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Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:22 pm
by marksimba
This is n/s with the retainer
This is n/s with the retainer
Hi
Just had rear springs and rubbers replaced. Collected the car the other evening and put it in garage.
Noticed today that on level ground the nearside sits more than an inch higher at the rear than the offside. As far as I know nothing went wrong with the job. I got the springs from SC parts (not a supplier I normally use). I already had a set of polyurethane rubbbers.
I also noticed that while the upper centre rubber sits against the upper part of the chassis box on the offside, on the nearside there is spacing strap/retainer so that there’s a gap between the top rubber and the top of the chassis. I was wondering if there should be the same on the offside which could account for the different heights.

Any ideas gratefully received. Thank you for looking.

Mark

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:42 am
by Clive
Hi Mark,

I have no real experience, but I have read that the problem might lie with a weak front spring. Think of a chair with one shorter leg. If it rests on the shorter leg, then the opposite leg will be off ground. In same way, the higher rear nearside could be due to weak front offside spring. The difference is only showing up because rear springs have been replaced.

Try measuring floor to top of wheel arch on both front wheels.

Clive.

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:56 am
by marksimba
Thanks Clive but the front springs are quite new. I fitted those myself a couple of years ago.

It was level before the rear springs were replaced this week!

M

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 9:02 am
by classiclife
Hello Mark,

Very useful input from Clive and of course you have bottomed out a front spring issue as a result of that suggestion.

It could very well be that the springs are not a matching pair in relation to their torsion - in so much that one is beefier than the other. This would certainly give cause for the height difference and 1" approx. is a common clue to this problem. It is often seen more so on light sports cars where the lightness of the car actually magnifies this problem, whereas the V8 saloon is heavier.

I do not trade with SC Parts.

It is possible that the car will settle, have you taken it for a decent run to ascertain if there is any change to the height ?? As you have a flat garage floor, then measurement in mm is going to be the most useful indicator of height adjustment / movement - ensure the wheels are parked in exactly the same position in relation to the garage floor each time; marking the floor with felt pen will assist.

My other suggestion is that perhaps the spring(s) were not finally tightened with the full working weight of the car acting upon the springs, again a common oversight.

Hopefully the above may be avenues of enquiry ??

If the springs are incorrect, then perhaps ordering from DMG or BCC will be the way forward as their parts are excellent quality; albeit BCC are slightly more expensive.

Best wishes and hope to see you next month.

Richard.

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:41 pm
by lioneleast
If there is a gap between the centre rubber and the chassis then the weight of the car is being taken in some other way. Is there a bolt coming through the centre clamping plate? If so, this is wrong and suggests that the weight of the car is being taken by the centre clamping plate which is probably dangerous. I suspect in this case the correct lower mounting rubber is missing and may have been replaced by a piece of rubber. The upper and lower mounting rubbers are bonded to steel plates which should be bolted together through the leaf springs. If all this is true then the car will be raised at the back by twice the size of the gap you have at the centre mounting point.

Lionel

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 3:10 pm
by marksimba
Thanks Richard and Lionel.

Thankfully, Lionel, there is no centre bolt through the centre retaining plate.

I slackened off the spring eye bolts bounced the back a bit and tightened to no effect.

I can lift the offside to about a matching height and it stays there even when bounced which is curious.

I’ll take her for a quick ride about Brighton and Hoves potholed roads and then remeasure.

Perhaps I’ve learnt my lesson, Richard - buying form SC. I too usually use David Manners. They are out of stock of rear springs and being an impatient type .....

Mark

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 4:18 pm
by classiclife
marksimba wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2019 3:10 pm I can lift the offside to about a matching height and it stays there even when bounced which is curious.
That's an interesting point Mark.

Is it possible that the nearside shock absorber has been extended further than its limit during the spring replacement ?? If this is so, then it might be possible that the internal seals have been affected preventing the shock absorber fluid from displacing properly due to a seal restriction ??

This is just thinking allowed, but is an issue that can occur when an absorber is placed in this position.

Are the rear shocks old ?? If so the seal(s) may be past their best contributing to the above ??

Secondly, are the shocks adjustable and if so which make ??

Conversely, has the offside lost its fluidity which may also explain the issue ??

Overall, a possible rear shock problem that has been aggravated by the recent work undertaken.

Regards.

Richard.

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:21 pm
by marksimba
I wonder Richard - I had new adjustable gas shocks a couple of years ago (following a failure of a relatively new one). I can’t remember the make but the instructions seemed impenetrable!

I’ll check it out tomorrow.

Mark

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:03 pm
by classiclife
Probably one of the usual suspects, Mark, GAZ / Koni / Spax.

A good point these days is that the above companies usually do a free rebuild as many units now come with a lifetime guarantee - certainly Spax & GAZ.

Regards.

Richard.

Re: Lopsided saloon with new rear springs

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 9:18 pm
by Soundmike
Perhaps swaping the springs left for right may tell you where the problem lies. I THINK they are interchangable??