Perplexing uneven ride height.

[rubber duck]

Since the day I bought my car the rear driver's side has sat about 3/4" higher than the passenger side. Springs are prokit's with the dead coil cut off, has non-adjustable MM LCA's and full length subframes.

In an attempt to even things out a bit I took the stock top isolator out of the driver's side and put poly isolators on the passenger side. The only thing that did was raise the entire rear of the car slightly due to the poly isolators now on the passenger side. Is this problem related to the non adjustable LCA's or is it even possible the when the subframes were welded in the car was sitting unevenly. Any suggestions?

 

[Smoked SVT]

My car does the same thing but not as bad. I have MM non adj lowers, subframes, and eibach drags. Sometimes it sits level but more often than not it looks to be about 1/2" off.

 

[tt54l32v]

make sure none of the iso's are crushed. then put the driver side spring in with the cut off end facing the driver side then on the pass side the cut off end facing the pass side. if that dont help take all iso out then start over make sure you have the spring fully seated in the top other than that, the cut springs just may not be even.

 

[rubber duck]

That's what's killing me. The springs were uneven before I cut the dead coil off. I did that because the car had a bad rake from front to back. I really don't think my springs are the problem, I've tried orienting them every which way and nothing helps. Also I might be wrong but arent both pigtails supposed to be facing the passenger side?

 

[Smoked SVT]

That's what's killing me. The springs were uneven before I cut the dead coil off. I did that because the car had a bad rake from front to back. I really don't think my springs are the problem, I've tried orienting them every which way and nothing helps. Also I might be wrong but arent both pigtails supposed to be facing the passenger side?

Ive had the rear end out 5 or 6 times doing various things and everytime it goes back in it is uneven. Im only running upper isos too and both are the same thickness. Im at a loss as to what causes this. It wasnt like this when I had the stock lowers though.

 

[tt54l32v]

yes they are, but that lifts the driver side which usually sags to because of driver weight, which on your car would make it worse try it without the iso's

 

[rubber duck]

I actually tried running them without the iso's in but it was still uneven, so I figured I'd just run the bottom iso on the driver's side, which sits higher, and put the thicker poly isos on the passenger side, thus hopefully raising it a 1/2". Instead it raised the entire rear of the car a 1/2". I'm at a loss.

 

[rubber duck]

Ive had the rear end out 5 or 6 times doing various things and everytime it goes back in it is uneven. Im only running upper isos too and both are the same thickness. Im at a loss as to what causes this. It wasnt like this when I had the stock lowers though.

I'm thinking it's gotta be the non adjustable LCAs then?

 

[SVT CAMR]

But does it sit even with you in the car? The way to check the suspension is to sit in the car have a friend take measurements of the front and back bolts of the lower control arms on each side.
I purposely made my drivers side sit higher so when I get in the car the lower CA bolts are even and level on both drivers side and passenger side. This was for a drag app and accomplished the geometry needed for that.

You may need to start from the beginning with stock uncut springs. You did buy the car used and do not have any idea what the person did before you.
Cutting springs never work out for me. Maybe get the weight jackers too.
thats what I did. here is some pics of my suspension.

 

[rubber duck]

That's a nice setup. I'm not sure how the car sits with me in it, but I doubt my weight would bring the driver's side down almost an inch, I could be wrong though. The car does hook nicely from a dig. Is it even a possiblity the LCAs were installed incorrectly, thus the uneven stance?

 

[SVT CAMR]

Mine is a 3/4 " difference from driver to passenger till I sit down in the car.
If you really want to fix it your going to have to bust your a$$ and take it all out and redo with stock uncut springs. then you will know if it is the subframes. Maybe even take it one step further and install coil-over up front. Then it will be fully adjustable at all 4 corners. don't mean to bum you out. I had some of the same issues till I did just that.

 

[kwikie]

That's a nice setup. I'm not sure how the car sits with me in it, but I doubt my weight would bring the driver's side down almost an inch, I could be wrong though. The car does hook nicely from a dig. Is it even a possiblity the LCAs were installed incorrectly, thus the uneven stance?

