172 lower on drivers side!

[ak_uk]

I have noticed that my car is slightly lower on the drivers side, I know I drive the car 99% solo and that I am not the lightest person, coupled with the car being lowered but is this expected? I was thinking of swapping the rear suspension from L-R, but is this a good way to go?

I also park every day in a spot that causes the car to have the drivers side suspension slightly more compressed....

Any ideas cos otherwise I might have to lay off the pies........

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Hi Arjun, You could apply some will power and have a NO PIES week! All the pies that you dont eat, you can put in a bag and position them in the passenger footwell. At some point you will reach an equilibrium ... reduced 0-60 time but problem solved! LOL

What difference in height are we talking about? Getting paranoid now. You have the same springs that I recently fitted, I also drive on my own most of the time ....and Im no midget either .....weighing in at 17.5 stones Swapping the rear springs is much easier than the fronts and may help to iron out the differences. I would also check that none of the springs have fractured causing a possible drop in height? Also if posible you could try parking the other way round in your usual spot.

Neil

 

[Daz]

Could just be the surface- on my drive, my passenger side is always lower at the back.. or sometimes the other side - fine when I move onto some other ground.

Daz.

 

[ak_uk]

Neil: Its only 3-4mm maybe, Kwik-it noticed it when they tried to do the tracking last time around, the springs look ok and I have now reversed my parking position cos I thought that might help too..

Daz: I notice it in my garage which is suppposed to have a level surface....

I wonder if the shocks - which I said were fine last week - have been under a slighty (!) higher load on the drivers side and thus are a little weaker...? I know cab drivers talk but the suspension wear being uneven in their cars..

 

[ivegota16v]

i think it is supposed to be like this!! i remember when i got my 16v lowered at Renatec the bloke was saying something about how they are all slighty higher on the drivers side from the factory....................

G

 

[RobFenn]

Would make sense i guess as springs are going to give a little when fat b*****d drivers get in and balance out the weight. Shouldnt really be noticeable though?

 

[adiclio16v]

my valver was a bit higher on the passenger side always anoyyed me a bit

adi

 

[Marc]

Hasnt there been a post on this site about this before? I rember someone saying it was because the bulk mass of the engine is over the drivers side of the car.....

 

[ak_uk]

Quote: Originally posted by RobFenn on 18 March 2003

Would make sense i guess as springs are going to give a little when fat b*****d drivers get in and balance out the weight. Shouldnt really be noticeable though?

Fat b*****d drivers can often deliver b*****d fat lips ..

 

[T.Ferrino]

Ive never noticed it on cars before. doesnt it just indicate a weak shock or fractured spring?

is it lower more at the o/s/f or the whole o/s ?

 

[ak_uk]

OSR when I think about it it, maybe it is a weak shock - if the spring was fractured would I not get a more serious list?

 

[JJ172]

Arjun - 3-4mm is nothing to worry about, and no doubt within the tolerances for the AVO springs, build of the car etc. To do the measurement properly, youll need a billiard-smooth, totally flat surface and very carefully measure each side of the car (from road to top of the arch, taking a centre line through the centre of the wheel). Even then, theres scope for 1-2mm error.

Does the car handle any different to before? If not, dont worry about it! I lowered my 172 recently on Eibachs and measured the car in the same spot before and after and found a 5mm different left to right.

 

[Bryan]

i know this will sound so stupid but

check the tyre pressures

louise had the same problem with her willy, turned out the tyres were almost flat on the passenger side

 

[ak_uk]

JJ: handles the same, except I have noticed a thumping sound when I go over 132....and its that exact....got under the car and the only thing I thought I could move was the exhaust in the rubbers but that wat was giving it some.....Renaults and their rattles.....

Bambam: tyres are fine....!