SUSPENSION QUESTION>> - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

1JEWLDSSRS · 01-09-2012, 06:05 AM

Good morning guys, I picked up my car the other day from the dealership after having thr rear diff rebuilt due to the noise problem of the clutch pacs being bad and now my car seems like the ass end is about half to 3/4 inch higher than it was ?? Also the steering wheel is not centered anymore, is off just about 1/4 of an inch and is driving me nuts. I went back to the dealership and the mech said we didn't touch anything in the front, that the alighment should be fine, but it isn't, also he said the rear will settle back down. It looks kinda funky and I hope it settles down as it wasn't that high looking before they worked on it. So any of you suspension guys help me out as to a possible answer ?? Thanks...

geaux_tigerss · 01-09-2012, 06:44 AM

Most alignment shops will do a free check. Find one and have them check it and tell you it's bad, then go back to the dealership and raise hell.

BMR guy · 01-09-2012, 08:29 AM

Do you have OE springs on the car or aftermarket springs? Some aftermarket springs do not have the correct free height so when the suspension is unloaded they can come off the upper seat. This could potentially raise the rear end if the springs are not properly seated.

Another thing that may have raised the rear is poorly clocked bushings. To drop the diff you have to remove the CV shafts. This requires unbolting some of the suspension links out at the spindle. Upon re-assembly, if the mechanic tightened these links back up with the suspension hanging it puts pre-load in the bushings and will not allow the car to settle correctly. This is what everyone is talking about when they say "timing the bushings" or "clocking the bushings". The weight of the car should be on the tires when you tighten any rubber-bushed suspension components.

As for the front alignment, that's a mystery. There really should be no reason for the steering wheel to be turned. I guess it's possible that they dropped the whole rear cradle to do the diff. While there are alignment holes to re-position it, if it is off to one side slightly the front and rear would track differently and force you to turn the wheel a little in order to go straight. This is a longshot but I really can't think of anything else that would effect the front...

Let us know what you find out please.

1JEWLDSSRS · 01-10-2012, 06:26 AM

Well guys, took the car back to the dealer yesterday after work and told them that something isn't right with the alignment after they did the diff rebuild, so they put it on the alignment rack and found that the toe was off kinda bad in the rear, they corrected it and the front was OK still. So now the steering wheel is corrected now and the car drives straight again, thank God cause it was driving me nuts. The tech forgot to check the rear bushings for me and re-time them as the rear I told the was a little higher than before, so I let that go as I am planning on installing my springs in the next couple of weeks. So all is well so far. Thanks guys for the feedback..

BMR guy · 01-11-2012, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1JEWLDSSRS

Well guys, took the car back to the dealer yesterday after work and told them that something isn't right with the alignment after they did the diff rebuild, so they put it on the alignment rack and found that the toe was off kinda bad in the rear, they corrected it and the front was OK still. So now the steering wheel is corrected now and the car drives straight again, thank God cause it was driving me nuts. The tech forgot to check the rear bushings for me and re-time them as the rear I told the was a little higher than before, so I let that go as I am planning on installing my springs in the next couple of weeks. So all is well so far. Thanks guys for the feedback..

Glad to hear you got it resolved and post pics of your car after it's lowered!

1JEWLDSSRS · 01-13-2012, 04:59 PM

Thanks Brett, yea I'm glad to also have it corrected, drives much better and straighter. I plan on installing my Pfadt 1.25's I got on the 28th as that is the next Saturday my mech will be there to do them. My service advisor said he would get them installed for 360 bucks and include the alighment and bushing timing and warrenty everything, can't beat that I don't think. So I am going to have them do the install. I will take before and after pics for everyone.Thanks again guys.

01-09-2012, 06:05 AM	#1
1JEWLDSSRS Drives: 2011 SS-RS Join Date: May 2011 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 11,402	SUSPENSION QUESTION>> Good morning guys, I picked up my car the other day from the dealership after having thr rear diff rebuilt due to the noise problem of the clutch pacs being bad and now my car seems like the ass end is about half to 3/4 inch higher than it was ?? Also the steering wheel is not centered anymore, is off just about 1/4 of an inch and is driving me nuts. I went back to the dealership and the mech said we didn't touch anything in the front, that the alighment should be fine, but it isn't, also he said the rear will settle back down. It looks kinda funky and I hope it settles down as it wasn't that high looking before they worked on it. So any of you suspension guys help me out as to a possible answer ?? Thanks...

01-09-2012, 06:44 AM	#2
geaux_tigerss Drives: 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Orange, TX Posts: 740	Most alignment shops will do a free check. Find one and have them check it and tell you it's bad, then go back to the dealership and raise hell. __________________ 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 Summit White 6" Lift, 37x13.50R24's

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01-09-2012, 08:29 AM	#3
BMR guy Drives: 2010 1SS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,002	Do you have OE springs on the car or aftermarket springs? Some aftermarket springs do not have the correct free height so when the suspension is unloaded they can come off the upper seat. This could potentially raise the rear end if the springs are not properly seated. Another thing that may have raised the rear is poorly clocked bushings. To drop the diff you have to remove the CV shafts. This requires unbolting some of the suspension links out at the spindle. Upon re-assembly, if the mechanic tightened these links back up with the suspension hanging it puts pre-load in the bushings and will not allow the car to settle correctly. This is what everyone is talking about when they say "timing the bushings" or "clocking the bushings". The weight of the car should be on the tires when you tighten any rubber-bushed suspension components. As for the front alignment, that's a mystery. There really should be no reason for the steering wheel to be turned. I guess it's possible that they dropped the whole rear cradle to do the diff. While there are alignment holes to re-position it, if it is off to one side slightly the front and rear would track differently and force you to turn the wheel a little in order to go straight. This is a longshot but I really can't think of anything else that would effect the front... Let us know what you find out please.

01-10-2012, 06:26 AM	#4
1JEWLDSSRS Drives: 2011 SS-RS Join Date: May 2011 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 11,402	Well guys, took the car back to the dealer yesterday after work and told them that something isn't right with the alignment after they did the diff rebuild, so they put it on the alignment rack and found that the toe was off kinda bad in the rear, they corrected it and the front was OK still. So now the steering wheel is corrected now and the car drives straight again, thank God cause it was driving me nuts. The tech forgot to check the rear bushings for me and re-time them as the rear I told the was a little higher than before, so I let that go as I am planning on installing my springs in the next couple of weeks. So all is well so far. Thanks guys for the feedback..

01-13-2012, 04:59 PM	#6
1JEWLDSSRS Drives: 2011 SS-RS Join Date: May 2011 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 11,402	Thanks Brett, yea I'm glad to also have it corrected, drives much better and straighter. I plan on installing my Pfadt 1.25's I got on the 28th as that is the next Saturday my mech will be there to do them. My service advisor said he would get them installed for 360 bucks and include the alighment and bushing timing and warrenty everything, can't beat that I don't think. So I am going to have them do the install. I will take before and after pics for everyone.Thanks again guys.