Spring, Sprang, Sprung

[rodo]

Rear Springs issue: New shocks, new progressive springs (AR), all new trailing arms/panhard. I put my kids in the car to torque the trailing arms at the right height. All back together, all good and tight and...I'm about 1.5 inches higher on one side. (The other three corners are where they should be.) So...loosen all the bolts/nuts on that side for trailing arms, panhard. Wheel back on. Still too high. I bounce on it, full weight, no noise, no banging, all works as it should. Still 1.5 inches. Doesn't seem to be an issue of just needing it to settle into place. I'm at a loss and my only thought at this point is that perhaps, maybe, I got two rear springs with different spring rates, somehow. (I did measure them when fully loose and they are the same; also measured the rear axle height when it was hanging and both sides the same.)

Or...?

[Nut124]

I'd call AR.

[rodo]

AR said it ain't their springs. Suggested that my spider was perhaps dinged up. He could be right. It definitely was hit, in the front, some years ago. Not sure where that leaves things. If it weren't so obvious, just looking at the back of the car, I'd probably not care. But...looks dumb, leaning.

[dinghyguy]

i would suggest swapping the springs side to side to see if the difference follows the spring. Then you know it is the springs.

we wait with interest.....

cheers
dinghyguy

[rodo]

Yeah, I'll need to make that happen. Friend also suggested that maybe one of the new shocks is dinged up. Maybe. We'll see. I'll post with results.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Any chance one of the rear springs is not correctly seated in its "perch", either at the top or bottom?

-Bryan

[rodo]

First thing I checked.

[rodo]

Pulled it all apart, removed all stops top and bottom, cleaned the dust. No visible anything that would bugger the heights. Put it together with just springs. No difference. Wondered about the right side of the car, the trailing arms which have been long torqued. Maybe they were holding the right side down? Loosened nuts, couldn't reach one, had to remove the just installed panhard...but car had to be jacked up more, no wait, lowered, to get the bolt out, okay, no, I mean raised, raised more. Ach, no, lowered and pushed through and...

(Begin swearing in Italian.)

Got fed up with it for today. Will remove springs, then install shocks and springs tomorrow and just have a car with one corner an inch higher. Or load up the trunk. Or fill up the gas tank?

[toyfiats]

Is it a rear corner that's high, or the opposite front corner that's low?

[rodo]

Wow. I think you may have nailed it. Front right was hit, back in the eighties apparently. Left evidence inside the wheelwell. Well, okay, wonky weird height it will be. Hope they can align the beast!