I'm not sure where to post this, its not a performance question, but here goes... It seems my car is listing a bit on the driver's side. My friend pointed it out after following me as I was moving to the dorms. It still lists empty. The rear bumper seems about an inch lower on the driver's side, but the body also seems to have this lean. Yes, it is parked on a flat surface. I will go out with a tape measure to make sure the bumper isn't creating an optical illusion. I'm waiting for some dry weather before getting underneath it (winter rain in Cleveland?!). The entire suspension is about 7 years old with little use; shocks and springs seem good on both sides. I've not gone underneath yet. Is there anything in particular I should look for?
Now if memory serves me, when the RR starts to sag, or the LF gets sort of is higher, that is when dad used to chew my ass for hot-roddin the car too much (at all actually). By torqueing the car that way with no extra pre-load on the RR, everything eventually tends to get slightly "pre-disposed" to stay that way. Now anybody can raise the B.S. flag on this, but in my case, I had been havin' a lot of fun once out of earshot from home.....
LOL, I wish it were from hot rodding. Basically, I don't drive it much, and I try to take it easy when I do. Mostly b/c the exhaust fell off and I can't afford a ticket (college student), let alone a new exhaust system. This also makes it hard to tell if anything else on the car is making funny noises - another reason to take it easy. When it was a daily driver, and I replaced the entire suspension, I didn't really hot rod around then either. As a matter of fact, I've not been near it for 2 weeks, though have it parked so I can see it from my window, and a friend checks its well-being daily as she goes to her car. If memory serves correct, it is only the left-rear sagging (so the right-front is a bit high). I do realize the problem could be in the front. Oh, it had sat in the drive, rotting away, for several years before I got it drivable this fall. I've not had a chance to really go over it yet.
HMMMM Your tape-measure approach is a good idea. You can then get an idea if its the front, back, or whole car. Has it ever been wrecked? If it sat a long time, did it sit side-ways on a slope?
Okay, I just went out there with a tape measure. Since it is listing, the body height from the ground is, of course, different on all corners and wheel well lips. I measured spots under the frame, inboard of each wheel (under the passenger compartment) as close to each wheel as I could get; careful to measure at the same points. Only the left rear of the frame is different, about 1 inch lower to the ground. I don't have a tire gauge handy, but the tires are about equal, and that would be about 1/2 inch at most. When it sat for years, it was on a relatively flat surface. Yes, it was in at least one accident. I suspect it was hit once before I got it, as the top is close to, but not perfectly, square with the windshield. Since I've owned the car (from 1986) it has been in only one accident. Circa 1989 a girl used it to stop a full-size van; she didn't even see me or hit the brakes as she backed out of her drive. (I wasn't mad - she was 16, new driver, and their insurance covered it - after arguing the "classic car" thing b/c the company wanted to call it a total. All in all we got a very good settlement that paid a little more than the repair). That was the front end, and the car was fine for years after that repair. No frame damage. Basically, this listing is relatively new. Oh, I just remembered. When I changed the entire suspension a few years back the rear only got springs and shocks - so I never had the rear control arms off. The front got "new" upper and lower arms, bushings, etc. At the time, a couple of the lower front control arm bolts had worn through the bushing and cut halfway through the arm mount. I'm beginning to wonder if that may be my rear problem, but any other ideas are welcome.
Hi Guys, Truzi.....I'm thinking either a collapsed (worn) spring OR the top bucket that the spring seats into could be rusted (and for that matter I guess the lower bucket that is welded to the rearend could be cracked or rusted and failing) allowing the body to literally sag over the spring itself. Best way to diagnose this is too get under the car with a good flashlight and look around. Also jack car up by the rearend and put stands under the rearend itself to support it and then measure the springs side-to-side for comparison. Be sure to do all this on level ground with confirmed equal tire pressures. Another thing it COULD be is that the control arm bushings are almost totally wasted away on the side but you should probably be experiencing a big "clunk" sound every time you start or stop. Hope this helps.......
Uh oh. Sounds like it can be nasty. Haven't had a chance to check it out yet, though I doubt its the spring - they are too new. I'm hoping it isn't something that requires welding. I'll follow your advice and check it out when I can.
