95 2 Door grandprix rear spring sag and tire rub

[Grandprix355]

Have a problem with my rear suspension sagging bad when people are riding it's so bad my tires rub bad enough to smoke has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you fix this?

[95GS]

No, haven't had that problem.

It sounds like you need to get underneath for a visual.

Maybe not too far underneath.

The weight of the car rests on the springs. You probably have the single transversal leaf spring (monoleaf).

It could be compromised - split or frayed at the ends where it nestles in the wheel spindles behind the wheel hubs (brakes),

or perhaps tired & worn out.

 

Someone else will know more about this, but my guess is a spring or spring support problem.

How does it ride unloaded - no passengers?

[Imp558]

Yup, gotta look and see. Every diagnostic should start with a good visual inspection.

[rich_e777]

Sounds like the monoleaf is broken or the pads at the end are so worn its compromised the spring as well as bad rear struts.

[Nas Escobar]

Jack up the rear of the car and take pictures then upload here. You'd be looking at the monoleaf and the rear of the spindle. The monoleaf acts as a spring for both sides and is seated towards the bottom of the spindle. Also check the middle of it. The monoleaf is about 3 to 5 inches in width and runs across the car in the subframe where the 2 bars that connect to the knuckles are (the lateral links).

 

I'd also suspect your rear struts and monoleaf pads. Those 2 things wear out rather quick. Your strut may have no gas in it whatsoever and riding

[Imp558]

This is odd and I don't know why it was made this way but my rear struts compressed really easy but are dampened expanding.

I noticed it last year and I thought I had a bad strut so I took the strut back because it was a lifetime warranty and put a Gabriel Ultra on it which is what the old one was.

The new Strut behaved exactly the same out of the box

[Galaxie500XL]

I put KYB GR2's on the back of the Cutlass...I was worried it would be too harsh, based on what several reviews implied, but I found them to be just about right.  Firm, and gave a well controlled ride, but not rough, either.

[95GS]

Since mine are out at the moment, I just gave them each a few pumps, expanding/contracting.

They seem to have about the same dampening in either direction.

Monroe Sensa-tracs with less than 10k miles.

[Imp558]

that's interesting, Gabriel Ultra offer no resistance when compressing them.

[95GS]

As I recall, my front shocks (same brand) have a constant expansive pressure, somewhat belabouring installation.

(They won't stay compressed, so default resting position is ~ fully extended.)

It's the same for the rear struts - constant expansive pressure to full extension,

and dampening on both compression & extension.

 

I too would think your struts were defective with no compressive resistance. 

It doesn't make sense on the surface, but I know very little about this area.

 

You haven't mentioned resultant handling issues, so...I guess Gabriel know something we don't.

Could load or compression rate make a difference?? 

 

Maybe I'll Wikipedia shock absorber construction later.

[95GS]

Sounds like the monoleaf is broken or the pads at the end are so worn its compromised the spring as well as bad rear struts.

I found that my monoleaf was holding my subframe together - the metal channel was almost three separate pieces.

[95GS]

 

I'd also suspect your rear struts and monoleaf pads. Those 2 things wear out rather quick. Your strut may have no gas in it whatsoever and riding

I guess if the strut(s) were blown, it would allow excessive spring travel... so, tires would contact at bumps.

But a broken spring would probably allow constant tire contact even if the struts were ok, esp with passengers.

Maybe well get some diagnostic clues...

[digitaloutsider]

that's interesting, Gabriel Ultra offer no resistance when compressing them.

 

That's because Gabriel makes dog shit suspension components. 

[Nas Escobar]

I guess if the strut(s) were blown, it would allow excessive spring travel... so, tires would contact at bumps.

But a broken spring would probably allow constant tire contact even if the struts were ok, esp with passengers.

Maybe well get some diagnostic clues...

 

I blew out a spring once. The car will sit on the tire. The tire will not move at all.

 

The springs allow the car to sit at the factory (or modified if lowered) height. The struts/shocks keep the car from bouncing. Bad struts make the car sag (moreso in the back where the monoleaf is).

 

Take good pics of the rear suspension and post em here. It would be  a lot easier.