I'm no suspension expert but have done a little reading on the control arms both front and rear and am in the process of doing mine and I have learned that if the control arms aren't torqued with a full load on the car the can bind and cause the type of problems you are having. Maybe on of the cheapest solutions might be to get the car on a drive on rack or even 4 ramps like you get at autozone and loosen the control arms then retorque them and see if that doesn't do something for you as far as getting the car leveled out. Just a thought the worst that can happen is you waste a little time and energy and maybe the cost of the ramps if you don't have some already. Best of luck.:beer:

 

[rubber duck]

Mine is a 3/4 " difference from driver to passenger till I sit down in the car.
If you really want to fix it your going to have to bust your a$$ and take it all out and redo with stock uncut springs. then you will know if it is the subframes. Maybe even take it one step further and install coil-over up front. Then it will be fully adjustable at all 4 corners. don't mean to bum you out. I had some of the same issues till I did just that.

I'll pull everything out again, see if I can get some stock springs and LCA's and see how it sits. No doubt coilovers would be the best thing. I really like how the car hooks though, guess you can't have your cake and eat it too, unless you go with coilovers, that is.

 

[SVT CAMR]

Good idea. I think they should be torqued at 85 ft. Lbs.

 

[rubber duck]

I'm no suspension expert but have done a little reading on the control arms both front and rear and am in the process of doing mine and I have learned that if the control arms aren't torqued with a full load on the car the can bind and cause the type of problems you are having. Maybe on of the cheapest solutions might be to get the car on a drive on rack or even 4 ramps like you get at autozone and loosen the control arms then retorque them and see if that doesn't do something for you as far as getting the car leveled out. Just a thought the worst that can happen is you waste a little time and energy and maybe the cost of the ramps if you don't have some already. Best of luck.:beer:

Thanks, man. I'm gonna try it and see how it goes. I've been leaning towards my LCAs being the problem, and at this point I really hope they are and not my subframes, I don't even want to think about having to cut them out.

 

[97cobratiny]

Sorry to highjack the thread but Im looking for a write-up on cutting stock springs on a SN95 vert. I have searched and couldn't find a full write-up. Any info would be great, Thanks guys

 

[Smoked SVT]

Thanks, man. I'm gonna try it and see how it goes. I've been leaning towards my LCAs being the problem, and at this point I really hope they are and not my subframes, I don't even want to think about having to cut them out.

I just threw my stock lowers away because they were taking up space 2 weekends ago. I would have let you have them for the price of shipping. Oh well, good luck finding your problem though.

 

[Toasty]

Since the day I bought my car the rear driver's side has sat about 3/4" higher than the passenger side. Springs are prokit's with the dead coil cut off, has non-adjustable MM LCA's and full length subframes.

In an attempt to even things out a bit I took the stock top isolator out of the driver's side and put poly isolators on the passenger side. The only thing that did was raise the entire rear of the car slightly due to the poly isolators now on the passenger side. Is this problem related to the non adjustable LCA's or is it even possible the when the subframes were welded in the car was sitting unevenly. Any suggestions?

Are the pigtails on the rear springs indexed correctly?

 

[Toasty]

Sorry to highjack the thread but Im looking for a write-up on cutting stock springs on a SN95 vert. I have searched and couldn't find a full write-up. Any info would be great, Thanks guys

Do not cut stock springs is the general consensus on this forum (it is hotly debated from time to time). While the fronts are do-able, the way the rear springs are wound makes it impossible to cut them and have the top of the spring stay perfectly seated in the top rear spring perch. The bottom end of the rear springs cant be cut for reasons that are obvious when you look at them.

Ford Racing 'B' springs used to be dirt cheap and are good band for their buck. You get about 1.5" drop in teh front and 1" in the rear. These are almost identical to the Eibach Pro-Kit springs.

 

[NoviBlown92]

Damn this has been killing me as well! My driver side sits about 3/4" higher in the rear then the passenger side. I don't know what it looks like with me in it but it drives me insane. I have no iso's and running aftermarket springs. I've messed with the springs like three times now with no change. I remember my Fox body was the same way. Someone once told me it's from the car always torquing to the pass side when you take off but I don't know. I am getting adjustable lowers so I can fix this.