Crooked .... - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

rydahog · 11-02-2012, 10:55 AM

Let me try to explain what i saw.
I measured my floor to fender wheel wells today, and found that (try to imagine this) the four wheel to fender measurements were all different. Almost like the body (frame) was bent.. new car basically, 3k no accidents, garage kept.
front right (will keep the measurements to nearest inch) were 29"..right rear . 31"
front left 28.5"
left rear 29.5"

all are approx, but to get my point across..
any reason for this? is it normal? thanks , reason for asking is i WAS going to lower springs ,but now? debating.. thanks

PAUL SS · 11-02-2012, 11:08 AM

Are the two fronts the same and the two rears the same?

danvillekidd · 11-02-2012, 11:45 AM

There could be a few reasons for differences in height. Factory heights are not EXACT, a few milimeters difference is normal. Your garage floor may not be perfectly flat and level. Make sure when you park that you pull up and stop with the wheels straight. Differences in air pressure in you tires can cause differences when measuring from the floor. Some recommend measuring from the bottom of the rim to take that variance out.

strych9 · 11-02-2012, 11:56 AM

GM likely has a spec for allowable variance, because they will never be exactly the same side-to-side.

Rich@BSP · 11-02-2012, 03:52 PM

The stamping die that made the right finder is a different die than the one that made the left finder. They try to get them as close as possible but they can't make them perfect.
If you are measuring the ride hight correctly then your floor is probably not level.
There is a reason we make sure our alignment rack is level before we corner balance and set up a race car. Generally we do not use a body part to set ride hight because they are never the same on each side.

PAUL SS · 11-02-2012, 04:01 PM

So the left side of the car looks different than the right side of the car?

Rich@BSP · 11-02-2012, 05:19 PM

On a quality car which the 5th gen Camaro is. Visually both sides will look the same. BUT they are not exactly the same. Again like I said in my previous post the floor is probably not level and that is why there is more than normal differences.

rydahog · 11-02-2012, 09:22 PM

I understand your comment, thanks, my concern i guess is what i was looking to do to begin with, was whether or not i could lower car 1" or 1.4" with no problems/and look good. of course then i saw my measurements were askew and figured i would ask LOL ? so i figured let me at least get a starting point and see where i stand. thanks for all replies.

dekan513 · 11-04-2012, 09:58 AM

if the floor is unlevel anybit lime 1/8 out it will show diff measuring heights

BMR Sales · 11-05-2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rydahog

I understand your comment, thanks, my concern i guess is what i was looking to do to begin with, was whether or not i could lower car 1" or 1.4" with no problems/and look good. of course then i saw my measurements were askew and figured i would ask LOL ? so i figured let me at least get a starting point and see where i stand. thanks for all replies.

You should definitely be able to lower the car without any concern. I would guess you are getting numbers that are a bit all over the place because GM should have a ride height allowable varience they can work within. You could probably time the bushings and make sure you are on a nice level ground and come up with some more consistent ride height numbers but if you are planning on throwing a set of lowering springs on the car I wouldn't mess with it till then.

1977and2010 · 11-05-2012, 01:30 PM

Mine was the same way. So when people ask me how much it is lowered I say wellll about an 1.25" each corner was different to start.

11-02-2012, 10:55 AM	#1
rydahog Drives: camaro ss Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: usa Posts: 2,166 View My Garage	Crooked .... Let me try to explain what i saw. I measured my floor to fender wheel wells today, and found that (try to imagine this) the four wheel to fender measurements were all different. Almost like the body (frame) was bent.. new car basically, 3k no accidents, garage kept. front right (will keep the measurements to nearest inch) were 29"..right rear . 31" front left 28.5" left rear 29.5" all are approx, but to get my point across.. any reason for this? is it normal? thanks , reason for asking is i WAS going to lower springs ,but now? debating.. thanks

11-02-2012, 11:08 AM	#2
PAUL SS The Mark of Excellence Drives: 2010 ABM 1SS RS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Smallest State in the Union Posts: 8,690 View My Garage	Are the two fronts the same and the two rears the same? __________________ BMR, CAI, DynoMax, Elite Eng., Hurst, Jannetty, Clear Image Headers & Hi Flow cats, Jet Hot, LSR, TSW, VMax, Vredestein

11-02-2012, 11:56 AM	#4
strych9 I'll be back... Drives: Subaru, HD Road Glide Special Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 3,036 View My Garage	GM likely has a spec for allowable variance, because they will never be exactly the same side-to-side. __________________ Bye bye, Bumblebee! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Build Journal My Garage GoPro Mic Hack

11-02-2012, 04:01 PM	#6
PAUL SS The Mark of Excellence Drives: 2010 ABM 1SS RS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Smallest State in the Union Posts: 8,690 View My Garage	So the left side of the car looks different than the right side of the car? __________________ BMR, CAI, DynoMax, Elite Eng., Hurst, Jannetty, Clear Image Headers & Hi Flow cats, Jet Hot, LSR, TSW, VMax, Vredestein

11-04-2012, 09:58 AM	#9
dekan513 chevy pride Drives: 2ss/rs Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: pikeville ky Posts: 2,141 View My Garage	if the floor is unlevel anybit lime 1/8 out it will show diff measuring heights __________________ check out ky speeds fb page https://www.facebook.com/kyspeed

11-02-2012, 11:45 AM	#3
danvillekidd 2013 ZL1 Drives: 2013 ZL1 m6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Avondale AZ & Indy will always be home Posts: 870 View My Garage	There could be a few reasons for differences in height. Factory heights are not EXACT, a few milimeters difference is normal. Your garage floor may not be perfectly flat and level. Make sure when you park that you pull up and stop with the wheels straight. Differences in air pressure in you tires can cause differences when measuring from the floor. Some recommend measuring from the bottom of the rim to take that variance out.

11-02-2012, 03:52 PM	#5
Rich@BSP Drives: wife says to many Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Medina Oh Posts: 65	The stamping die that made the right finder is a different die than the one that made the left finder. They try to get them as close as possible but they can't make them perfect. If you are measuring the ride hight correctly then your floor is probably not level. There is a reason we make sure our alignment rack is level before we corner balance and set up a race car. Generally we do not use a body part to set ride hight because they are never the same on each side.

11-02-2012, 05:19 PM	#7
Rich@BSP Drives: wife says to many Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Medina Oh Posts: 65	On a quality car which the 5th gen Camaro is. Visually both sides will look the same. BUT they are not exactly the same. Again like I said in my previous post the floor is probably not level and that is why there is more than normal differences.

11-02-2012, 09:22 PM	#8
rydahog Drives: camaro ss Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: usa Posts: 2,166 View My Garage	I understand your comment, thanks, my concern i guess is what i was looking to do to begin with, was whether or not i could lower car 1" or 1.4" with no problems/and look good. of course then i saw my measurements were askew and figured i would ask LOL ? so i figured let me at least get a starting point and see where i stand. thanks for all replies.

11-05-2012, 01:30 PM	#11
1977and2010 Tampa Gulf Coast Family Drives: 1977 Z28, 2SSRS 2010 M6 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dunedin FL Posts: 810	Mine was the same way. So when people ask me how much it is lowered I say wellll about an 1.25" each corner was different to start. __________________