car sits too high

[redline88]

on my '81 TA, i redid the front suspension, upper/lower control arm bushings, shocks,ball joints,tie rods etc. now the front end is sitting to high. i was told that the problem could be that i tightened everything while the front end was still in the air and to loosen the control arm bolts, lower car , bounce on car, retighten while car is still on the ground and this should solve the problem. anyone else ever had this problem? i also used the original coil springs.

[zbugger]

Did you use Poly bushings? If so, yes, that could be the issue. My car would sit high after having it in the air. I just bounced the car back down, or drove it. It's kinda normal with poly bushings. Just don't torque them in the air.

[redline88]

yeah i did torque them while the car was on jack stands and i'm using del-a-lum bushings.

[CHILI442]

It will settle down after driving it around the block. New springs will also settle a little after 6 months or so. Don't expect it to drop more than a 1/2 inch though.

[redline88]

the car sits about 2-3 inches too high,i'm using the original springs, i'll loosen the control arm bolts and retorque with tires on the ground or ramps

[zbugger]

Did you grease the bushings? That might help a bit as well.

[redline88]

yes.

[chicane67]

If you are using Del-a-lums... the noted problem of tightening them while off the ground is not an issue. Nor is grease an issue.

Your issue's are most likely culprit from your shocks and springs alone. The shocks are probably a medium or high pressure gas shock..... and that alone can be worth an inch by itself..... until your drive the chassis for awhile and let your new components settle. Next would be your springs. They also need to be driven to allow time for them to settle as well. This can also be an inch or more of your problem.

Not to worry. Just get in and drive it...... and give yourself a few days before you make and plans to change anything. Because, if you change something now and it settles in the next 30 days or so..... you may end up too low and you'll find yourself doing something over again.

And FWIW.... it can and most likely will settle more than an inch. Take a measurement from the fender to the ground. Every couple of days take another measurement. You can then track how much it settles and how long it takes. When that number seems to settle out after a couple of weeks..... you will know from that point that its done settling. And then..... you can make the determination wether or not you will need to make any changes to finish your ride height adjustment.

[zbugger]

Being that he's using the original springs, I doubt it will settle. There's a common mistake when installing the springs on a 2nd gen. I went through it with mine. Had to disassemble and reset the spring in the frame. There's what amounts to a ridge in the frame that locates the spring. It's common for people to get the spring seated on that and lower the car. The car WILL sit high there. Check the car to make sure that's not what's wrong. Also, make sure the spring is seated correctly in the lower control arm.

[BonzoHansen]

Being that he's using the original springs, I doubt it will settle. There's a common mistake when installing the springs on a 2nd gen. I went through it with mine. Had to disassemble and reset the spring in the frame. There's what amounts to a ridge in the frame that locates the spring. It's common for people to get the spring seated on that and lower the car. The car WILL sit high there. Check the car to make sure that's not what's wrong. Also, make sure the spring is seated correctly in the lower control arm.

There are two inspection / drainage / whatever holes in the stock LCA spring seat. According to the GM manual, the spring should cover the one hole and not cover the other. There appears to be no ‘seat’ in the subframe other than the little fingers that protrude down into the spring.

[zbugger]

There are two inspection / drainage / whatever holes in the stock LCA spring seat. According to the GM manual, the spring should cover the one hole and not cover the other. There appears to be no ‘seat’ in the subframe other than the little fingers that protrude down into the spring.

That's what I was talking about, but I didn't have the time to describe it. Sorry.

[BonzoHansen]

I know, just trying to help. I need something to do during long, useless conference calls.

[redline88]

thanks for the replies guys, it will be few days before i have time to check things out. the shocks i'm using are the koni red shocks.