Car is sitting low on one side.....story......

[berni29]

Hi Guys

I have recently bought a plus 2. It was extensively rebuilt 10 years or so ago, on a spyder chassis with new springs. It has only done 3000 miles since then. Anyway, the car sits noticeably lower on the drivers side. Like an inch lower. I have a pet hate for that sort of thing. Also sits really high at the back. So I took the springs off with the intention of changing them for an original set that I have from a 1968 plus 2. So I take the first side apart (the high side) and sure enough the free length is identical to the spring from the 68 car. So I paint and fit the 68 spring. Now I take the low side apart. Sure enough the spring is identical to the one that came off the other side. So now I'm confused. So I fit the other spring from the 68 car (after having the wheel bearings replaced....so not so rebuilt eh) and lower the car. It now sits flat and quite a lot lower. So the upshot is that free spring length is no indication of strength! (That is for the back of the car). Actually I take that back about not so rebuilt because it clearly has been. Just not the bearings in that strut.

Also after having the bearings replaced it seems that the inner one is faulty. It sounds really dry. New sealed bearings they were. I put the strut back on the car anyway. Cannot face having them done again right now. Am getting a replacement set gratis from the supplier, but that does not sort out the ?30 it cost to get them fitted.

So that was my weekend taken care of. At least having put some sweat and effort into the car I feel that it is more mine now. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Berni

[Stuart72Sprint]

I hope your analysis is correct. I have the same problem with my Elan. The PO, who was quite mechanically adept, fitted new rear springs just before I bought the car. The RH rear sits 1.5 inches higher than the left rear, with a corresponding but lesser difference up front.

Everything obvious checks out, so I've ordered a new set of springs and hope the last pair were just a bad batch.

Stuart

[berni29]

Hi Stuart

One way to work out whether it is the front or rear springs (or a mix of both) that is causing the problem is to jack the car up using a small block of wood right in the middle of the front cross member, and then do the same at the back (I made up a wooden support that cleared the exhaust at the back and fitted against the edges of the chassis rail under the first (from the front) suspension mounting) and then the car will pivot on the support and you can measure the difference independently at each end. It goes without saying that you must do this on flat ground and also settle the suspension back down (by driving a bit) in between ends.

All the best

Berni