Unbalanced Suspension Height
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 2
From: Morgantown WV
Unbalanced Suspension Height
I had an alignment done yesterday because I knew I was mounting some Nitto 555Rs on the back today. When I got to the shop to mount my tires, my buddy there pointed out to me that my car looked a little lower on the passenger side. Hmmm..
We get it up on the rack and while he's swapping the tires, I'm checking out the adjustment bolts. Sure enough, the driver's side bolt has about 13 threads showing (on top) and the passengers side has like 6, and the bushings & base of the bolt will basically just bounce around with the car in the air. Without thinking a whole lot about it, I decide to tighten it up so that both sides now show 13 threads.
The past hour or so, I've been researching about this and decided to go measure some distances with the car on the ground. The right side is still about 3/8" lower than the drivers side. This is from measuring distance off the ground and space in the wheel well.
Two questions:
1. Just as the suspension has to settle when you lower it, does it also have to settle (up) when you raise it?
2. Did I just screw up my alignment?
I wish I had measured before and after, to see if there is any change yet. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions, to just tighten it up.
We get it up on the rack and while he's swapping the tires, I'm checking out the adjustment bolts. Sure enough, the driver's side bolt has about 13 threads showing (on top) and the passengers side has like 6, and the bushings & base of the bolt will basically just bounce around with the car in the air. Without thinking a whole lot about it, I decide to tighten it up so that both sides now show 13 threads.
The past hour or so, I've been researching about this and decided to go measure some distances with the car on the ground. The right side is still about 3/8" lower than the drivers side. This is from measuring distance off the ground and space in the wheel well.
Two questions:
1. Just as the suspension has to settle when you lower it, does it also have to settle (up) when you raise it?
2. Did I just screw up my alignment?
I wish I had measured before and after, to see if there is any change yet. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions, to just tighten it up.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,887
Likes: 2
From: Macomb MI
St. Jude Contributor
If I had to guess, Yes you did mess up the alignment to some degree. Normally when you adjust the ride height ( either way up or down ) you would need to drive the car up to 75 miles some less just to get it to settle completely and then alignment the tires. At this point I would keep adjusting your ride height to get them all even and then re alignment once again.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 2
From: Morgantown WV
I think I'm gonna stop back by the alignment shop tomorrow, tell them what I did, and have them check it real quick. If it's worse off than the other day, Ill just set the adjustment back like it was. They're really cool and probably won't even charge to look at it real quick. When I made the change today, I didn't consider difference in ride height with me (at 170 lbs) in the driver's seat. That alone, from what I read, might account for at least half the difference in height that I measured. Yes, I also realize my choice of measurement was inprecise. 
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
Hate to make this more complicated, but the heights may have been different to get the car balanced, or it may have been unbalanced from the start. If it drives OK then don't worry about it and make it look good. If you take it to the track you may want to have it weighed to make sure its balanced. The ride height adjustments are there not really for looks, but for balancing the car. Lucky us, we have adjustments at all 4 wheels, not many other sports cars have that.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new...er-weights.php
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new...er-weights.php
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
put your car on as level of place as possible. put YOUR weight in the drivers seat or sit in the drivers seat, then measure or have a friend measure the ride height. That is what counts, equal ride height WITH THE DRIVER, not an empty car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,918
Likes: 1,879
From: Hot Springs AR
You can't measure from the wheel well to the ground, the plastic body panels can move around quite a bit.
To get it close, measure the ride height from the chassis tie down points (slots in the side rocker panels, close to the front and rear edges of the doors). Obviously left and right should be equal, and the front should be about a half-inch lower than the rear.
This is not corner weighting, but will be about as close as you can eyeball it. And yes, you need to move the car several feet to allow the suspension to settle in between measurements.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
To get it close, measure the ride height from the chassis tie down points (slots in the side rocker panels, close to the front and rear edges of the doors). Obviously left and right should be equal, and the front should be about a half-inch lower than the rear.
This is not corner weighting, but will be about as close as you can eyeball it. And yes, you need to move the car several feet to allow the suspension to settle in between measurements.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 2
From: Morgantown WV
Thanks for all the advice! 
Bottom line.. if you mess with ride height, get an alignment! I went back to the alignment shop today and they checked it for me. Sure enough, it was off. I forget the exact specs, but it was off more in the front than the back. I also measured the car while it was on their rack. The passenger's side is about 5/16" lower than the driver's side, with no one in the car. I guess with me in there, it should be about right, so Im pleased with that. By the way, no charge for the re-realignment.. just a "have a nice day!".
Bottom line.. if you mess with ride height, get an alignment! I went back to the alignment shop today and they checked it for me. Sure enough, it was off. I forget the exact specs, but it was off more in the front than the back. I also measured the car while it was on their rack. The passenger's side is about 5/16" lower than the driver's side, with no one in the car. I guess with me in there, it should be about right, so Im pleased with that. By the way, no charge for the re-realignment.. just a "have a nice day!".
