end suspension about 4 years ago all with parts from ecklers http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1963-1982.html Which ball joints should i trust to be setting the proper height and does anyone have any measurements i can verify?

Thank you everyone for all the input so far

RedRedRed

Sorry, it didn't sound to me that you had settled on the ball joints as the culprit, you were still still seeking help finding the origin of the problem. One of my points was that an inch at the fender can be caused by 1/2 inch at the ball joint.

As far as the height, I would go with what ever height you like best, higher or lower. If you want to be sure you have the stock height, replace the ball joints with OEM or exact replacements. If you're looking for the correct dimensions for comparison, I'd try the guys at Willcox, see if they can help or direct you to a source.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the "correct" height. It's only an inch, and ride height can change over time anyway as original components (springs) age. Besides, many guys are wanting to lower their front ride height. If you're not having clearance problems on the lower side, I'd say it's your choice how you want it.

ddawson

Also add could one of the springs have rotated on the pocket.

Check the lower a arm drain holes and make sure both are in the correct spot.