Miata Mailing List: October 1996, Message #0080
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   From: markb@adnc.com (Mark)

Subject: Re: Leaning car / rubber bushings.

   Date: Tue, 1 Oct 1996 23:23:17 -0500



At 7:29 PM 10/1/96, Fletcher Blades wrote:

>Well, I previously posted that my car was leaning towards the driver, by

>nearly an inch, and I thought it was because of the way I installed new

>shock absorbers on un-level ground.

>

>BZZT... Wrong.

>

>I just loosened off the shock mounts, bounced the car a few times but it

>doesn't settle level.

>

>I now suspect that the springs are worn on my side(as suggested by Larry

>Alster). Is this normal for a car that has done only 85,000 km (53,000

>miles)?

>

>I cant afford new springs right now, so will probably swap the springs

>left to right, so hopefully it will look level when I sit in it.

>

>Has anybody else got any other Ideas?

>

>I dont want to chop the springs, what about inserting shims on the low

>side? Could it have been something else I got wrong when replacing the

>shocks? Is it really a problem anyway (apart from cosmetically)?



Fletch,



Just a thought....  Did you tighten and torque the bolts holding your

shocks and sway bars when the car was up in the air on jackstands?  If so,

you might try loosening the bolts and tightening/torquing them when the car

is sitting on all four wheels.  This is especially important for the sway

bar bolts that were loosened...all of them.



Also, were you careful to replace the springs on the new shocks the same

way they were positioned on the old shocks?  The springs have little paint

markings on them.  You should note the position of these paint markings

when you remove the old shocks and be sure the paint markings are in the

same relative position when you install the new shocks.  For the most part,

the paint markings are usually at the bottom end of the spring and the

markings need to be postitioned on the side of the spring farthest away

from the wheels.  At least, that is how they all were positioned on my car

when I replaced my shocks two weeks ago.



Good luck.





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 Mark Booth - '92 B Classic Red,  Team Voodoo

       President - San Diego Miata Club

 P.O. Box 2286, Spring Valley, CA  91979-2286

      24-hour voice/fax - (619) 670-7948

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