Vehicle Sits Uneven

Mopar_Gods

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I have been so busy with the storm clean up at my home and working haven't had time to get online much. This site has always been useful so thought I would see if anyone else has had this issue with there vehicle before. I recently noticed the passenger side front and rear on my aspen is sitting much higher then the drivers front and rear. Seems it is off right at a 1 1/2 inches. I haven't had time to do much on it but just wanted to see if anyone else's sits uneven when you look at it. I have ordered struts and shocks for it because the ones on it are pretty much shot. Not sure if this will make the vehicle level out any I will just half to see. Thank You.
 
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kkritsilas

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I will say this just for the record, not that I think you overlooked anything: make sure it is on a level surface when you make the measurements of how uneven the car is sitting.

WIth that out of the way, most of the time, when a car is not sitting level, it is due to the springs sagging. While the torsion bars are more resistant to this, they are not necessarily immune to it. Coil springs and leaf springs (as used on the rear of our cars) are definitely prone to doing this. The driver's side always sags more than the passenger side, as it always has somebody in it, while the passenger side is unoccupied much of the time. It is also possible that there is some sort of suspension element that is broken or bent. A close inspection of the whole front end and rear leaf springs is in order. There were also some of the 1976 F body cars that had an issue with a K member bending due to the metal of the K member being too thin. You didn't specify the year of your car, so I just mention this for completeness. Shocks will not affect ride height; in our cars, they just dampen out the torsion bar or leaf springs (iei they just slow down the rate at which the wheels go up and down)

Also, our cars doe not use struts; they are shock absorbers all around. Struts are used in McPherson type front suspensions, where they actually make up art of the front suspension. Our cars will drive without shock absorbers, they will just bounce like crazy over the smallest road imperfections. On cars that use struts, the wheel won't even be in the right position until the strut is in place.
 
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slant6billy

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Nice thing is, you can adjust the front. The back, not so easy. What might play on the eyes with the back wheels, the passenger side sticks out further on some cars. That becomes real obvious wheel you put fat tires on the back.
 

Mopar_Gods

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Well still haven't had a chance to do much on the aspen. I did spend about a hour looking under the vehicle tho. Nothing seems bent in the front end or in the rear end of the vehicle. Leaf springs look good. Springs look good. Tire air pressure looks good. I am starting to think that my garage floor is maybe uneven. I even had the wife look at it just to make sure my eyes are not playing tricks on me. She said yep driver side is crooked. Well keep you guys posted. So tired later's.
 
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brotherGood

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If the DS looks off, try turning the car around. That'll answer if it's the car or the surface. Could be a misadjusted torsion bar, or even one worn more than the other.

I'm glad to see that about the rear sticking out to one side..I was starting to get worried
 

kkritsilas

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I thought that the front ride height on our cars was adjusted with only one nut, and that was not individually adjustable side to side in the front. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong, so side to side adjustment isn't possible. Again, I can definitely be wrong.

I think a good, easy place to start is to check the curve of the rear leaft springs. compare them side to side, and see if the arch is the same on both sides. If a rear leaf's arch has changed, it may make the front of the car on the opposite side rise upm or it may make the same side of the car ride low.

Kostas
 

Jack Meoff

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Yes...they can be adjusted side to side.

http://www.dippy.org/forum2/index.php?topic=396.msg4493#msg4493

Torsion Bar Assembly_Chrysler Corp.jpg


Torsion Bar Assembly_Chrysler Corp.jpg
 

slant6billy

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how new are your bushings? If they are questionable, change them. I mean if you start moving ride height around up front, some of that rubber gets to ripping real easy. Also, take the weight off the front suspension when adjusting. Put the car back down and step back, rinse repeat.....
 

alf44

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on my volare about 2 turns gave about 3/4-7/8 inch lift. like it was said remove weight off front end with floor jack under crossmember. use jack stands under frame rails !!!! adjust your way, then lower car to ground. bounce car a few times then mesure from a good point either on suspension or lower ball joint. try to get car to sit even both sides. but remember if the roads around where you live are crowned alot. you might think about raising the right side higher than left to compensate for the crown.1/4 to 1/2 higher ,then test drive and see how you like it.
 

Mopar_Gods

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Front left spring shot. Found a good one. Replaced she sits like she should now :blob1:
 
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