Help! Car getting lower?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 131
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From: Kailua Kona Hi
Help! Car getting lower?
The front end of my car seems to be getting lower. I can not get out of my driveway now without scraping the plastic guard under the radiator. I use to never scratch on speed bumps if I took it slow, now even at an angle I rub? Any ideas what I can do? The tire pressure is ok and the suspension feels fine, not harsher or bouncy or anything. The gap between my tires and the lip of the wheel well is less than a half an inch now and I have never lowered the car or messed with the suspension 
98 coupe A4 33,000 miles if that makes a difference.
98 coupe A4 33,000 miles if that makes a difference.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
That's normal from what I've seen. All the older C5's I've worked on tend to be lower than new ones even if they've never been lowered. I lowered one 98 once that had 90K miles on it and it was lower than my already-lowered 02 before I even started. When I was done, it was in da weeds. Other C5's older than mine also appear to be as low or lower without having ever been touched. In fact, mine has dropped an additional 1/4"-3/8" since I lowered it when it was first new. I believe the composite leaf springs relax/sag over time similar to how coil springs do but in a shorter time frame.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,708
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From: Bedford NH
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by Patches
That's normal from what I've seen. All the older C5's I've worked on tend to be lower than new ones even if they've never been lowered. I lowered one 98 once that had 90K miles on it and it was lower than my already-lowered 02 before I even started. When I was done, it was in da weeds. Other C5's older than mine also appear to be as low or lower without having ever been touched. In fact, mine has dropped an additional 1/4"-3/8" since I lowered it when it was first new. I believe the composite leaf springs relax/sag over time similar to how coil springs do but in a shorter time frame.
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 576
Likes: 48
From: Woburn MA
Springs do sag and adjusters do fail.
It's no big deal...
Jack up the car and take a look, if the adjuster craped out, replace it, if not, adust the threaded adjuster shown in the previous photos.
It's not very difficult, just count threads or measure each to insure they are the same.
There are many threads in the forum about adusting ride height.
Good luck
It's no big deal...
Jack up the car and take a look, if the adjuster craped out, replace it, if not, adust the threaded adjuster shown in the previous photos.
It's not very difficult, just count threads or measure each to insure they are the same.
There are many threads in the forum about adusting ride height.
Good luck
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 576
Likes: 48
From: Woburn MA
No biggie
Springs do sag and adjusters do fail.
It's no big deal...
Jack up the car and take a look, if the adjuster craped out, replace it, if not, adust the threaded adjuster shown in the previous photos.
It's not very difficult, just count threads or measure each to insure they are the same.
There are many threads in the forum about adusting ride height.
Good luck
It's no big deal...
Jack up the car and take a look, if the adjuster craped out, replace it, if not, adust the threaded adjuster shown in the previous photos.
It's not very difficult, just count threads or measure each to insure they are the same.
There are many threads in the forum about adusting ride height.
Good luck
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 675
Likes: 0
From: Talty TX
If the car has never been lowered the adjusting bolt is probably still in the center of the adjustment range. You can probably jack it up a little by turning the adjusting bolt. But why??? If it rides OK and you like the look don't sweat the plastic flapper scraping. It's a cheap replacement!!!! 
