jr4div2

These are pics of front L/R jacked up

jr4div2

Do those springs look different?

ISlv350

iTrader: (4)

That's a big difference side to side. I'd say make sure the spring rates are the same on each side. Then check the preload on each side. Then if that doesn't help definitely bring it to the attention of the shop who installed then and BC racing. Normal difference side to side with the length of the strut being the same would be +/- 1/4 up to 1/2 inch which u can adjust easily. But 1.5 inches is a big difference.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Many mechanics fail in this realm. Rubber bushings on shocks and A-arms only have so much range of motion from static ride height supporting the cars weight. In most cases A-Arms and other arms are parallel to the earth at ride height and for example have an equal range of motion say +/-20° (40° total). Now if mechanic dude has the car in the air and tightens A-arms and shocks in place while suspension is hanging down at +20°, that bushing when at ride height is no longer centered in its range of motion and can alter the vehicle ride height. Not to mention it's life will be cut in half as it now travels some 60° of range during full compression.

The bottom line is secure all pinch bolts bushings while the car is at its designated ride height. If your car is always loaded with 4 people, this should be taken into consideration....

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Get some calipers on them and measure the coil diameter!

jr4div2

I think I understand, but now that I'm in this predicament, I need to make sure I do things right. I worked on the darn think all Saturday morning and it just didn't make any sense at all. I reset the preload on the driver's L/R thinking that must be what is wrong. Got everything to a wrench thiickness, tightened up the spring seat lock. Then adjust the same gap on both sides of the car. Put a couple lugs on and set her down. STILL WRONG!!. Must have taken the stupid wheels off a half-dozen times trying to get things to match up. I adjusted the passenger side to raise it and I felt like I was fighting the dang sway bar. It was turning fine and then all of a sudden started getting tighter and tighter. I gave up and set her back down and still 1" different. I gave up!!! Nothing made sense.

Now that you say this, that is something I never considered. Is this what I should do? Go back and get the gap back equal on L and R. Loosen the A-arm and strut bushings. Set the car down and tighten the A-arm and strut busings? I can reach them with the wheels on? Also, I'm 90% the only one in the car. Should I compensate with weight before tightening the driver's side or compensate with the coil over?

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

If it were mine you need to evaluate the following:
Extended free length left to right (From upper mount to lower mount), are they the same length? Hard to measure in car.
Spring Coil diameter, coil count, and where the ends start and finish... From the top down find the end of the spring and count every full 360° coil. Example is counting 10.5 coils on one side and 9 on the other...
In car you measure and see all of this. This should gave you insight as to if spring rates are the same. You could have an equal count of coils but if the spring diameter is different = different spring rate.

If you have to make more adjustments apply engine oil to thrust surface and threads. It will help a lot. Clean up when done.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Don't forget to roll vehicle after Jacking as it must be allowed to settle after the suspension has been unloaded or measurements will be off.

Unless you have slip plates bouncing is not enough and the car must be rolled at least one full car length.

jr4div2

Okay. Jacked her up again. Measured the springs. Both are 14.3mm diameter springs. Counted coils. Both are 8 coils. Measured from the hat to the bottom of the spring. Both are 8.5". Extended the coil overs to equal lengths. Checked pinch points. Not sure where there are any on the front that would have been loosened to replace the struts. Everything seems great. Set her back down and measured 1.25" higher on the driver's side. Just decided to screw it and lowered the driver's down 1.25 inches. Remeasured and the damn passenger side dropped after lowering the driver's side. Now the driver's side is down 1.25" from where it was, but it still 1" higher than the passenger side. Something is really confusing me. It's like the sway bar is pushing the passenger side down.This make zero sense to me. Why would the passenger side drop when I lower the driver's side? The F-sport sway bar was brand new right out of the OEM box. The links look correct. Everything looks normal, but it's just not behaving normally.

MikeFig82

iTrader: (13)

Can you bounce the car front end? Meaning push down on driver side to see if it bounces. Try the high side too. If you can't the upper control arms might be binding. Only thing else I can think of.

jr4div2

No bounce and it drives great. Can't even feel anything left to right. I don't see why the UCA would be binding. I looked at both when I had her in the air and they look the same position, but you may have something there. I don't understand why the shop would have touched them to replace the struts, but maybe, It has to be caused by something. How would you suggest I release the binding if it is there?

jr4div2

I think I've figured out part of my problem....corner weight. Since I got the car from the shop I had a 1" difference in the front and a 0.5" difference in the rear. Not knowing much about this whole lowering thing, I simply lowered the front driver's side 1" and then went and lowered the rear passenger side 0.5" and things when south from there. I spent 4 hours one Saturday morning trying to get things leveled out. Eventually, I just kinda gave up where they were. What I believe was happening is I was lowering opposite corners and putting more weight on the unchanged corners which was causing them to drop as well. It was a downward spiral.

So yesterday I put the rears the same and the fronts the same. Now I'm back at the 1" difference in front and 0.5" difference in the rear. The car comes out of the driveway much better in that the passenger rear doesn't hang in the air when I back out/pull in to my driveway at an angle.

So now I stand at 1" different in front and 0.5" different in rear. I'm really tired of taking the wheels off. It's sitting a little higher in the back that I want, but I need to just step away for a bit and see if some revelation comes to me, .