Ride height

[Monzadude]

Just got the car back on the ground for the first time since October. I had the whole front end apart. Installed all new bushings on upper and lower control arms,upper and lower ball joints and inner and outer tie rods. I used the same springs and shocks.
Now the car seems to sit a little high in the front. I rolled it out of the garage thinking that would let suspension settle a little and the wheels to spred properly.
The car isn't completely back together yet but shouldn't be enough missing to keep the front up. The motor and trans are in and the exhust manifolds are on. Motor's not complete but mostly there.

Something I'm missing? An adjustment or something?

[AusRs]

dont stress it will take a while for the front to settle down !

[heinz057]

did you tighten the control arm bolts when it was jacked up? they should be tightend up when the car is on the ground

[cjbiagi]

Right, if you are using rubber bushings it is important not to tighten the bolts until the car is at normal ride height. If you don't do this you will but a bind in the rubber once the car is at normal ride height. With poly bushings it doesn't matter since the bushing floats in the arm.

[Monzadude]

I tightened the uppers with the car in the air. Never thought about it making a difference. The lowers are tight but not torqued to speck. Just tight enough to keep them on so I can tow the car to the alignment shop. I'll try losening the uppers and re-tighten them with the car on the ground.

I'm going to leave the lowers for now. The alignment shop should do that for me while doing the alignment right?

Bill

[heinz057]

you should be fine just as long the shop is not to far away

[cjbiagi]

If the suspension was hanging down when they were tightened that could cause some change in ride height because now with the suspension at a normal position you have put a twist in the rubber. It's also putting a undo strain on the rubber. If the wheels were on and you just had it on car ramps you should be ok.

[Monzadude]

I'll be useing a tow dolly. With the alignment being out of wack I don't want to grind the tires off on the way there.

Bill

[spyder_xlch]

Just make sure they are aware the bolts aren't tight. Some alignment shops do a "toe and go" meaning they will set the toe and that's it, even if you are paying for the full treatment. For example, if you go buy new tires and have an alignment done, and your old tires didn't seem to be wearing funny, they know it's not out of alignment too bad and just do a wham bam thank you mam job.
One more thing, get a print out of your alignment so you know it's in specs.

[Monzadude]

There's a local guy that was recomended by a friend. He's doing the alignment for me. He does most of the classic cars around here. My friend used to have an old Dart. He said this guy is the only one he'd let touch it after he restored it. He speacializes in the old cars,I figure he's the one I want.

Maybe tomorrow I'll put the car up on the ramps and losen then re-tighten all the control arm bolts. Will it hurt anything to sit like this if I don't get time for a few days?

One kid has the stomach flu and the other is showing signs. Unfortunatly everthing has to wait when that happens. Hopefully only a 24 Hr thing.

[v8astregt]

Don't worry about it. Sometimes it takes a few miles of driving till the front settles. This is the same for anything... my blazer, the Astre... common for all cars.

[Monzadude]

Now that the car's back on the ground it seems to be settling out on it's own. Should I still lossen the bolts? Will it hurt the bushing to level it self out? The ride height is almost back to normal from just sitting.


Bill

[spyder_xlch]

It's not going to hurt to loosen the bolts and tighten them back down. Maybe even give the car a few bounces while they are loose. I would.