Driver side lean? You are not alone.

Discussion in 'Race car chassis tech' started by Gary Bohannon, Feb 4, 2017.

  1. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

  2. garybuick

    garybuick Time Traveler

  3. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Yes, empty. Many issues are covered on the Chevelle sites. Mind boggling.
    So far, the best answer is a 3/8" urethane spacer for 1/2" lift, or an aluminum 3/8" spacer for about 3/4" lift.
    Try spacer in the rear lower perch first because it is easy and check results of that. May need to go to the front, but that is not so easy.
    I really want to know the cause.....still searching.
     
  4. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Hey...
    Here is a great and logical theory from "OLDED" and this really rings a bell with me. I drove the old two lane roads, when route 66 was the super highway through mid america, and no interstate roads exsisted between Chicago and Oklahoma City. People often spoke of the "CROWN of the road". Those old roads...well I sweare they had more angle back in the day.
    OLDED SAYS:
    ".... one of the rumors/theories espoused back "in the day" was that the mfgrs. were trying to compensate for THE CROWN IN THE ROADS which were on every 2 lane road of the day. This lean was there in the new cars as delivered from virtually all cars as I recall and the crowned road was a popular explanation. Supposedly, it made the cars look and feel more level going down the road."
    Note: Extra crown was used to run rainwater off the road and reduce hydroplaining. I don't really notice that these days.
     
  5. Buizila

    Buizila GO BROWNS !!!!!!

    Very interesting there Gary. So if this is correct,they must have compensated that by moving the left upper spring socket as much as 3/4" higher/deeper into the frame rail then.
     
  6. sailadams

    sailadams Platinum Level Contributor

    Those of us who also drive little British cars call it bachelor lean.:moonu:
     
    Gary Bohannon and woody1640 like this.
  7. Jim Rodgers

    Jim Rodgers Well-Known Member

    If the factory compensated for the lean, then why did the cars sit true on the dealership lot?? And why didn't they lean to one side on nice flat roads?

    I think it has more to do with years of having mainly a person in the driver seat and no one in the pass seat. (plus power steering, steering column, pedals etc all adding weight on the driver side) Every car I ever replaced the springs and bushings in sat level even if it leaned before the rebuild.

    But hey, you guys may be on to something. Who knows.
     
  8. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    Never heard of the lean. But did of the rear axle set off to one side for torque while accelerating.
     
  9. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    Blame the drive thru...
     
  10. DasRottweiler

    DasRottweiler -BuickAddict-

    Supersize that!

    Tapatalk User
     
  11. firestarter

    firestarter V8 Cruiser

    I have heard of another theory: Maybe the torque of the engine is the cause?
    Everytime the engine is getting revved, the torque of the engine is twisting the whole car to the left and therefore compressing the driver side springs. Over the years this could lead to the driver side lean.

    Best regards

    Danny

    Gesendet von meinem GT-I9195 mit Tapatalk
     
    DasRottweiler likes this.
  12. Matt Knutson

    Matt Knutson Well-Known Member

    I remember a lot of local back roads were "crowned" when I was a young lad. I never heard of any suspension mods to compensate for that crown. If your car leans to one side than it's time for a new springs and maybe some other parts. If the parts are newer - you can loosen the control arm bolts and bounce the car and it should settle out fairly level. Then retorque the bolts with the car on the ground. Some cars had different front springs to compensate for accessories.
     
    Harlockssx likes this.
  13. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Could be the left rear coil spring is sagging slightly causing the lean. OR, the front coils are not properly installed & sitting off to one side so that the upper part of the coil is hanging up on the spring pocket.
    Just some thoughts BEFORE starting the removal of parts.
     
  14. SteeveeDee

    SteeveeDee Orange Acres

    If you look at any chassis service manual, there is no "built in" lean. Try and figure out if you have a bent frame or a bad spring, if the vehicle came out of the factory "compensating for road crown". :Smarty:

    Torque, coupled with the driver's weight might make a case for it. Now, let's ask all the people whose cars have the steering wheel on the right side, but whose engines still twist the driveshaft the same way.

    Do you folks who drive on the left side of the double yellow line see this in your vehicles?
     
  15. moleary

    moleary GOD Bless America

    this is deep
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Matt Knutson

    Matt Knutson Well-Known Member

    Perhaps if the drivers were lean the car would not. If I lift my car in the rear and the axle hangs down I have to make sure the springs go back into the upper pockets every time or the springs will be out of alignment and the car will lean or sag.
     
  17. Golden Oldie 65

    Golden Oldie 65 Well-Known Member

    Perfect project for anyone with nothing better to do and wanting to prove a theory, swap the front and rear springs from side to side and see if the car leans the other way. Then install new springs and see if it sits level.
     
  18. 71gs3504sp

    71gs3504sp Well-Known Member

    Before blaming springs cause of a lean, check the height from the ground to the frame when the car is on the ground with tire pressure are all the same all around. Lean can be caused by body bushing being worn out and compressed, this can cause a lean of the body on the frame.
     
  19. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    I had a car that leaned and it was a twisted axle tube causing spring perch to be lower on one side.
     
  20. BUICKRAT

    BUICKRAT Got any treats?

    My "guess" would be that the weight of the steering box, p/s pump, p/s lines, master cylinder , prop valve, booster, steering column, wiper motor and washer jug, all being on the drivers side, would cause this. Plus figure in the weight of the wire harness and dash cluster that are also on the left side. It all adds up. One battery and one spare tire aren't enough to counter the weight. Just the p/s box alone outweighs the heater box by 4 times.
     

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