[Flyin TA]

Ok so while I was waiting for my engine I pulled the subframe apart did new ball joints and bushings sandblasted and painted everything. Put it all back together and the left tire is an inch or so closure the the fender. It rumbs the wheel well on small bumps and even downshifting.

I used all my old parts. Thought is was the springs and put new ones in and still the same problem.

As far as I can tell the body mounts and reared is in just the way it was when I tore it apart.

Anyone else ever run into this. I am stumped!!

[mbwicz1]

On my 72 Lemans, when I had it apart in the 90's (cut a coil to drop the front) l learned that my car had different springs left and right. This is because my car has factory air, and the compressor is on the passenger side, so a stiffer passenger side spring was installed. Both labels on the springs were green. I didn't recognize this, and my car was off by about 7/8" left to right. When I swapped the springs, it was within 1/4".

Maybe your TA is similar? Just a thought....

Mike

[rexs73gto]

Did you replace the body mounts when you did this clean up on the suspension?? If so you may want to check the body mounts to see if they are the same hieght from side to side. If not the old mounts may have squished down a bit more on the one side to the other. If the body mounts are badly worn you may have swapped them on the other side of the car which it may cause it to be lower on that side now too. If you didn't replace the body mounts go back in & do it. Spend the extra time to put the new one in to make sure it's correct first. Just doning that may also solve your problem.

[rexs73gto]

I forgot one thing to. Did you put the a-arm bushings in?? If not & someone else did make sure they didn't bend the upper or lower a-arms when they put th bushings in?? That will cause it to. On older a-arms you have to be careful not to bend the amrs because they are weaker after almost 40+ years & easy to bend.

[Flyin TA]

It has new body mounts. And I did have ball joints and bushings replaced in the factory A arms.

I will have to do some measuring when I get back home. Frustrating.

[rexs73gto]

I know it's a lot of extra work but have you tried to swap the springs from side to side & see if that takes care of it. I know someone back a bit questioned that , but have you tried that yet. It would be a shame to try all the rest & it is something as little as that , you know 2 different springs for the same car. Doesn't seem as it would be , but the cars aren't built by the best people or standreds back then & if it didn't fit right they would do something like that just to keep the line going & let the customer worry about it later at the dealership if it ever came in for a fide or handleing problem under warr. Go ahead & give it a try , of course after you check the a-arms for any damage from when the bushings were put in. Check back in & maybe we can all help you find out what the problem is with our seggustions. If I was closer I'd help you to find it if you wanted the help. I still get a kick out of working on them when there is an ood problem. Rex.

[Airpowr]

When you had the springs out did you check in the upper spring pockets? Some cars had rubber isolators in them, maybe one came out and the other one is still in there. What about the possibility that a rear leaf spring may have broken causing the rear to sag there by raising the front.

[Flyin TA]

When I get back home from this road trip I will check the old springs for differences but we swaped them with a new set with the same result.

No isolators in either side right now.

I have a pretty new pair caltrac spit mono leafs in the rear.

I wish I could just drop the other side to match but it is too low. Rubs all the time. Even with downshifting. Annoying!

[Bigger is Better]

Maybe to help isolate it to the springs or front suspension you can laydown on the side of the car and measure between the lower control arm where the bump stop is and measure up to the frame on both sides. Keep in mind an issue on the rear suspension can still effect the way the car sits in the front but you would see that most likley. If the distances are the same then you can focus on a body issue and if not rule that out.

Some other things to check is are the springs in the upper seat properly. There is a ring of metal that drops from the upper frame rail wall that locates the spring. You can catch a spring up on that some times and that will make the car higher on one side.

[Flyin TA]

Can a mis aligned subframe cause this issue. The left front is 3/4 of an inch too. Tire rubs the fender real easy?

I ordered a 3/8in spacer which should fix the ride height.

[HWYSTR455]

What's the fender/hood gap look like? Or fender/nose gap? May want to check your core support and the core support bushings. Those rot and allow the core support to drop to the frame, making it closer, and closing the gap on the fender/wheel/tire.

Pop the hood and you can look at the gap between the frame and the core support, notice if there's a difference.

And the end of the coil spring is in the pocket of the lower control arm?

.

[Flyin TA]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

What's the fender/hood gap look like? Or fender/nose gap? May want to check your core support and the core support bushings. Those rot and allow the core support to drop to the frame, making it closer, and closing the gap on the fender/wheel/tire.

