2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Shocks, Springs, Brakes, Frame, Body Work, etc

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chasracer
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2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Post by chasracer »

#1 - We have a tube frame, aftermarket bodied Corvette roadster. Similar to a Suncoast car but this one was built up around the Ohio area. It is a ladder bar car and the adjustment range is almost non-existent. We have two front mount adjustment holes. We do not have any "adjustable span" in the bars. The only adjustment we appear to have in the bars is the length. During the shutdown of life around here, we upped the power level. First and only hit this past weekend was a really hard turn to the right. With the previous power unit the car left well and was running 5.40 in the 1/8th. With the lack of adjustment, we're scratching our heads on what adjustment to make.

#2 - I have a tube frame Monza that's at best a garage build. We have had the car for awhile and one of the issues with it is that with it just sitting in the garage, the right rear of the car sits almost exactly 1" lower than the left side of the car. This is with taking a measurement at the center of the wheelwell down to the floor. I ran this car a few times last fall trying to work out various issues in it, a big one was the convertor was way too tight. Over the winter I switched it out for one of my spare loose convertors and at the one TnT that I went to in March, the car improved a lot but was moving to the right on launch. I put the car in the garage and proceeded to drop marks on the floor from the ladder bars and center of the car, I now have the car squared up to less than a 1/16". Once that was done, I unbolted the front right of the ladder bar, adjusted the heim joint down 1/2 way to the next bolt hole, then jacked the bar back up to put the bolt back in. After this and back on it's tires I was looking at this strange ride height deal again. The springs are identical, I have them set on the shocks to the dimension that Strange provided, the lower brackets are the same height from the floor and for the life of me I cannot figure out why the right rear part of the body sits lower.
falcongeorge
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Re: 2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Post by falcongeorge »

chasracer wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:38 pm #1 - We have a tube frame, aftermarket bodied Corvette roadster. Similar to a Suncoast car but this one was built up around the Ohio area. It is a ladder bar car and the adjustment range is almost non-existent. We have two front mount adjustment holes. We do not have any "adjustable span" in the bars. The only adjustment we appear to have in the bars is the length. During the shutdown of life around here, we upped the power level. First and only hit this past weekend was a really hard turn to the right. With the previous power unit the car left well and was running 5.40 in the 1/8th. With the lack of adjustment, we're scratching our heads on what adjustment to make.

#2 - I have a tube frame Monza that's at best a garage build. We have had the car for awhile and one of the issues with it is that with it just sitting in the garage, the right rear of the car sits almost exactly 1" lower than the left side of the car. This is with taking a measurement at the center of the wheelwell down to the floor. I ran this car a few times last fall trying to work out various issues in it, a big one was the convertor was way too tight. Over the winter I switched it out for one of my spare loose convertors and at the one TnT that I went to in March, the car improved a lot but was moving to the right on launch. I put the car in the garage and proceeded to drop marks on the floor from the ladder bars and center of the car, I now have the car squared up to less than a 1/16". Once that was done, I unbolted the front right of the ladder bar, adjusted the heim joint down 1/2 way to the next bolt hole, then jacked the bar back up to put the bolt back in. After this and back on it's tires I was looking at this strange ride height deal again. The springs are identical, I have them set on the shocks to the dimension that Strange provided, the lower brackets are the same height from the floor and for the life of me I cannot figure out why the right rear part of the body sits lower.
Are you saying you are measuring from the center of the fenderlip to the floor? If its a tube chassis Monza someone has almost certainly stretched the rear fender opening, are you sure its not just sloppy bodywork? I would pick a reference point on the chassis somewhere and double check my measurement. Not saying that the car is for sure sitting level, but I wouldn't use a reference point on the body of a car that has had bodywork to make that assessment.
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Re: 2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Post by FC-Pilot »

falcongeorge wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:55 pm
chasracer wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:38 pm #1 - We have a tube frame, aftermarket bodied Corvette roadster. Similar to a Suncoast car but this one was built up around the Ohio area. It is a ladder bar car and the adjustment range is almost non-existent. We have two front mount adjustment holes. We do not have any "adjustable span" in the bars. The only adjustment we appear to have in the bars is the length. During the shutdown of life around here, we upped the power level. First and only hit this past weekend was a really hard turn to the right. With the previous power unit the car left well and was running 5.40 in the 1/8th. With the lack of adjustment, we're scratching our heads on what adjustment to make.

#2 - I have a tube frame Monza that's at best a garage build. We have had the car for awhile and one of the issues with it is that with it just sitting in the garage, the right rear of the car sits almost exactly 1" lower than the left side of the car. This is with taking a measurement at the center of the wheelwell down to the floor. I ran this car a few times last fall trying to work out various issues in it, a big one was the convertor was way too tight. Over the winter I switched it out for one of my spare loose convertors and at the one TnT that I went to in March, the car improved a lot but was moving to the right on launch. I put the car in the garage and proceeded to drop marks on the floor from the ladder bars and center of the car, I now have the car squared up to less than a 1/16". Once that was done, I unbolted the front right of the ladder bar, adjusted the heim joint down 1/2 way to the next bolt hole, then jacked the bar back up to put the bolt back in. After this and back on it's tires I was looking at this strange ride height deal again. The springs are identical, I have them set on the shocks to the dimension that Strange provided, the lower brackets are the same height from the floor and for the life of me I cannot figure out why the right rear part of the body sits lower.
Are you saying you are measuring from the center of the fenderlip to the floor? If its a tube chassis Monza someone has almost certainly stretched the rear fender opening, are you sure its not just sloppy bodywork? I would pick a reference point on the chassis somewhere and double check my measurement. Not saying that the car is for sure sitting level, but I wouldn't use a reference point on the body of a car that has had bodywork to make that assessment.
I had a Chevelle that was like that. When the chassis was measured and the suspension all squared up it leaned like that. We named the car Eileene. When someone mounted the body they did a poor job.

Paul
"It's a fine line between clever and stupid." David St. Hubbins
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Re: 2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Post by Bumps440 »

A misadjusted or sagging front spring or torsion bar will transfer into a difference in rear height. Look over the ft end also. AS someone stated before take measurements off the chassis and not the body.
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Re: 2 Questions - 2 Different Cars

Post by 406shark »

As others have posted... always measure right height at the chassis, never the body.

Did you measure it with driver in place and full of fluids... ready to race? Depending on that, you might be seeing a much different ride height?

Also, as someone else posted... have you measured your front ride height? From the chassis, not the body. If the right front is lower than the left front... it's going to make the left rear sit higher than the right rear.

Have you scaled the car?




Jeff
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