ride height adjustment question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Ashland, Kentucky
ride height adjustment question
I just got my lowering kit on my car. When the stock bolts were on the driverside was a 1/4 inch lower on the driver side than the passenger side. When I installed the new bolts I skrewed the nuts on about 7 threads on each bolt. After I drove the car around the block there was about a two inch difference. The driverside was about 26" and passenger was 28". I am measuring from the center fender well to the floor. I jacked the car back up and tightened the driverside nut about half way up the bolt. The passenger side nut I left alone at about 7 threads from the end of the bolt. I drove the car around the block and measured again. My driver side measured 27 1/2" and a the passenger side even though I didn't fool with that side gained another 1/2 inch! I got frustrated and quit that is why I am posting. When you get behind the car you can tell the difference in the sides. When you look under the car it looks funny because the passenger side nut is almost let all of the way out and the driverside nut is over halfway up the bolt. Am I doing this right?
Someone with experience with this HELP PLEASE!!!
Someone with experience with this HELP PLEASE!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 60
From: Fremont Oh
95 polo.
Are you adjusting by jacking one wheel up a a time? The height ca be skewed by the force of the rear sway bar.
I have coil overs, however the situation is some waht the same scenerio. I have one shocK that is slightly higher than the other.
I would jack up both sides measure as you have from the center fender well to the axle center on both sides, see what the difference is... make any adjustments, drop the car back to the ground and bounce the rear a few times as the shocks will be pumped up a bit until you drive it and it settles... see how the car sets, then readjust if necessary... The only other suggestion I would have is that if you are dropping too far it could be that the spring is weak... (?)
26 inches is pretty low remember the rear will drop some as well with a full tank of gas...
my suggestion would be fill up the tank measure and adjust for your lowest level you want the rear to set. I'm at about 27.5 which is about as low as I can go without rubbing the exhaust on speed bumps with a full tank...
Hoepfully this helps...
MO
Are you adjusting by jacking one wheel up a a time? The height ca be skewed by the force of the rear sway bar.
I have coil overs, however the situation is some waht the same scenerio. I have one shocK that is slightly higher than the other.
I would jack up both sides measure as you have from the center fender well to the axle center on both sides, see what the difference is... make any adjustments, drop the car back to the ground and bounce the rear a few times as the shocks will be pumped up a bit until you drive it and it settles... see how the car sets, then readjust if necessary... The only other suggestion I would have is that if you are dropping too far it could be that the spring is weak... (?)
26 inches is pretty low remember the rear will drop some as well with a full tank of gas...
my suggestion would be fill up the tank measure and adjust for your lowest level you want the rear to set. I'm at about 27.5 which is about as low as I can go without rubbing the exhaust on speed bumps with a full tank...
Hoepfully this helps...
MO
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Ashland, Kentucky
I am trying to get 27 1/2" on the rear but like I said to get it the same on both sides the driver side nut is skrewd very far up on the bolt and the passenger side is let out as far as I can. It seems no matter how far I move the passenger side up or down it stays around 28 to 29 1/4". I am thinking that the spring is weak. Having this big of a difference on how high the nuts are skrewed up on the bolt hurt anything? I would think that the rate of the spring from driver side to passenger would be different if it takes that much difference to get them even. I was jacking one side at a time and adjusting then driving around block. I got lazy and started just crawling under the car and cranking on them and then driving it.
Last edited by 95polo; Jan 3, 2005 at 09:36 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 60
From: Fremont Oh
I have heard this to be the case on many cars. Supposedly the springs seem to get softer on the drivers side. So it could be a weak spring.
I would suggest before going that route, disconnect the sway bar on both sides and try it... as I said I had a situation up front where this was the case, or if you have two floor jacks jack both sides.
I wouldn't think aside from asthetics it would hurt anything.
Mo
I would suggest before going that route, disconnect the sway bar on both sides and try it... as I said I had a situation up front where this was the case, or if you have two floor jacks jack both sides.
I wouldn't think aside from asthetics it would hurt anything.
Mo
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Oreland Keystone State
Had the same problem on my 93. Replaced the rear spring, pulled off the "carquest shocks" someone put on, installed Bilstiens, new bolts and bushings. Rides level now and handles a heck of a lot better.
Dan
Dan
