Driver's Side Sagging

[HuH]

Over the last few days I've been having a good fiddle with my suspension setup trying to get the car lower and balanced.

Basically what I've got are standard springs and Bilstein adjustable shocks. The spring seats were on the higher of the two circlip grooves, so I took the shocks out and moved the circlip down to lower the car that little bit. For my first time, it was a seriously annoying process. Eventually I got it all done.

I noticed then that the driver's side was sitting lower than the passenger side. I know that this sag does happen over the life of a car (and mine is 16 years old) so I thought what I'd do is switch the sides over to get it closer to balanced when my body weight is on the driver's side.

So I pulled all the shocks out, and made double triple sure that they were matching heights, and swapped them over.

Anyway, finished that and measured it up again and the driver's side is still sitting lower than the passenger side by about 10-15mm or so at the front (rears are almost identical).

What else can cause this sag? Worn bushes? Something else? Would love any help. Ideally I'd love to get the passenger side sitting down as low as the driver's, but if it's something that's worn then obviously that won't work.

[Shaun]

I had the same problem mate. My drivers side was 10mm lower than the PS, so i just compensated by raising and lowering the circlips on the shocks. It now sits even.

I was told that cars of this age flex, sag, twist etc so its not that uncommon. Its unusual, however, that your rears are the same height and its only the front thats sagging. I actually had to work diagonally by raising the DS rear 1 groove and lowering the PS front 1 groove to get my desired height.

Shaun.

[madbung]

Left and right springs when new are generally a different height..it's to allow for the amount of camber built into roads, so the car can track correctly.

[Shaun]

^^^^^ I dunno about that!?

[madbung]

^^^ obviously

The difference is generally 3-4mm, park it on a road it'll look level, park on a flat peice of concrete it won't measure level.

Track springs are not the same...tracks have little to no camber, sports springs...some brands are some aren't.

Road springs.....

Edited June 26, 2008 by madbung

[Trav33]

Left and right springs when new are generally a different height..it's to allow for the amount of camber built into roads, so the car can track correctly.

I've never heard of this before, i dont think thats true at all.

What car do you know came out with different driver+passenger side springs?

[W0rp3D]

i was told that when i last got a wheel alignment, they said it was something else though not the springs, and to change it was a big pain the arse so most people dont bother.

[madbung]

I've never heard of this before, i dont think thats true at all.

What car do you know came out with different driver+passenger side springs?

Does it sound like something I just made up? Or do you think it may well be something you have never heard about before?

Go search your vast bank of knowledge again, maybe you just missed it.

Answer to the question...all production cars have a bias, whether it's done via springs or other methods (it's so the car can track correctly on cambered roads-thats all roads) unless they have after market suspension.

I really am getting pissed dispensing sound advice, then having to explain it to the third degree.

I think I'll quit..

To the guy with the problem, springs will wear on one side of the car more than the other because it's under more load due to the camber built into roads. So if it's only a couple of mm it's normal.

Edited June 26, 2008 by madbung

[HuH]

I'm not questioning your theory, I just want to know what's causing it, as it isn't springs in my case. I explained in my first post that I have swapped the shocks and springs over but the drivers side is still sagging lower than the passenger side. My question is, what causes this as it cannot be the springs themselves.

Edited June 26, 2008 by HuH