adam_r Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Hello chaps.. was asking for some help here ( i think i know the answer but wanted to check. Car in question is a 2.2 icdti honda accord. The Owner of the car recently noticed (he thinks after a tracking) that the passanger side rear of the car is sitting much higher than the driver side. so much so i would say there is almost nearly 1inch different (side to side). He has had the car for 4 years and not noticed it untill recently. - he took it to a back street garage and they said it was a 'saggy spring' on the driver side (lower of the two - PS this side is riding at slightly lower than normal height). The spring was replaced with an AM part and a bush was also replaced. - problem is still there. I looked under the car and nothing looks bent / out of place... but im wondering if a bush somewhere was not preloaded correctly, forcing a side to sit higher than normal. I wasnt able to take pictures , but im hoping you can assist. My plan is to get the car on a nice flat surface and loosen off all the suspension bushes and then retighten with them preloaded to see if the problem goes. Any help / advice would be great Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Tracking has nothing to do with it so lets move on from that... Bushing pre-load is a real deal providing the bushings were in an arena to be pre-loaded? Meaning it doesn't happen naturally unless other work has been done that involves tightening the bushings in a relaxed state. Your plan is valid and i'm flying blind here....so 1: Loosen the bushings 2: Check the drop links 3: Count and check the coil helix and space between the helix 4: A bent damper rod/ shaft will hold the sprung chassis And lastly look at the pick up points between the unsprung/ sprung chassis, what could hold it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 dampers look straight and true. drop links are perfect. I will have to count helix and space wheni get a chance but again, looked even side on a very brief inspectoin. I looked for bent / damages pick up points and all looked true. also the chap had not had any impacts on any wheels and chassis shows no damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 How does the NSF/OSF trim height measure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Could the damper on that side be knackered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Dampers are passengers and have no real role in trim height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 i would say: drivers side front sitting normally drivers side rear sitting slightly low. Passanger front slightly high ( maybe 5mm) Passanger rear sitting very high ( about 2cm maybe a bit more than stock.) spring on drivers rear replaced about 1 month ago as garage thought the spring was shot as it was sitting low, yet its sitting marginally lower than stock ( i think due to the passanger side sitting far too high) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Need to count and check the spacing between the helix on the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 thats my next plan Tony Thanks for your assistance so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Do you have to replace coil springs in pairs..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Do you have to replace coil springs in pairs..? Should do really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hms Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Do you have to replace coil springs in pairs..? Unless you use one of these insurnce companies that insure against brakdown. I had a spring broke, they would only pay for that one spring to be replaced. They even acknowledged that best practice demanded replacement of both spring, but they refused to do so. Had to pay for the second spring myself! (This is on the Smart, not Lexie!) h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 This is on the Smart Smart had an extended warranty on these and replaced them well after warranty periods, in pairs :lmaosmiley: Maybe put in a claim under Eskulab if you have the receipt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Well here is an update: Helix coils unloaded: Right - 52mm Left - 52mm coils loaded: Right - 43mm Left - 43mm Lenth from top of strut to bottom of coil when unloaded: Right - 331mm Left - 340mm Lenth from top of strut to bottom of coil when loaded: Right - 270mm Left - 283mm I also unloaded the suspension and removed the wheel, I measured from the middle of the arch to the bottom of the wheel hub and both sides measured 583mm. We parked the car on the level groung (or as level as we could find and measured from the centre cap to the top of the wheel arch and: FR - 420mm FL - 425mm RR - 418mm RL - 434mm Please try and help.. this car is driving me nuts and want to get it sorted for the owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 I forgot to add, i cannot see any 'bent' or damaged parts or pickup points on the chassis. Drop links look in good condition and all bushes look in good condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 One of two possibilities here i think.... 1: The coils have different rates 2: The damper shafts are different lengths ( unlikely ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Both dampers are original items. Spring rate came to mind, but the car was apparently sitting at a funny angle before the n/s rear spring was replaced. Oddly enough the side of the car that is sitting higher than normal is the side with the original spring and damper. the garage who replaced the spring on the ns rear thought that the old spring had gone, so replaced that one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Only way to prove is to move them side-to-side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Could i move the whole shock / spring assy from side to side? will be easier thqn just the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Yeah..... i don't think they are handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 ok will get that done,hopefully over next weekend as its the only time i get access to the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted February 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 i know, i know . Trust me, if you a little closer i would have just pushed him your way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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