TR6 TR6 Ride Height ?????

[Stinky]

I've been away a while. I finally am getting around to fixing a few things on the TR6.

I have recently noticed that the left front fender opening is about 1/2" to maybe 3/4" lower than the right front fender opening. I'm mearuring the space between the top of the tire, and the lip on the fenders.

What's usually the way to even this out?

I'd like to raise the left side to match the right.

Is this a matter of pulling both springs and comparing them and making my adjustment by changing the springs as necessary?...or is there another way of adjusting the ride height on the front end of this 1971 TR6.

Thanks in Advance,
Tom

 

[TR3driver]

IMO, the very first thing to do is be certain whether it's really a ride height issue, or if the body is distorted. Measure from the frame to the ground on both sides.

 

[Stinky]

I just measured from the frame to the ground in several spots. It appears that the right side of the frame is about 1/4" higher than the left side. However there's a good 1/2" maybe a hair more clearance from the top of the tire to the fender on the right side compared to the left.

So I can safely say I'm loosing 1/4" at the frame, then the rest of the difference is somewhere else....like perhaps the guy that mounted the body, and fenders did'nt get it quite right.

I suppose I could live with the 1/4" difference that I see in the frame to ground measurement. I just gotta find out where the rest of the space is hiding. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[TR3driver]

Ok, stupid question time : Are you sure the tires are the same size and inflated the same ?

On my TR3A, the body was asymmetrical by about 3/8" which I attributed to either previous accident damage or sloppy manufacturing. Given what I've heard about body panels from one car not fitting another car, the latter seems at least possible if not likely. I enlarged some holes and added some spacers to get it "close enough" to suit me, but it was never quite right.

Don't forget, these were always a poor man's sports car. You simply cannot expect the same level of fit as a period Jaguar or BMW (or anything made today).

 

[BryanC]

If you measure from the center of the wheel to the fender lip, you take the tire height out of the picture. Then you can compare the measurement from side to side or from your car to someone else's car. That will tell you if there is a problem with the springs, etc. If that measurement is Ok and the measurement from the ground to the fender is still off then the difference is in the tire.

Bryan

 

[Stinky]

I set the tire pressures last week when I first started this investigation.

My real concern here is that I get a tire rub on the left side. When I realized how close the clearance is between the top of the tire and the fender I started investigating.

I've been in the garage measuring everything I can think of. For now I can definetly see the left front fender needs to be brought up atleast 1/4'. I can also back that up by inspecting the gap between the door and the fender. The gap narrows as you look down toward the rocker panel. So I suppose I'll need to loosen up some bolts and shim the fender up a bit to getthat door to fender gap closer. Once I get that I will have raised the front of the fender up and gain some needed clearance between that left front tire and the fender lip.

Thanks for all your input everyone. Keep the ideas coming,...I need all the help I can get /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[RonMacPherson]

Don't forget the rear springs and spacers.

When you lower a rear corner(lose a rubber spacer for example) you raise the opposite front corner.

So first thing, I recommend, is remove all the wheels and do a good visual of the suspension, spacers, springs, brackets, etc. Make sure everything is intact before replacing something.

 

[Tinster]

The crypt car rear was noticibly crooked and
sagging on one side. A bubble level confirmed
1" sag out of level on the drivers side.

I installed new coil springs and the entire rear
end rose 3/4" and is now only 1/4" out of bubble level-
I can live with that.

d

 

[70herald]

Check the trailing arm bushings and the rubber bits on the top and bottom of the springs. On my herald, some DPO had creatively replaced the rear trunnion inserts with rolled up paper. Putting in a "real" insert and replacing the spring bushings raised the rear a good 1/4"

 

[Tinster]

True-

DPO Pedro had his rear springs riding metal to metal
with no rubber pads top or bottom. One trailing arm
bushing was missing- with only the bolt present.

DPO Pedro was a Macho Man: He liked the rough stuff
when riding.

d