Pop the hood and you can look at the gap between the frame and the core support, notice if there's a difference.

And the end of the coil spring is in the pocket of the lower control arm?

.

The bushings are new and I did check to see that they are the same height.

Both springs are in between the 2 hole in the lower control arm. Tried my old springs and a new pair with the same result.

[HWYSTR455]

Ok, clarification needed.

Did you have the subframe out of the car?

You checked the bushings, like, all the front subframe bushings? They're all the same height?

Is the outside of the front tires the same distance from the fender lip on both sides?

You're saying that you have a noticable drop in fender gap from the tire than from before you started any disassembly?

There are positioning holes in the frame that match holes in the body. Are those close or lined up?

You put the old springs back in and the same issue?

Take 4 measurements, all 4 corners of the front subframe, and list the distance from the floor.

Take a pic of the control arms from one side with it up on jackstands, with the tire off. Post it.

.

[Flyin TA]

Did you have the subframe out of the car?

Yes, had it all apart blasted and painted it and put in back together with all the same parts except a arm bushings and ball joints.

You checked the bushings, like, all the front subframe bushings?

All same and new.

Is the outside of the front tires the same distance from the fender lip on both sides?

The left front is 3/4 inch smaller or lower than the right. The right side is the same as pics I have of before I did the disassembly.

You're saying that you have a noticable drop in fender gap from the tire than from before you started any disassembly?

It was the same when I tore it apart now the left side is very low. Now the left front rubs very easily over small bumps turns or downshifting.

There are positioning holes in the frame that match holes in the body. Are those close or lined up?

I will check later this week when I get home

You put the old springs back in and the same issue?

Same with new and old springs. Both sets are stock replacement and it has the same 2 in drop spindles.

Take 4 measurements, all 4 corners of the front subframe, and list the distance from the floor.

I will get back to you on this.


Take a pic of the control arms from one side with it up on jackstands, with the tire off. Post it.
I will

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Flyin TA

Can a mis aligned subframe cause this issue. The left front is 3/4 of an inch too. Tire rubs the fender real easy?

I ordered a 3/8in spacer which should fix the ride height.

You say 'the left front is 3/4 of and inch too'. Can you clarify? So left = driver, right = passenger?

Are both sides dropped the same amount?

My question regarding fender gap, I was suggesting side to side, like, does one side's tire stick out more than the other side? Suggesting a mis-aligned subframe?

In a pinch, you could remove the top 3 inner wheel housing bolts. The tires are most likely hitting those. You will get an additional @ 1/3 of an ich out of that.

Take a measurement at the 4 leaf mounting points too, just so we're not focued on the wrong end of matters here. As an example, if the passenger rear were an inch lower, that would make the driver front slightly higher, and visa-versa.

I don't think it's the control arms, if they were deformed that much to cause this issue, it would be visably noticable. I can't recall off the top of my head, but I think the body bushings that go the rear 4 locations on the frame rails are different than the ones that go on the core support. Door to fender gap may show that. I would have to go look at a set of bushings to remember, might go dig a set out when I can, have to see what my night looks like.

We'll get this figured out one way or another, no worries...

.

[FrankieT/A]

I think you to narrow down to see if its indeed in the suspension or if its in the body. Get on some really level ground and look (study) the car from various angles, then start taking measurements. Look at gaps between body and frame (or subframe). Core support. When you replaced all these parts did you have an alignment done? My cousin has a 69 firebird convt. Couldn't figure out why his car sat crooked. While in for an alignment after all new suspension turns out the posi rear he got from a junk yard had a bent housing! Who would dream? it didn't have any obvious physical damage. But it took an alignment machine to figure it out. Not saying that's you're problem but you really have to study and measure. I hope you figure it out. Nothing more frustrating than something like that.

[Greenbird76]

I have had the sub frame out of my car and have replaced everything you have done. please post pictures. If your sub frame is severely out of alignment this would throw everything off. A 3/4 inch passenger side drop I am not sure of that. What kind of bushings are you using- poly OEM or solid? Did the sub frame get tweaked at all during the resto and repaint. Did it fall of jack stands or braces? Also did you torque your control arms and new bushings with full weight on the car? Or was it on jack stands. If you used OEM rubber bushings this could be your problem. What about the rear suspension?