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I have a '65 coupe sb with standard suspension, the drivers side (the nose line at the headlight bucket) is just shy of 25'', which is correct. The passengers side is just shy of 27''. I thought it could be the coil springs, so I bought new ones and installed them, no difference! Alot of work for nothing. I measured the wheel well on the body just above the tires and the difference there was about 1.5 inches. What could be the problem? This car has just completed a total frame off restoration.
This may be a stupid thought but you have the steering unit,dash unit, alternator , wiring, jack, power brakes, power steering, washer bottle and more all on the driver side????
The height in the rear is correct on both sides. The coil spring is in the tower correctly. I know this wouldn't be right, but if I cut a coil out of the coils spring on the right side would this lower the car?
Assuming you didn't have this problem with the original springs you removed, and you checked to make sure the replacement springs were identical to each other, did you wait until the full weight of the car was on the tires (suspension at normal ride height) before you torqued the front and rear bushing bolts for the upper and lower control arms?
Yes it would but I would do it as a last resort. If everything else checks out, cutting the spring will lower it. I have done it by removing the shock to allow a spring compressor to be installed that will pull the bottom of the spring up off the lower control arm a bit. You can then get in there with a plasma cutter and nip off some of the coil. I'd start with about 1/2 coil. This will take about an hour start to finish. It might not be the way to go on a show car but works great for a driver. I'm afraid a show car will need to be cut at the top by removing the spring.
I would first try to determine if the problem is body or frame/suspension related. It's possible that the frame and suspension is at the correct height but the nose of the car is higher on one side for some other reason. I would start by measuring the dimension from the C/L of the front lower control arm pivot bolts to the ground. If the dimension is the same side for side, the problem is not suspension related. The next measurement would be from the bottom of the core support to frame bolt to the ground. If the left and right dimensions are different, you probably have frame horn damage from a previous collision. If these dimensions are the same, it's possible the body had been repaired incorrectly from previous collision damage. It's important to determine the exact cause before attempting any adjustments to springs and suspension as this wouls severely upset the balance of the chassis. You can't correct a body or frame horn problem by adjusting ride height on one side.
The fact that you had this problem before and after you replaced the springs tells us that it's not a spring problem. Go slow and find the real cause or you may wind up with a car that does not drive well at all after altering ride height on only one side.
A quick, but less correct, patch, would be to add shims under the core support to frame mount location on the low side.
By cutting the coil, as a Doctor would say, "you are treating the symtoms, not the disease". Assuming that you did not have this problem before you did the restoration, I would look at the body mounts and shims. If everything fits, hood, doors, etc, I find it hard to believe that the shimming is off, but then again stranger things have happened. Also, which I know you have already done, make sure that the right coil is not installed upside down. This will throw you off about what you are talking about. And don't ask why I know this. Both upside down will give a very nose high look
If all of the above checks out I either would get a Chassis Servcie Manual for your car and get the frame specifications and start checking yourself or send it to a reputable frame shop.
It is actually easy to check out these things. Just lift the car off the ground and block it up under the center box of the frame. The center frame box and its mounting pads are all on the same plane. Adjust it square and level. Then measure from the pad mounts in the front and rear. The front mounts should be 7/8 or so inches lower than the center box pads and the rears should be 2 inches higher. They should be the same on both sides. You should be able to instantly tell if the frame is bent. Then go around and measure the body points. If the body points are level, you have a suspension problem. If the body measurements are still off, you have a body problem. If the frame is bent you have a BIG problem.
Wayne, I knew someone would come up with an easy way to check things. If the problem was not there before the restoration, I feel sure he has a suspension or body mounting problem
Rereading your notes, you state that you had the same problem with the original springs. Therefore, having replaced all body shims etc as you had originally installed, it sounds like you have one of two problems, a twisted frame or a misplaced body "mount pad" in the fiberglass body. Those appear to me as the only possible solutions left. If not, you need a "real live and kicking" expert to check it out up close and personal.
Jeremy, When I lowered my body back on to the frame, the old rubber body mount was stuck on the body mount. Never noticed it. Before we installed the bolts we noticed it was sitting high on one side. So there were 2 rubbers holding the body up. Found the problem and took the old rubber out.Maybe check and make sure all you rubbers and spacers are in and correct. Mike
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