Passenger side , rear lower than driver side......

[shadango]

SO sitting at a car show today I noticed that my right rear was lower than the left.....well the car was on a slight grade, and that end was lower so I figured that was the deal.

Well, in my garage I am noticing it too...though my garage floor isnt perfect, its not a grade either....

The space in my wheel well on the right side is lower than the left ...by about an inch.

So, do you think I just have one rear spring that is saggier than the other?

My car sits at about 25 7/8" on the left and 24 7/8" on the right, measuring to the lip of the wheel wheel, on the centerline of the wheel.

Would installing helper springs as I saw in another thread help here or are new springs my only cure?  Nothing else under there looks bent or anything.

Someone suggested that the front torsion bar settings could actually cause this......   But the front seems pretty level to me.....although the right side front measures about 1/4" low if I use the same measuring method.....assuming thats accurate.
Will tweeking up the right side front raise the rear somehow?

[Changin Gears]

The torsion bars do effect the rear.  Good thing about it is that its free to try.  Make sure you get the load off the torsion bar you are trying to adjust (jack on the frame) and roll the car a few feet after making the adjustment before measuring again.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would lower the front left bar to correct the right rear , the spring rate is lower int he rear springs

[shadango]

Thanks guys....
I think I also need helper springs...when I load up the whole family (wife and two kids) i get a little banging from the rear end on the worst bumps/dips in the road...not bottoming out....I think its the exhaust hitting the axle as it rises maybe...not sever, but enough to have me concerned.....although maybe when I get it sitting level that will help.....

So if I lower the front left, will that level out the front right too or will I need to tweak that as well?

With the low oil and tranny pans I have, i wouldnt mind raising the front a bit but I dont want the front end higher than the rear.....

I guess it bolis down to "try it".  LOL

[Chryco Psycho]

ok so raise the right front to put more pressure on the left rear

[shadango]

The torsion bars do effect the rear.  Good thing about it is that its free to try.  Make sure you get the load off the torsion bar you are trying to adjust (jack on the frame) and roll the car a few feet after making the adjustment before measuring again.

Where on the frame do you like to jack?  So far I have been lifting the car by the center of the k member...would that work for this?

[Chryco Psycho]

yes

[shadango]

Thanks !

SO I guess its just getting udner there, cranking a bit, checking heigth, rinse and repeat.

Hey, at least it seems easy enough.....and free!   not sure I can say that about my vibration issue (elsewhere)......

I;ll give this a try soon and update as to how it turns out....

[shadango]

I adjusted the driver side down  (loosened the bolt) 1.5 turns (assuming that 3 turns = 1", per someone else's post on this forum somewhere that I found)......

In my garage at least the front wheel well measurements are much closer now...but it doesnt seem like the right rear moved at all....gonna take her for a ride today and check again....

[Moparal]

lifting the passenger side would of given better results. It would put more tq in the bar . When you let off on the drivers bar, you took away tq.  In a direct connection book and other chassis books it would tell you a place to measure with a tape for height right at the lower control arm. The distance would be the same. The drivers side would have more pre-load on it since the battery, steering box, and driver are on that side.  The amount of threads turned or showing will not be much, and you can have the front loose or stiff, but the pre-load is the solution.  Take your time and get the propper balance and it will work good for you.

[shadango]

But will lifting the passenger side front raise the passenger rear?

[Moparal]

The balance is what your looking for. Either side will lift or lower to some degree.  You need to be on a flat level surface, and have no panel issues. There are a lot of variables to consider. Like equaliser bar bushings, good shocks, how many leafs in the rear springs, what's in the trunk, rear leaf spring eye bushings, are the bars installed in the lower control arms correctly. Even installing upper control arms and tighening them up in a different way to one another affects pre-load. With everything installed correct, and tightened in place, the chassis tuning is fairly easy. Is all the sheet metal original to the car? 

[shadango]

Far as I know it is.  I was told it was.

The entire roght sode is lower, though.....not just the rear right corner.

After I tweaked down the left front side I found that the right front seemed to sit a bit higher.....I have to find a completely level surface, but when I was at that last car crusie where I saw the issue originally the re were 3 other cars sitting there and I was the only one leaning to the rear left THAT much.

Could be that I just need helper springs or new springs altogether in the back, I guess......with the kids and wife in the car I get some clunking from the back end....looks like the snubber mounted to the top of the rear axle might be hitting, since the under coating is rubbed off a bit, and the rear right exhaust pipe seems to be closer to the axle 9assuming the exhaust is in right, I know).

Seemed like trying the t-bar settings was the cheapest , easiest thing to try for now....

I am going to find a more-level surface and see what she looks like now and then if not, maybe put the left side front back to where it was and try raising the front right....

[moparmaniac59]

Very informative thread. I have the same problem, but on the opposite side (right rear approx 1" higher than left rear), so I am observing very closely. I hope you get it all tuned and level. I've never done any suspension tuning, so it is all new ground to break for me. Good luck, I'll be trying the same thing just opposite!! Wish I was in Culman. I know Al could get me straight and he likes the company too and I hear Peg can whip up some vittles that would make a hound dog break his chain!!

                                               Matt B.

[shadango]

My problem has been finding a spot that is level enough at the same time I have time to do it, when its not raining......LOL

Wish I had a lift in my garage......my garage floor is sloped towards the middle .........