Uneven ride height

[rhino_mac]

I've just got my TR3a back from the garage after a new radiator and Steering box rebuild etc. it was on the ramp for about two weeks as the garage was closed for a week due to the chap closing for festival of speed.

 

I drove it home and once parked up noticed it was "wonky". I put it in my garage on level ground and measured the distance to the wheel arch on each corner.

 

There is a 3cm difference in height between the front wheel arches from the ground and 1cm on the rear arches. The distance on the front between arch and tyre left wheel to right is very noticeable.

 

The front apron appears to line up ok (it was removed to replace the radiator).

 

Anyone have any ideas? It's going back this week but I have fears of a twisted chassis (there is some evidence of minor accident previously). I've not owned the car very long but I'm sure I would have noticed this before. It certainly drives in a straight line.

[Don Elliott]

I have owned my 1958 TR3A from new. About 4 years ago with about 185,000 miles on it from new, I noticed that one of the front tyres looked about right. The driver's side was about 3" lower. Since I planned to do some work on the front suspension anyway, I decided to check the spring forces for the front springs. Both were a bit low (pounds per inch) but the driver's side was the worst. So I got another spacer from a friend and my neighbour TIG welded the extra piece (about 1.25") to the top of the existing aluminium spacer that was on my TR3A. Now it is even and the bumper looks horizontal.

[Rodbr]

I would hazard a guess that perhaps due to the time on the ramp and by this the suspension on full drop? something has either moved and caused the change in attitude, broken spring with a repositioned broken section on the high side ? dismantled suspension with stiff rubbers of bushes - over tighten or unlubricated superpro bushes can cause stiff suspension.

Give us some more information i.e type of bushes fitted, how was it sitting on the ramp, does the ramp leak over time i.e drop on one corner, was it up on the ramp, what type?

 

Was it sitting on an axle stand on the high corner? Could cause a twist to develop.Rgds

Rod

[rhino_mac]

It was on a proper hydraulic ramp in a professional garage for about 2 weeks. Four arms onto the chassis so the weight of the car was not on the suspension. Bushes are old as is the suspension - most likely nylon. The car generally looks to be quite original - not suggesting the bushes are original but I don't think the owner has done a huge amount of maintenance over the last 20 years. He seems to have used it very little and left the car to sit for years at a time until 2011 when he replaced the entire brake system and other general recommissioning.

 

The car has some damage to the inner wing (it's been straightened) and a small amount of damage to the right hand chassis right at the front where the bumper bar fits. I'll try to get pictures this afternoon. Looking at pictures I took when I bought the car, the right hand side does look high - you can almost get a fist in between the arch and the top of the tyre. Unfortunately, I don't have an image of the other side to compare from when I bought the car.

 

I really hope this is suspension rather than a twisted chassis. It's had plenty of MOT's in previous years and the previous owner spent £2500 on brakes etc in 2011 so I would guess he must have thought it worth spending the money on.

 

I'm just trying to get potential reasons we can investigate before splitting the body from the chassis - something I really don't want to do at this stage.

[Dave Larnder]

Stuart.

 

You have a P:M:

 

Dave

[Rodbr]

So what you are saying is that the car had the higher gate before it went to the garage and it 's higher on the right hand side? Lhd or rhd? Put a sixteen stone man in the drivers seat and then look and measure again.

 

Given that is was on one of the lifts with four separate pads, which can be adjusted for height in may have twisted slightly over the time but it looks worse than before. I am not suggesting that the chassis is twisted as the TR flexes like a flexible thing, must do or it will come apart at the seams.

You further state that the car did not see much use before you bought it so you have to ask what the conditions it was laid up were like. Warning! it may just have sat uneven for a long period and it just needs used to settle things again.

 

As long as it does not alter the handling or drivability of the car I would use it and see how things go over a couple of months to see of it settles through use. At this point you can revisit the issue which may just be down to the springs.

Go underneath the car and compare the rear springs, as in, count the number of leaves. The right side spring may be fractionally stiffer than the left hand side.

[rhino_mac]

It's a LHD car. Yes, from the photos I have before it went in to the garage, the right hand side was high (looks the same as current) but unfortunately I don't have any photos of the left so it was either lower when I bought it, or it was the same and has dropped recently.

 

I'm tempted to change the springs and shocks - I did notice the springs look in poor condition. It's booked in this afternoon for a look see so hopefully something will be obvious! Will report the mechanics thoughts to see if people agree.

 

It drives fine, the main issue being that it looks wonky - the grill is noticably not level (doesn't have a front bumper at present)

[Rodbr]

Ok, so it is lower on the drivers side and you said that the PO had done some work in the past. It could just be down to the driver side springs being a bit soggy from always being driven with only the driver and these have never been replaced. Good luck with that if they are original ones as the chassis spring pins have probably become a permanent fixture. You may be lucky if a USA car that they do come out with some persuasion.

Shocks won't alter ride height!!!!! Only change if necessary IMHO.

 

Suggest that you collect the parts having squirted the front rear spring pins with a deiselly mix of penetrating fluids. THIS topic was discussed at length recently.

Minimum, two rear springs, two front springs, set of poly bushes, new chassis spring pins. poly spring collars Copious quantity of your chosen lubricant

Edited July 14, 2014 by Rodbr

[rhino_mac]

Brilliant, thanks for this. It's been an expensive purchase so far - recored radiator (£100 extra for the starter hole!!), rebuilt steering box, rebuilt dynamo, 5 new Michelin tyres, new waterpump, new thermostat (& housing, and hoses) plus a host of other "little jobs". Now it looks like the front and rear suspension might need rebuilding.

Good job I bought this one as a keeper!! On the bright side, the service/restoration history is growing as I had little to nothing from the previous owner.

 

Will post up the view of the mechanic this afternoon once I get back. Fingers crossed it's a relatively easy fix.

[Don Elliott]

Check the front lower wishbones visually. Are they the same side up on both sides ? I have a friend you inverted the front lower wishbone arms on both sides to lower his TR3A. It looked great so low to the ground.

 

But maybe some previous owner put the LHS (the lower side) wishbone arms upside-down which would result in you having that side lower.

 

As for lubricant, I took it all apart about 10 years ago and drilled holes and tapped them - then fitted 8 extra grease fittings to lubricate the squeaky joints. I have used AMS red synthetic grease and since then, I have had a smooth ride, no more squeaks and I just lube these additional fittings when I'm doing a regular front end grease job. And the synthetic grease has not destroyed or cracked the cheap rubber on the reproduction boots as used to happen with ordinary grease normally used for the front end.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Don Elliott

[rhino_mac]

Opinion of the garage is that it's springs so I've booked it in for July 28th as it is being retrimmed at that point. He's going to replace the bushes (with poly I think he said) at the same time but said the shocks are fine (even though I asked him if it was worth doing it all in one go). One side is definitely firmer than the other (the high side is the soft side).

 

I'll give him images of the setup Don and ask him to make sure it's all been put together right. Thanks for posting these. It looks like another big bill in July coming my way as the list of little jobs is growing!