I thought it was just the front fender heights were 1/2" different till I also measured the back and it's also a 1/2" different. Left side is lower then right. What in the world would cause this? I can see a bent spindle or something causing the front but not the front and back, and especially the same amount. It's got new springs all around, unfortunately I didn't measure anything before the spring swaps, so I don't know if this was a pre-existing condition or not.


Pat Kunz

 

i know that the rear spring has to settle b4 u tighten it all down..... check the front a-arm buckets and the body mount behind the rear tires...

b

 

Start at the bottom and start measuring up. Measure until you find whats out of line and whats not the same on each size. Onaqwst gives some good advice.

 

My car is the same way. Could be collapsed body mounts, among other things. As long as the car remains safe to drive, I've learned to ignore it. The chicks walking around with ruler's aren't measuring my fenderwells...

 

I've been hard at work today replacing my A arm bushings. Didn't finish, had problems, I'll finish it tommorow.

Anyway, one thing I found was that the last idiot that had my a-arms apart put the spring in wrong. The end of the spring is supposed to fit in a detent formed in the spring well. It wasn't, there was about 1.5" of spring sitting on the lip of the detent. That has to make a difference in ride height.

My right side sits higher than my left by a little more than an inch. After I finish up, I'm very curious if by putting the spring in correctly, it will fix the uneven ride height.

Another problem I found was that the idiot used a pickle fork and pneumatic hammer to separate the outer bushing sleeve from the a arms. Gouged the heck out of the bearing surface. No wonder it wore out so quickly.

IDIOT argh

 

Thanks guys,

I'll check some things out tonight and let you know what I find. It's probably one of those things that I only notice. Nobody else has ever said anything.


Pat Kunz

 

Your best post yet.

 

Pat, I think mine is the same way. Im chalking mine up to body mounts. I know the rear most body mount on mine is toast. I've though about (would be easy, just havn't done it yet) for the rear at least adjusting the spring bolt to even it out a little.

Jeremy

 

Measure FRAME height in 4 places per side...front frame end, rear frame end...frame behind front tires...frame in front of rear tires (jacking locations).
That will determine one of four things... a level frame, body bushings or bushing mount problems, or frame twist/diamond.
Correct repair for frame twist is frame off and brought to a frame shop.
Correct repair for body bushings is replacement.
Correct repair for body bushing mounts is bending back to factory specs (can be DIY).

All can be "cosmetically overcome" with spring adjustment in the rear...close enough visually.

I have two threads showing on the RR of my 8" spring bolts, and about 3/4" of threads showing on my left...I still have the drivers side 1/4" lower vs. passenger side, which would mean I would still have to tighten the drivers side to get it perfectly even.

For cosmetics adjustments I measured:
top center of each fender lip
leading edge of front nose left and right
trailing edge of rear bumper left and right (inside of bumper stops)

9 leaf rear spring was rebuilt when diff. was rebuilt, and 8" bolts added with poly bushings.

I know my body bushings are dry-rotted, cracked and worn...there possibly could be frame twist...the cosmetic adjusment using the rear spring height will do fine for now.

You will want to drive it here and there after each spring adjustment for the suspension to settle back into the neutral position...sometimes a drive "just around the block" dont cut it enough to measure again and make a decision.
I usually send my son to school in it for two days...the tore up rural roads are sure to settle the suspension by the next time I measure...



Jim

 

Well i just did some quick checking of frame heights and I can't tell any difference between the frame heights side to side. So that seems to be a good thing and it doesn't appear to have a bent or twisted frame, which leaves body mounts or bushings as the likely culprit. Now as far as correcting the ride height visually, do they make spring spacers in 1/2" sizes?, I know I can adjust the rear with the spring bolts.

Thanks

Pat Kunz

 

has anyone mentioned poor build quality? our c-3,s are notorious for extremely poor build quality and after 30 yrs, these things tend to move around

 

Clik here: http://www.vbandp.com/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=spacer

 

Unfortunately the VB&P spacer says it's a 1" spacer, so it would just put me a 1/2 higher on the opposite side and I start all over. If I could find a 1/2" one that would be perfect.


Pat Kunz

 

maybe a 1/2" is withing tolerances!!!

 

I finished my A arms, today I put in the steeroids.

In my earlier post, I mentioned that I discovered that my right side spring was out of the pocket. Putting it in correctly seems to have pretty much evened out my ride height but....It also seems to have raised it. I would have thought that it would have lowered it but the exact opposite occured.

Cant say as I understand this.

 

You didn't tighten the bushing retainer bolts before setting it on it's own weight, did you ?
If rubber bushings, then tightening them B4 lowering will preload
the bushings leading to increased ride height and premature bushing failure.
I like poly bushings. They act like a hinge - not twisting like the rubber ones.
So, you can tighten them up B4 mounting them on the car without the concerns of rubber ones.


Regarding the 1" coil spring spacer ... they are hard rubber and can be
"adjusted" in height with some careful cutting and/or sanding.
I have a pair I found on Ebay for $10 ... maybe worth a look.

 

To add:

When you raise or lower one corner...all corners raise or lower's...though not as drastically.

To understand; lift a yard stick 1" from a surface at the end (36" mark)....take notice of the height at the 6 inch mark.--approx. 1/8"--

then lift the yardstick to 6 inches at the end (36" mark)....now note the new height of the 6" mark.--approx. 1 full inch--

So; putting a 1" spacer will NOT raise just *that* corner (the 1/2" lower corner) and make it 1/2" higher....both sides will raise...so will the rear.


I ALWAYS CHECK:
1>tire height as being the same left to right
2>correct air pressure in all the tires....you'de be suprise how many "weak springs" are due to incorrect tire height or air pressure.
3>springs seated correctly

still un-even?

4>measure frame
5>diagnose problem.

That being said;
If a customer comes to me with a front corner 1/2" lower...I am reaching for a 3/4" spacer.
I dont like doing my work twice...I am usually pretty good at getting it right the first time.

And believe me; I could of taken some "smart" people to the cleaners because of tire size, and/or air pressure!


Oh...and dont even think tires stores dont make a mistake.
Blonde female cousin comes back from Uniroyal that had a n00b...three new 235/70's and one new 225/75 (black-walls).
The alignment guy there said she needed front struts and frame repair to "fix the lean"...

I said she needed four tires the same size.



GL



Jim

 

I used Poly. Very nice to install.

 

I think you might be correct--check in the AIM and I believe you will find this to be within acceptable limits. I would guess most Forum members Vettes are a larger difference than 1/2 inch.

SEMPER FI--1970 Dave