ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I understand the issue with the uneven rear beam axle, and it's adjustment....

However - i just measured my fronts as well, and noticed that not ONE of my wheels has a consistent drop!!
The rears are within 1/8", so no big deal. However, the fronts are off by almost 1/2"!!

I'm riding on OEM struts and H&R's front, and OEM springs + struts on the rear.

Is it safe to assume that the most likely cause of this malody is that I torqued-down the strut piston nut(s) on each strut hat to different specs / heights??
Is this something I need to worry about??

Also - can I simply tighten / loosen the piston nuts while they are mounted to even-out the ride heights WITHOUT removing the entire assembly???

Thanks,
gr

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

There's your problem.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

would you care to qualify that statement?? That's REALLY ambiguous.
Plenty of guys riding on this combo having no issues....and frankly - i think the ride is pretty great compared to others I've had.

post something worthwhile or be gone.

gr

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

I think he's pointing out the fact that they're OEM struts. Meaning they're high mileage and probably blown out or close to it.

Yes you should be able to loosen and tighten the top nut on the strut, as long as it's on the car! Don't do this with it off the car unless you're using a spring compressor!

Also, on the front struts, are you sure you aligned the strut mounts properly? They have to face a certain way...

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Yep - properly aligned!
I don't think you can get the assembly back together without the hat faced out....ask me how I know?!?!

My struts only have 15k on them.

thanks.
gr

DrKlop

iTrader: (3)

Check if your tire pressure is the same in all tires.

Make sure that all suspension components are in a good condition (nothing is bent - especially your old struts, bushings and all other rubber components are not worn)

Make sure that your fenders are properly aligned. (you could try measuring your ride high between the surface and the undercarriage)

If the car was in an accident before, the cause could be a bent frame.

Also, ride high should be measured on a perfectly even surface.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Man - good suggestions....but I've got everything covered there!

I Did measure from the ground-up, and on level ground! -all components are in good shape-
I was very surprised by the difference in the front!!
...crazy...

thanks for the input DK.

gr

Bonka

iTrader: (13)

I experienced the same thing when I was running springs. I just chalked it up to the fact that each corner of the car weighed differently thus each corner measured differently. I figured corner weighting the car would fix that but I didn't bother. Heck even on coilovers now the thread count is different on each corner, but I am able to even it out on each side.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

There may be a certain amount of unevenness in the front to account for the driver. Most of the time the car is only driven with a driver on the left side, and it's never driven without a driver. Perhaps there is a stock bias, making the left side a little higher when no one is in the car? Also, if you have a manual tranny, it weighs about 60 pounds less than the auto, so that's another reason the left side might be higher in front. (If your left side is lower, then I can't add anything to what others have suggested.)

Cutler

iTrader: (3)

Stock struts are not, I repeat, not designed to work with lowering springs. I don't care what "others" have done. Anytime you do different sets of springs you will have different results.....

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

No need to bag. Chill.

My point was just that. Stock struts are not meant to ride on lowering springs. This is probably your issue.

Could be the quality of the H&Rs, I don't know their rep, but maybe they just aren't built with great tolerances, or factory matched.

Or could be both.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Are you guys fawking kidding?

No, struts have nothing to do with your ride height. Yes, get aftermarket struts.

Torquing down the strut piston nut will have no effect on the ride height of the car. It will have an effect on the strut compression (if you really missed a half inch of thread you will have bigger problems than just uneven ride height) but what matters is the compression of the springs, which is independent of the strut in the context of shortening or lengthening the strut by cranking down the piston nut.

It's possible your frame is bent, or you installed your springs incorrectly e.g. didn't seat it correctly on the lower or upper perch, forgot to use the rubber fitting on the upper perch of one of the springs, etc. Either way you should bust out the spring compressors and jackstands and check if the springs are seated correctly.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Well - good suggestions....
I think I'm with Morpheus: I need to just suck-it up and pull the strut/spring and ENSURE it's on straight.
I KNOW I didn't omit any parts in the setup...but there IS a chance I didn't seat the spring on the perch properly, or more accurately -- didn't re-align the strut properly!

