That's what I'm afraid of, I don't really want to replace all the springs and still have it lean. I think I've noticed this before on other cars. This is just the first one I was able to measure...
I need some cash for coilovers.
Driver side of car sits low
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I need some cash for coilovers.
My Malibu sits low on the drivers side as well. I have new Hotchkis springs front and rear. The car only has 35k on it and the suspension is still pretty tight. I plan on doing body mounts in the future.
Coilovers are kind of a rabbit hole on G-bodies. A lowered, stock location spring car will ride and Handle better than a coilover car at the same ride height. because the spring has to be shorter with the coilovers.
The Stock Lower control arm isn't designed to take the loading of a coilover, so New LCA's are needed and to lower the car enough to look cool, you'll probably need drop spindles.
Because the Toe Changes significantly with ride height, it isn't like any one is cranking the coil overs up/down more than about once.
If you use stock style spring and one side is a little higher, you pull that spring out and zing a little off with a $10 Harbor Freight cut off wheel.
Most stiffer replacement strings need cutting anyway, unless you like the 4X4 look. You just cut a little more off the high side.
Good to know... I just hate the thought of pulling the front springs back out to try to cut off the right amount. The way I do things I'd end up talking a little off of each side more than once. LoL.
Didn't mind swapping front springs in my Chevette, but they weren't trying to kill me near as much as I'm assuming these g body ones are.
All of our G's have one of these sitting on the right frame rail just behind the core support (50lbs). Maybe that's why none of them lean to the left. I much prefer this to the chubby chick solution. And definitely much better than telling my wife that she has been reduced to ballast - yikes - I'd need cold showers for eternity.
The Shock keeps the spring from trying to kill you. Swapping springs isn't fun, but after you do it a few times its not that hard.
The trick is to undo the LCA bolts at the frame and lower the spring with a floor jack (with the shock still in place).
People that mess with spring compressors on a G-body are either 1) working with a bare frame or 2) are doing it wrong.
So I had the car on 4 jackstands today on a level floor. The stands were in between the front and rear tires positioned in places the frame is boxed in...
The car sat on three jackstands with the right rear of the frame floating above the stand... That seems wrong. I'm assuming maybe the front corner of the frame is high but the weight of the engine kept it down on the stand.
The car sat on three jackstands with the right rear of the frame floating above the stand... That seems wrong. I'm assuming maybe the front corner of the frame is high but the weight of the engine kept it down on the stand.
When i put one of my Miata's on 4 jackstands, only 3 ever touch. It's what you want. It means the frame is stiff.
I agree with UNGN. The jack stand game is not definitive of anything. To be sure if the frame is tweaked you need a jig or frame alignment rack in my opinion. Or you need to measure spring compression from side to side and compare that with the lean.
Have you tried swapping your current springs from side to side and see if the problem follows the springs?
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Couple more things to check - body lines match on both sides? And door and hood seams match as well side to side?
The front cabin mounts could be rusted through on the frame - you can measure this or just pull them out. Looking at them from the bottom of the frame can give you an idea as well of their condition.
At the end of the day here, you could just shim the issue out of the car if currently drives straight, implying the alignment is good.
Have you tried swapping your current springs from side to side and see if the problem follows the springs?
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Couple more things to check - body lines match on both sides? And door and hood seams match as well side to side?
The front cabin mounts could be rusted through on the frame - you can measure this or just pull them out. Looking at them from the bottom of the frame can give you an idea as well of their condition.
At the end of the day here, you could just shim the issue out of the car if currently drives straight, implying the alignment is good.
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