One side of car sitting lower than other

[PCGUY112887]

This is my GP with my Intrax springs installed on the front with ~2 year old KYB struts and mounts in the front.

 

I noticed for some reason, with even tire pressure, the front drivers wheel dips slightly into the fender well. You can barely get a straight finger on top of the tire between the fenderwell and tire.

 

If I go to the pass front side, I can stick my entire finger on top of the tire between the fenderwell and tire.

 

It seems that my drivers side is sitting lower with no weight in the car.

 

Ideas?

[1990lumina]

Is this after driving the vehicle and settling the suspension?

 

Are the springs installed correctly?

[PCGUY112887]

Yes this is after the car has been drivin, I don't know how long it's been like this but it doesn't really seem to change when parked.

 

I had my mechanic install my springs and struts/mounts all at the same time, he's really good so I trust their installed correctly.

 

I plan on pulling the low side tire and taking a peek around.

[GP4U2NV]

Spring settle can take up to 250 miles before they are "settled". Some are sooner but, I have installed a lot of lowering springs (excess of 40 sets) and have never read any taking more than 250 miles.

[PCGUY112887]

This isn't an issue of settling springs, they have been on my car which is my DD for 2 years now.

[mra32]

I think mine are like this. i dont really worry about it too much. I think it may be due to the fact that the lovering springs have a different ending point relative to the starting point. What I mean is that if you were to look down on the stock spring and lowering spring, and put it so the bottom of the springs started at 12:00, the tops would not end at the same spot, one might end at 3 and the other 6. Tough to explain what I mean.

[dohc v6]

This is because your shocks are blown. Happens all the time with KYB or GAB shocks. The shocks can not take a drop more than 1.2" so anything over that the valving inside the shock goes to crap and you get uneven height. Exactly why I am switching to Koni, never have to worry about that.

 

Mark-OEm

[mra32]

i noticed mine sitting like this from the moment i drove the car outside the garage after installing the springs. The shocks may have gone through 5 low speed cycles under the new springs and checked out ok before i installed them. I do not think my shocks were blown. They may be now, car rides like crap. Oh well. If i come into a spare $120 or so i'll replace them.

[dohc v6]

i noticed mine sitting like this from the moment i drove the car outside the garage after installing the springs. The shocks may have gone through 5 low speed cycles under the new springs and checked out ok before i installed them. I do not think my shocks were blown. They may be now, car rides like crap. Oh well. If i come into a spare $120 or so i'll replace them.

 

There you go.

[PCGUY112887]

This is because your shocks are blown. Happens all the time with KYB or GAB shocks. The shocks can not take a drop more than 1.2" so anything over that the valving inside the shock goes to crap and you get uneven height. Exactly why I am switching to Koni, never have to worry about that.

 

Mark-OEm

 

I feared this, what other struts can I use (that are actually made for my car) that have a less chance of blowing from lowering? Koni's would be nice if they were made for me.

 

Thanks.

[dohc v6]

We can get konis, all 4 for $750 shipped to your door. Yeah there not $300 like KYB's but they can handle ANY drop and are adjustable.

 

Mark-OEm

[PCGUY112887]

Holy shit $750? KYB's aren't even near $300 FYI.

[slick]

About almost EVERY GM vehicle I know sits uneven.

[AWeb80]

I bet your shocks aren't blown....

 

I have ~20k miles on my front KYB's and they still ride great and don't bounce more then two times over bumps. I do know that my pass side front B4U is about a finger higher from the tire than the drivers side....

 

and everything up front is new....I just chalk it up to a B4U that isn't perfect or just a normal GM car. It drives straight and looks fine....just my uber picky eye can see it.

[1990lumina]

Springs are what hold the weight of the vehicle, blown shoocks or not it should still sit the same, no?

[PCGUY112887]

I bet your shocks aren't blown....

 

I have ~20k miles on my front KYB's and they still ride great and don't bounce more then two times over bumps. I do know that my pass side front B4U is about a finger higher from the tire than the drivers side....

 

and everything up front is new....I just chalk it up to a B4U that isn't perfect or just a normal GM car. It drives straight and looks fine....just my uber picky eye can see it.

 

Mine does not bounce much at all, and a finger higher is exactly how I would describe it on the pass side. I will get some pictures.

[mra32]

thats also how i would describe mine.

[PCGUY112887]

Best pictures I can snap, kind of hard to get a picture of since angles can make it look different.

[AWeb80]

looks pretty typical

 

could be the body, B4U, or frame...who knows

[dohc v6]

Ahh, what do I know, I just make custom suspension parts for a living.

 

Mark-OEM

[mra32]

a simple way to see how hard an old vs. new shock pushes up on your car is to take both and put a scale on top of it and support the feet on scale equally (square piece of plywood or something) as push down till about where the shock would be sitting in your car. read the scale. This is how much your shock is pushing up. If anyone has new & old shocks this would be a good gauge to settle the debate of shocks contributing to ride height.