Corvair Forum

Howdy.
'Nuther newbie question...
I have a '65 convertible. The car sits 1/4" lower on the driver's side. I hesitate to even ask what might cause this, because it's the kind of thing that is hard to say without looking at the car, and I know this. But, just on the off chance someone might have an inkling, I'm asking.
FWIW, here's what I know:

Coil springs are new all the way around.

Rear strut rod bushings are in good shape.

The car doesn't show signs of ever having been wrecked.
I've had the car for a little over a year, and had had it for several months before I ever noticed the "lean". The sag is equal from front to back. The car doesn't pull and it goes down the road straight and stops straight. It just bugs me; makes me want to pop in some coil spring spacers front and rear on the driver's side to "fix" it (but I won't do that...)
The front end has squeaky bushings, so maybe the front control arms are the culprit, but I would think that would cause the front to sag lower than the rear.
Anyway, if anyone has any idea, let me know.
Thanks for listening.

As a club buddy says "Just because it is new doesn't mean it is good." It might be the springs, but -----

Another issue with NEW springs is how they are installed. The upper and lower spring seat has a shape like the end of the spring. It is kind of a hassle, but you have to make sure EACH end of the spring is about 1" from the stop in the seat. This allow the spring to flex a little in the seats as the wheels go up and down. If one end of the spring is up against the seat indentation stop, then it can bind the spring causing the car to sit a little higher.

The other more common issue is someone tightened down the bushing bolts/nuts with the wheels hanging down. This will make the car sit unevenly and is really tough on the bushing rubber!! If the bushing nut/bolts were tightened up with car on jack stands (after installing new springs) with the wheel hanging down it can make the car sit higher.

The bushings have serated edges so they usually won't rotate as the suspension moves up and down. You want the bushing snugged up with the car sitting level ON the wheels. To access the suspension bushing hardware the car must be up on a drive-on lift so it is sitting level on the wheels. Loosen bolts/nuts (both sides) and bounce the car so it is level. Tighten bushing hadware. Same for rear trailing arms and camber rods.

Are you measuring at the top of the wheel wells like in the book?
Offhand I might say 1/4" isn't much.
Also the powertrain sits to the left 2" in the chassis so naturally it's heavier there.
I'd be interested to read what others have to say.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

Since the power train is to the left and the battery, steering column, steering box, instruments, alternator, regulator, wiring harness, horn relay etc are all on the left it should sit lower. I'm sure .25 is well within manufacturing tolerance. If you are worried about it get corner scales and coil overs and start moving things around. Now you have given me a reason to get out the scales.

So, what you are saying is one complete side is lower than the other? Not just a corner?

It's already been mentioned about spring position and all of the other obvious things but mostly that would happen on one spring and not 2 on the same side. And the only true measurement is from the center of the wheel wells on LEVEL ground.

If there really is a problem, and this is some work, Swap springs side to side. As you are doing so make very sure the spring ends are opposite one another or maybe even a little less than opposite. I had some springs made and they were something like an inch to long and I had to modify by cutting the inch off the end.

Maybe it's more early models, but I seem to recall there being a right spring and a left spring because of the engine offset. Usually a weak spring will have the effect of the opposite corner being a little high too. Dennis

The '64's had a right and left spring for the rear. The other early models used the same spring on both sides in the rear.

Thanks for all the responses...sorry about my slow response...it's been one thing after another.

To answer a couple of questions, yes, the whole car appears to sit low on one side (front to back), and I took my measurements from the top of the wheel wells. I can see that the driver's side rear wheel has a fair amount of negative camber, while the passenger side rear wheel appears to be totally neutral. Might this be a clue to the issue? Both front wheels "look" fine.

I read somewhere (maybe in the Corvair handbook) that alignments should be done by qualified personnel of which I am not. However, I believe that if I drove her down to the local alignment shop, they wouldn't have the first idea on how to align a '65 Corvair...

Yes camber will affect ride height, especially an amount like 1/4".
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

jimbrandberg wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 6:50 pm Yes camber will affect ride height, especially an amount like 1/4".
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

Agreed - even a soft tire can cause a 1/4" difference.

If the rear wheel camber is way off, it could be an adjustment, but it MIGHT be the rubber bushings in the lower camber rod (differential to wheel backing plate) are bad. A leaking differential allows lube to deteriorate the rubber, not to mention decades of use. Many like the hard bushings, but keep in mind that lower camber rod TWISTS the bushings as the rear wheel swings up and down through an arc. I always install a modified Chevy P.U. truck bushing in both ends. It is a LOT of works. At the minimum at least the outer end must be a rubber bushing and you can use a nylon bushing at the differential so lube won't bother it.

Let us know if the camber rod bushing are bad and we can supply more information. Clark's and others sell "rebuilt" camber rods (or camber arms, or lower control arm, or link - many names).

Thanks for the info.
I'll look again this weekend and see; I think they looked like new to me when I was under there poking around, but I've slept since then...
I can definitely see the negative camber on the drivers side rear; very noticeable from the side and rear. I can only imagine its stance when I get in it...kinda like that scene from "The Hunter" when Steve McQueen hauls that big 'ol boy back in his shoebox Ford.