Rear suspension problem... One side lower than the other.

[FRSTR90]

Hey guys,

I was hoping that maybe someone has had a similar situation before... When I got home from work today, I noticed that my rear driver side corner was sitting lower than the passenger side. To make sure, I pulled out a tape measure, and I found that the top of the rear driver's side wheel well was sitting about 5/16" closer to the ground than the passenger side. I drove it around my neighborhood at about 5, 10, 15, and 20 mph trying to see if I could hear any noises, but I couldn't hear a thing.

I am running PFADT lowering springs, PFADT ZL spec sways, with OEM sway bar links... Is it possible that I may have broken a sway bar link?

Any help or advice would greatly be appreciated! I haven't had a chance to take it to a shop, as I just noticed it not too long ago..

[CHMSC]

Are you sure the car was on a perfectly level surface when you measured it?

[FRSTR90]

Originally Posted by CHMSC

Are you sure the car was on a perfectly level surface when you measured it?

Yes, I checked it on 3 different surfaces that were pretty much level. i havent had a chance to look at it too well, but the links appear to be intact. The only other thing that I can think of is that I may have a blown shock..

[CHMSC]

Well then you should check a few things. First find a level surface and make sure it wasn't the surface, check the struts, also check the springs and lastly make sure nothing is bent like a lower control arm, etc.

[kyle@ridetech.com]

Originally Posted by FRSTR90

Yes, I checked it on 3 different surfaces that were pretty much level. i havent had a chance to look at it too well, but the links appear to be intact. The only other thing that I can think of is that I may have a blown shock..

A blown shock isn't going to change your ride height. If the shock was blown, it would be really, really bouncy in the back. Look for something bent. If everything checks out there, It could be the spring has took a set. This can happen if the spring ever coil binds. I don't know if the Pfadt springs are capable of coil binding with the stock travel. Basicly what happens is if the suspension has more travel than the spring, so the coil mash together and bind. This binding can cause the spring to take a set and essentially changes the rate. This is all hypothetical though, as I do not know if it's even possible to bind one of their springs at full compression on a 5th gen.

[FRSTR90]

Originally Posted by CHMSC

Well then you should check a few things. First find a level surface and make sure it wasn't the surface, check the struts, also check the springs and lastly make sure nothing is bent like a lower control arm, etc.

Hopefully, I'll have time tomorrow to take it to my buddy's shop to get it on a lift..the control arm looks good. I'll report back if I find something out.

Originally Posted by kyle@ridetech.com

A blown shock isn't going to change your ride height. If the shock was blown, it would be really, really bouncy in the back. Look for something bent. If everything checks out there, It could be the spring has took a set. This can happen if the spring ever coil binds. I don't know if the Pfadt springs are capable of coil binding with the stock travel. Basicly what happens is if the suspension has more travel than the spring, so the coil mash together and bind. This binding can cause the spring to take a set and essentially changes the rate. This is all hypothetical though, as I do not know if it's even possible to bind one of their springs at full compression on a 5th gen.

That is what I originally thought, but I couldn't think of what else could cause that. Like you said, I didn't think the Pfadt springs were capable of coil binding. They seem to be a high quality product, and the spring itself seems to be thicker and stiffer than OEM. Therefore, I imagined that it was stronger. I was even thinking that I cracked a spring, but figured it would have done some damage.

I have been doing a little bit of research, and I found out that the upper shock mount for the 1LE and ZL1's are built stronger than the standard SS and V6 camaros. The only thing that I can think of at this point is that the upper shock mount might have bent or broke.

I really wish this had not happened at all, but if it had to happen, I wish it would have been a year or two from now. May be my financial priorities would have been a little different, and I could have purchased a set of your coil overs. I saw some of your products at the Corvette Funfest at Mid-America in Effingham, IL. I love what you guys have brought to the C2/C3 Corvette market.