74 suspension question
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Hewitt TX
74 suspension question
Hello all,
Newbie to this forum and have a question. I have a 74 vert. I bought the car 9 yrs ago for a project and have since gone through the whole car, less interior and paint/body. Stock ralley wheel with new tires and the distance from the ground to the bottom of the LR fender well is 28'' but the distance to the RR fender well is 29 1/2''. I have also taken measurments at frame to ground locations and came up with the same thing. I am 1 1/2 inches higher on the RR. I restored all of the rear suspension parts. Bushings, trailing arms, brakes, etc. The spring is the stock spring but it has been bead blasted, painted, tefloned, and re-assembled. I am totally confused as to why there is this much of a difference in the side to side ride height. And I dont think there is a way to lower each side independently is there? Any help will be very much appreciated. Thanks for your time!!
Newbie to this forum and have a question. I have a 74 vert. I bought the car 9 yrs ago for a project and have since gone through the whole car, less interior and paint/body. Stock ralley wheel with new tires and the distance from the ground to the bottom of the LR fender well is 28'' but the distance to the RR fender well is 29 1/2''. I have also taken measurments at frame to ground locations and came up with the same thing. I am 1 1/2 inches higher on the RR. I restored all of the rear suspension parts. Bushings, trailing arms, brakes, etc. The spring is the stock spring but it has been bead blasted, painted, tefloned, and re-assembled. I am totally confused as to why there is this much of a difference in the side to side ride height. And I dont think there is a way to lower each side independently is there? Any help will be very much appreciated. Thanks for your time!!
Last edited by vhilts; Sep 11, 2005 at 06:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
If by stock spring you mean the original spring, it is now 31 years old and may be a little tired on the driver's side where most of the load has been (driver and battery).
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Muskegon, MI, US
Suspension Question
If you see a height difference from right to left you might want to check the Side Yokes that go into the differential. If there is more than 1/8" play than they need to be replaced, especially if you see the spring getting tired.
Vettedesk
Vettedesk
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Originally Posted by vettedesk
If you see a height difference from right to left you might want to check the Side Yokes that go into the differential. If there is more than 1/8" play than they need to be replaced, especially if you see the spring getting tired.
Vettedesk
Vettedesk
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by flynhi
If by stock spring you mean the original spring, it is now 31 years old and may be a little tired on the driver's side where most of the load has been (driver and battery).
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Hewitt TX
Originally Posted by Corvette ED
Check at the end of the spring where the bolt goes through. If one side is tighten more than the other this will make a difference.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Hewitt TX
Originally Posted by flynhi
If by stock spring you mean the original spring, it is now 31 years old and may be a little tired on the driver's side where most of the load has been (driver and battery).
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
You can adjust with the spring bolt as above, replace the entire spring, replace the main leaf or swap ends with your existing spring and adjust height with spring bolts.
If OE is not important to you, consider a composite rear spring for better ride quality.
Your 74 has rubber body mounts which may have deteriorated or even fallen out on one side.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Hewitt TX
Originally Posted by vettedesk
If you see a height difference from right to left you might want to check the Side Yokes that go into the differential. If there is more than 1/8" play than they need to be replaced, especially if you see the spring getting tired.
Vettedesk
Vettedesk
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Originally Posted by vhilts
The actual 3rd member is something I never touched. So the yokes are original with nothing done to them. But, I remember giving them the once over before reassembly of the half shafts. Thanks for your reply.
I fail to see how a side yolk moving horizontally can cause the entire car to move vertically. It can cause the wheel to lose it's correct camber setting but that's about it.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by Mike Ward
Pending an explanation from the poster of that comment, I would not put too much time into thinking about it.
I fail to see how a side yolk moving horizontally can cause the entire car to move vertically. It can cause the wheel to lose it's correct camber setting but that's about it.
I fail to see how a side yolk moving horizontally can cause the entire car to move vertically. It can cause the wheel to lose it's correct camber setting but that's about it.
Ride height is effected by front springs, rear spring and body mounts if it leans. If your mounts are fine, try the front springs.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Hewitt TX
In answer to the question someone posted about the front spring. YES, I cut one coil off of each side. But with past experience behind me, I made triple sure that the springs were both planted in the trough in the correct position on the lower a frame.
I want to say thank you to all who posted to this thread, you have helped me a great deal! Tonight, I jacked the rear of the car up and put jack stands on the frame at the same locations R and L (just fwd of the rear wheels). The car is now level as I checked it. I removed both rear wheels. On the LR trailing arm assembly, I grabbed under the brake rotor and pulled upward. I was able to move it upwards about 1'' to 2'' depending on how hard I tried. Then I did the same thing on the RR trailing arm assembly (note: this is the side that was 1.5 inches higher) and I could barley raise the assembly an inch without straining really hard. There was a huge difference in the amount of force needed to duplicate the task from the LR. There was a comment made about the original spring being 31 years old. The LR is the side that the driver, and battery are on. I think the spring is the culprit. I think my problems will be solved with a new spring. What do you guys think?
I want to say thank you to all who posted to this thread, you have helped me a great deal! Tonight, I jacked the rear of the car up and put jack stands on the frame at the same locations R and L (just fwd of the rear wheels). The car is now level as I checked it. I removed both rear wheels. On the LR trailing arm assembly, I grabbed under the brake rotor and pulled upward. I was able to move it upwards about 1'' to 2'' depending on how hard I tried. Then I did the same thing on the RR trailing arm assembly (note: this is the side that was 1.5 inches higher) and I could barley raise the assembly an inch without straining really hard. There was a huge difference in the amount of force needed to duplicate the task from the LR. There was a comment made about the original spring being 31 years old. The LR is the side that the driver, and battery are on. I think the spring is the culprit. I think my problems will be solved with a new spring. What do you guys think?
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Check the front spring again and make sure they are seated correctly up top.
Also take a measuring tap and measure from the tip of the spring to the frame. If there is a difference from the right side to the left side, your spring is arched more on one side than the other.
Also take a measuring tap and measure from the tip of the spring to the frame. If there is a difference from the right side to the left side, your spring is arched more on one side than the other.