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BJ8 low on left side

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KarlHB

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Hi everyone!

Being a Norwegian working/living in London last year was a great Healey-experience. Brought my car over and used it a lot driving around outside London. A highlight during this period was a wonderful drive/holiday down in Cornwall and up to Newcastle before moving home, a good 1000 miles in 7 days.

However, returning in Norway, I noticed that the car was low on the left side (car is LHD), and that the body panels on the same side didn't fit as well as before. There is a gap underneath the corner where the window frame meets the left wing, and the gap between the door and the left wing decreases the further down you get towards the sill.

I have changed all four shocks, rear springs are not broken and front suspension bushes are new and ok.

Has anyone got a suggestion to what could cause this issue. I'm concerned that there might be something wrong with the chassis frame... :frown:

Best regards, Karl
 
I would think that the problem is with your rear springs, not the shocks. After many years it is likely that the springs have lost some of their arch, probably more on the left side because there is more weight there with the driver. I have found that new rear springs from the normal US sources for my phase 1 BJ8 were not very good. There was virtually no "set" between the leafs. I sent mine back and had the old springs rearched. That said the rearched old springs have settled a little in the last couple of years and the car is lower than I like it. I think you need to heat, then cool, (aneil??)when you rearch the springs, for them to hold the arch. Mine were not done that way, which is probably why they settled.
 
Hi Karl,
I suspect that you are correct. Changes of body panel alignment would only be caused by frame flex or frame damage.

With the car on it's wheels, place a jack under the frame somewhere near under the door. If raising this section changes the panel gaps there is a serious problem. Likewise if you apply the jack in front or behind the door.

I hope this is wrong, but check frame flex/bending first. A sound car can be raised at any single frame corner, or a side center with no change of panel gaps.
D
 
KarlHB said:
and the gap between the door and the left wing decreases the further down you get towards the sill.
Click to expand...
That would indicate to me that if the frame was bent, it would be higher in the middle than at the wheels. Wonder if the car was fork lifted in shipping?
 
Hi! Thank a lot for replies! I will take your suggestions and see if I can find out if there is something wrong with the chassis frame/rear springs. Hopefully the reason might be less serious than I fear...
 
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