BJ7 listing to the port side

[Ray Smith]

The left side of the BJ7 sits approx 3/4 of an inch lower than the right side. This list is apparent at both the front and back of the car. Any suggestions as to what could be the cause of this problem?

Ray

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Ray,

Lay off the doughnuts! (just kidding .. sortof /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don't think I've ever heard of one of the left hand drive Healeys leaning to the starboard which leads me to believe it is mostly driver weight related sag/set in the suspension over time. I suppose one could switch the left coil and leaf springs with the right to see but that's a bit of work! Are you measuring the 3/4 difference on the frame rails to the ground, from the fenders to ground or both?

Cheers,
John

 

[Tullamore]

This is a common problem. My car sagged a lot on the left side before I changed all the springs.

One thing to try is to lift the entire car off the ground and bring all the wheels down together. If it does not sit level at that point you can eliminate sticky bushings, shocks, etc for causing your problems and it is probably time to get some new springs.

 

[Ray Smith]

Johnnie,

Since I left the force, I have been trying to cut back but it is soooo difficult to break old habits.

I have measured the body list with the car frame located on jack stands. The list is still there. This would indicate to me that the springs are not the problem.

Any other suggestions.

Ray

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Ray,
If I understand you correctly, the body is sitting lower on one side in relation to the frame & suspension mounting points. That the main frame rails near the suspension mounts are level but the body is not. If so there may be a couple of reasons.

It came that way from the factory. It sometimes happens.

Someone has replaced some of the unibody parts, actually part of the frame, & gotten them in the wrong place so that the body is mounted incorrectly. Most likely the outriggers & sills would be too high on one side or too low on the other.

The frame/under body has serious weakened due to rust & has sagged. On a solid car, jacking up any one corner will not affect door, hood, or trunk lid gaps. Jacking one side directly under the doors will not change any gaps.

Any frame/underbody corrections are likely to be expensive. These cars were largely hand built, one at a time. There are often some dimensional variations. You could make the car "look" level going down the road by raising or lowering the suspension ride heights to suit. Raising or lowering one end of the bumpers can help make the car visually level as they are really the only straight reference lines to compare to the ground. Most everything else is curved or angled.

Lastly, ignore it. Not many people will notice if you don't point it out.
D

 

[Ray Smith]

Dave,,

I think that your idea of adjusting the bumpers to make it appear that the car is visually level is the way to go. I do notice that when the car is lifted in the front, the doors tend to bind. Could be that at some time the car had some frame adjustment that was not done properly.

Ray

 

[bob hughes]

Ray, with time the chassis can get a bit tired and start to flex, binding of the doors is not uncommon, but the reverse of the coin is that the door gap can open up. My first Healey , a 100/6, was prone to throwing the passenger door open on certain bends as the chassis flexed. The body was refurbished by John Chatham and they straightened out the chassis, as it had become distorted over the years, by chaining to two ends to the ground and jacking up the middle and with a little re work on the door posts, new floors and wings, it stiffened up the framwork and the problem disappeared. It could be that you are suffering from a tired chassis, though it is fair to say that the cars do flex anyway.

Bob
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Ray Smith]

Where are the points where the body is attached to the frame? Would it be possible to use spacers on the port side to level the body?

Ray

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Ray,
As I pointed out earlier, new cars did not flex & properly rebuilt cars do not flex. Many have rusted in the main structural parts & are weakened to the point where they DO flex or sag.

Unfortunately the body is not just "attached" to the frame. It is a semi unibody construction. All welded into one piece. The fenders, doors, & center shrouds are just lightly bolted to this main assembly. SEE THE ATTACHED PIC. This is what I meant by problems if it is mis aligned or sagging from rust weakened parts. Major parts have to be cut out & replaced/welded back. Fortunately, all of the structural sections are available as new from Killmartin, Jule, & such. Rust under a Big Healey is a major repair job.
D

 

[Keoke]

Ray, Take a very good look at the LH rear suspension bushes.If they have not been replaced they may have just taken a set I have seen this on the cars many times I understand the apparent settling when on jack stands but I would still have a look at the Bushes.FWIW---Keoke