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What's your ride height?

67Survivor

67Survivor

Donation Time
Hi guys,

The front end of my Series V sits uneven. Granted, the area it is parked on is not level, but the difference is obvious regardless of where I am parked. My assumption was that the low side has a sag for any of a number of reasons. I have since rethought this and I believe that it is possible that the high side is in fact too high. I took some approximate measurements from the center of my wheel to the edge of the fender opening, and they were as follows;
Passenger front: 14 3/4"
Drivers front: 13 1/2"
Passenger rear: 14"
Drivers rear: 13 1/2"

I can speculate all day long about the fact that the "sagging" drivers side both sit at 13 1/2" while the passenger side are different, but without knowing what the height should be, I am going in circles. So the question to you is:

What is the distance in inches between the center of your wheel, and the respective fender openings?

I do have one other anomaly that could be having an affect on my ride height and that is the "additional?" leafspring on the rear of the car. I have never seen one in any photos of any other alpine, but as you can see in the linked photo, there is an additional single leaf at the rear of my car. The body damage to the quarter panel was the result of a broken axle this summer, and I think I got off pretty lucky considering.

http://www.artisanimages.ca/Cars/Sunbeam-Alpine/Body-Shots/i-dbn7HmM/A

Thank you as always for your efforts everyone.
 
Ken Ellis

Ken Ellis

Donation Time
Still looks nice, though.

My car had a decided list to the left. When installing a new rear diff, I took the opportunity to switch the rear springs left to right. That helped a lot... enough so I'm no longer considering other options -- like taking the leaves apart and shuffling them between springs, or just outright buying new springs, if available.

It's free to try, if you have an afternoon.

The helper spring is on the 'high' side? Maybe lose that first and see where you stand.
 
Toyanvil

Toyanvil

Gold Level Sponsor
I would look at why there are helper springs in the rear, are the stock leafsprings shot or cracked? you should not need them.
Are the front spring socket insulators okay.
Years ago my ser II would sit different like your, so I removed the springs to switch them left to right and found the A-arm bushings were frozen and not returning to the same spot every time. To test mine, I would bounce the front and check it, it would be different every time.
My Ser II is 13.5" in the front and 12" in the rear.
IMG_2914-M.jpg
 
67Survivor

67Survivor

Donation Time
Thanks for the responses. Frozen or stiff A-arms are a possibility, because the car did sit for 23 years. The reality is that there are a plethora of reasons that it could be sitting funny, but knowing what it should sit at is the key starting point in identifying where the issue is. Thank you Tony for taking the time to take that measurement for me. I was hoping for a few responses so that I could get an idea of the average if anybody else happens to have a tape measure handy.
 
C

chazza

Donation Time
Ride heights can be a pest on leaf-sprung cars.

What is definitely worth doing, is removing the leaf-packs and giving them a birthday by separating and de-rusting; radiusing the top edge where each spring rubs on the one above; sanding down any wear steps with a flap-wheel in an angle grinder; and reassembling with dry, or wet lubricant between each leaf.

At the same time, the spring bushes can be replaced and the assembled packs placed next to each other to see if one has more curvature than another; if so put it on the driver's side.

If the car is still not level, with equal tyre pressures on a level floor, then investigate the front end,

Cheers Charlie
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
chazza said:
Ride heights can be a pest on leaf-sprung cars.

What is definitely worth doing, is removing the leaf-packs and giving them a birthday by separating and de-rusting; radiusing the top edge where each spring rubs on the one above; sanding down any wear steps with a flap-wheel in an angle grinder; and reassembling with dry, or wet lubricant between each leaf.

At the same time, the spring bushes can be replaced and the assembled packs placed next to each other to see if one has more curvature than another; if so put it on the driver's side.

If the car is still not level, with equal tyre pressures on a level floor, then investigate the front end,

Cheers Charlie
Click to expand...

Times two. I would add consider installing these between leafs
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Leaf-Spring-Liner-with-Lip-2-Inch,39861.html I did and they are working fine.

Also, when assembling the stacks, alternate leafs from left and right springs. All of this leveled my car and improved the ride. No more crow-hopping across bridge expansion joints!

Bill
 
H

Hillman

Gold Level Sponsor
SII with SV control arms, spindles etc and SII springs:

Front
Driver: 14 3/4
Passenger: 15

Rear:
Both: 13
 
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