Suspension Question
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 164
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Suspension Question
Might’ve been asked before but I coulLowered my 04 Z51 on stock bolts about 1.5-2 months ago. Ride height was just where I wanted it & managed to get all 4 corners very close & even looking. Last night I noticed that both front & rear on the passenger side is now sitting about a 1/2 higher than the driver side of the car. I’m going to get it up on stands & check it out when I get home later. Thoughts? What would make it change out of nowhere like that when it had been sitting even? Approaching 49k miles now. Possible shock replacement time? It still has the original ones, haven’t been changed. Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
-Matt
Thanks,
-Matt
Last edited by 72Shark_VAL; Nov 1, 2017 at 11:07 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 353
From: Little Rock Arkansas
Did you lower the car evenly side to side or just turn the bolts up all the way on each side?
You're supposed to lower the car an even number of turns on the bolts side to side, regardless of if each side matches to the other or not. Ex: if you turn the rear leaf on the driver's side four turns and it's near the threads you turn the rear leaf on the passenger side four turns even if there's still a lot of thread showing. This can make the ride height appear "off" (my car has a variance of around .25" from side to side) but it doesn't jack up the corner weight.
You'll probably need to go get an alignment performed and in the extreme possibly have corner weight checked.
You're supposed to lower the car an even number of turns on the bolts side to side, regardless of if each side matches to the other or not. Ex: if you turn the rear leaf on the driver's side four turns and it's near the threads you turn the rear leaf on the passenger side four turns even if there's still a lot of thread showing. This can make the ride height appear "off" (my car has a variance of around .25" from side to side) but it doesn't jack up the corner weight.
You'll probably need to go get an alignment performed and in the extreme possibly have corner weight checked.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 164
Likes: 14
Did you lower the car evenly side to side or just turn the bolts up all the way on each side?
You're supposed to lower the car an even number of turns on the bolts side to side, regardless of if each side matches to the other or not. Ex: if you turn the rear leaf on the driver's side four turns and it's near the threads you turn the rear leaf on the passenger side four turns even if there's still a lot of thread showing. This can make the ride height appear "off" (my car has a variance of around .25" from side to side) but it doesn't jack up the corner weight.
You'll probably need to go get an alignment performed and in the extreme possibly have corner weight checked.
You're supposed to lower the car an even number of turns on the bolts side to side, regardless of if each side matches to the other or not. Ex: if you turn the rear leaf on the driver's side four turns and it's near the threads you turn the rear leaf on the passenger side four turns even if there's still a lot of thread showing. This can make the ride height appear "off" (my car has a variance of around .25" from side to side) but it doesn't jack up the corner weight.
You'll probably need to go get an alignment performed and in the extreme possibly have corner weight checked.
Yes I read several posts about it before doing it & matched the threads from side to side evenly as best I could. I measured countless times & made marks with a sharpie. I had an alignment done immediately afterwards along with new tie rod ends & sway bar end links all the way around. Should I run all the threads back to stock & then redo it? It was fine for a while, literally just happened. Odd
Last edited by 72Shark_VAL; Nov 1, 2017 at 11:18 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
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On the front I used my floor jack & a piece of wood to take pressure off of the spring & turned both bolts all the way until tight & them backed them off 1/4 of a turn so they wouldn’t freeze up. On the rear I made a mark on the 2nd to last thread on both sides & lowered them evenly. Then I measured how much of the bolt was remaining above & the measurement was equal on both sides. It seemed to work.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 60
From: Somewhere out there
I think you did the opposite of what Velocity Vette said....
If you turned the bolt 5 times on the left then you need to turn the bolt5 times on the right regardless of how many threads are showing.
If your car is now off from side to side, pick the side you want the height at and then adjust to other to match. Keeping in mind that this will now be a trial and error process as you'll have to drive the car after adjustment to allow the suspension to cycle and settle.
Rinse, repeat until all things are equal.
And now go get a good alignment or buy stocks in a tire company.
If you turned the bolt 5 times on the left then you need to turn the bolt5 times on the right regardless of how many threads are showing.
If your car is now off from side to side, pick the side you want the height at and then adjust to other to match. Keeping in mind that this will now be a trial and error process as you'll have to drive the car after adjustment to allow the suspension to cycle and settle.
Rinse, repeat until all things are equal.
And now go get a good alignment or buy stocks in a tire company.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 275
From: Wichita Falls Texas
My 03 Vert was lowered with the stock bolts when I bought it. It drug way too often and my wife didn't like it. Wife's unhappy means I'm unhappy.
I measured the distance from the tire to the fender on all four corners then raised the stock bolts all the way. I used the techniques described in the forum to do it. Do a search.
I drove it a couple of miles and didn't like the way it looked. The rear was way to high.
The front looked good and was level so I left it alone. I jacked the back up and lowered it some and let it down. Not enough so I did it again. Looked better so I drove it some and remeasured it and it was about a half inch high on one side so I jacked it up and adjusted it. I drove it again and remeasured it and it was within less than an eighth of an inch and I left it alone. I checked it about a week later and it was still the same.
The moral of this story is you may have to make several adjustments but it's not that bad of a job.
Wife is happy which means I am happy. Funny how that works isn't it.
Life is good.
I measured the distance from the tire to the fender on all four corners then raised the stock bolts all the way. I used the techniques described in the forum to do it. Do a search.
I drove it a couple of miles and didn't like the way it looked. The rear was way to high.
The front looked good and was level so I left it alone. I jacked the back up and lowered it some and let it down. Not enough so I did it again. Looked better so I drove it some and remeasured it and it was about a half inch high on one side so I jacked it up and adjusted it. I drove it again and remeasured it and it was within less than an eighth of an inch and I left it alone. I checked it about a week later and it was still the same.
The moral of this story is you may have to make several adjustments but it's not that bad of a job.
Wife is happy which means I am happy. Funny how that works isn't it.
Life is good.
Last edited by Grandpa1; Nov 1, 2017 at 11:49 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
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Fair enough, it was my first time doing this so you live & learn. I’ll play with it a bit & get another alignment once I’m happy. & yes I hate the scrubbing too it’s an aweful sound. But I can’t go back to the stock look, way too much gap! I installed the rollers/caster pieces under the front bumper on the guards as well as the frame rail protectors down the sides. The sound is still cringe worthy though 
Last edited by 72Shark_VAL; Nov 1, 2017 at 12:01 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 164
Likes: 14
As far as the front passenger side goes, how will I get it to go down more to match the driver side when I only have a 1/4 turn left before it’s tight? One of the threads I read said to tighten it then turn it back 1/4 turn. Is it a bad idea to turn them all back to stock, redo it & count the turns this time?
Last edited by 72Shark_VAL; Nov 1, 2017 at 12:11 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 275
From: Wichita Falls Texas
As far as the front passenger side goes, how will I get it to go down more to match the driver side when I only have a 1/4 turn left before it’s tight? One of the threads I read said to tighten it then turn it back 1/4 turn. Is it a bad idea to turn them all back to stock, redo it & count the turns this time?
I would forget about counting turns and just use a tape measure.
Of course, you need to find a level place to park it on first.
My garage floor was level so I did all the measuring there.
If you run out of adjustment on one side you have to raise it and adjust from the other side to get it level. Just common sense.
Good luck!