I'll post-up what I find.

Thanks for the input guys.

gr

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Oh come on, you need to suck it up? I've taken my struts/springs off the car at leat 15 times, working on the street at least 10 of those times--it is not a difficult affair.

What is annoying though is alignment--you'll want to have it re-aligned if you have camber bolts or if you want an accurate alignment (since you likely won't be able to replicate the previous camber settings exactly).

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Yeah - i know.
I've had the brakes apart so many times in the past few months, I can't even count!
I've only had the front struts off once....and the rear twice, recently - so I CAN suck it up maybe this once!
I'm going to wait until next week when i get my new sway bar links and fog lamps - do it all at once.

gr

zoner

Ghostrider -
Take a look at how the end of each spring is set on the strut.
Did you leave a gap between the end of the spring and the stop for all four wheels? This is very important. If the springs are pressed up against that stop, the car won't drop evenly. Take a look at the installation instructions - they'll say the same thing.

Don't worry about the guys giving you grief about stock struts and H&Rs - I'm running the same combo with a very even drop and absolutely no problems - and my struts have about 55,000 miles on them. IMO, it's a much better ride/handling trade off than running H&Rs and illuminas.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

I am kind of confused here, are you referring to the helix contour of the lower spring perches? The springs should be rotated to match these... I am not quite sure what you're saying.

That is not only debatable, but very subjective. Honestly I have Konis on full firm and Eibachs and I feel like that's a great ride/handling tradeoff as well (although I am actually on the other end of the spectrum--I'm wishing I had a firmer ride, believe it or not).

As for stock struts... well H&R is pretty much the mildest spring so it will be the most acceptable, but I would still go to Illuminas or Konis if I could.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Morpheus -

As far as the subjectivity of the ride quality....you're right - it IS subjective as always.
Both Zoned and I are running the stock struts and H&R's and seem to be pretty happy with it - and so are many others.
I was on Illuminas and Progress, and although it handled great, it was just too harsh FOR ME for a daily driver on the roads that I drive on.
I think the H&R's REALLy do offer a good compromise of handling and comfort....but again - subjective.

And btw - i pm'd zoned for clarity on the spring perch thing too!
gr

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

There's absolutely nothing advanced about this thread or problem. moving to 5 gen forum with the rest of the people that think running stiffer springs on stock struts is okay.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Awww....c'mon Matt!
This started-off as an honest advanced susp. question....didn't it?!?

Are YOU voting with your Veto power??!?!?

gr

SoonerFan

iTrader: (5)

who thinks its ok

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

..that'd be me, zoned, housecor, a few others I can't remember offhand...

I have to say - I don't think I'm going for longevity, but I'm not going to throw-away OEM struts with 15k miles on them, just because they MIGHT blow-out prematurely.
If they do - so be it....i'll get new ones then.
In the meantime, i think the handling and ride is JUST fine for "free".
Don't be hatin'....!

gr

SoonerFan

iTrader: (5)

if you lower your car...do it the proper way...springs and struts

and your ride clearly isnt FINE...since you started a thread about it

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I know sooner....you're NEVER wrong, are you man?!?!

gr

....I sense the threadlocking moderator LURKING....!

SoonerFan

iTrader: (5)

im not the only one that feels this way

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I know buddy....I hear ya!
I agree - but the answers aren't always black & white when it comes to the susp. setups on our cars.
When I get this niggle out of the setup (and I will) then I'll be able to report back what the problem is.
I truly do NOT think it's due to the strut/spring combo --- if that was the case....the driver's side wud exhibit the same issue.

I can't believe this thread hasn't een locked yet....it stopped being useful about 10 posts ago!

gr

SoonerFan

iTrader: (5)

you could always delete it