One side lower

CMF_route

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Can somebody please help me on this.
I've got got Koni yellow and using sach springs. The shocks are second hand and according to the owner, its been used for only 5 months.
Ride is hard and handles well.

However, the left side of my car seems to be a little higher. The right side is a little less than 3 fingers but the left is a little bit more than 3 fingers for the front and back.

Why is this so ?
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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I dunno...

The springs could be on the wrong side (slightly stiffer springs may be on the driver's side of the car so when the driver sits in the car it sits flat) or it could be an intentional design feature so the lowered car doesnt get affected as much from road camber.

IMO, if it handles fine and doesnt feel overly twitchy when it's on the edge (so to speak) i wouldnt worry about it.

MY n14 pulsar sat down a fair bit on the right hand rear side when i installed my springs but it didnt seem to do anything to the way it rode or handled!
 

cisco

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Springs are never usually different between left and right.

Check that all of the springs are properly seated etc.
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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Correction: they were. I believe the king lows you can buy for them now are exactly the same.

Previous models (and the springs i bought) have different model numbers for each corner. Just like the factory springs
 

CMF_route

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The funny thing is that both the front and back on the left are higher than on the right.

I've not done my wheel alignment, could it be the cause of it ?
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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I honestly don't know about my kings aaron (both of you). I've helped install other king lows before and they've been the same height (ordered from current catalogue).

:(

All i know is that i ordered King springs which allow the car to sit 1.5" lower than stock and they came to me with different model numbers (to what is on king's website) but they ARE stamped as king springs. They came in a Fulcrum box, wrapped in platsic.

Mabye I don't have genuine kings? Doesnt really phase me if they are fake because they ride awesome and are basically exactly what I wanted.

As for my stock springs though - I'm not the only one who has had different height springs from the factory.
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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I should note that I have various theories based around my grade 12 physics knowledge (or lack of mabye) as to why a set of springs can be slightly different compression rates and length.

Main theories are to counter the weight of the driver (driver sit in car and it flattens the car out - ie: sits high on driver's side when unlaiden) and to have springs counter out weight distribution issues of FWD car with majority of drivetrain mass on one side. A few others but i am doubtful of the ideas behind them.
 

cisco

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They just simply don't factor that level of theory into springs. Its rubbish. Sometimes you will have a passenger, sometimes you won't. As simple as that is, you can summise that you don't need to adjust the springs based on load in the car because it constantly changes, and is different between different owners. What a load of pig's trott.

There was something wrong with the N14 you saw that had uneven sides mate.

My mate had an N14 SSS and he slammed some lowered pedders springs in it, both the factory ones and the aftermarket ones were all the same between each side.

I hope whoever put those springs in your old car didn't put the rear springs on the right of the car and the front springs on the left :)
 

CMF_Snoopy

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Take a measuring tape, measure from the centre of wheel to the the guards lip (straight up). Do this at all four corners, write down the measurements, this is the true measurement for checking spring sag & height difference this is how your suspension shop measures it, 5mm difference is not uncommon. This must be done on perfectly level ground. If there is more than 5mm or you are worried about it take it to a pro and ask them. (Most tradesmen don't charge for advice and are more than happy to help, its called good PR)
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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The point i was getting at is that there's most likely nothing wrong with the installation of the OP's springs...

For the record, while the springs look different out of the car, when installed it sits dead flat. On the kings it actually dropped down a bit on the right hand rear side. Stupid thing. FTR it was stock when i bought it. Never been touched. Infact i think its only ever seen oil changes.

Friggen thing always has a new trick up its sleeve to piss me off. The latest being coughing and spluttering at idle when it decides to kill another O2 sensor. ARGH!

*goes back to grumbling*
 

CMF_route

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I'll be looking at changing my springs to tein lowering ones.
Do you guys think it'll solve the problem I'm having now? Or is it the shocks ?

Thanks
 

CMF_kneival

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I did only skim thro the thread but I think route has forgotten to mention this...

When he had the springs on his car before with other shocks (stock i think) the car was level.

Now changing only the shocks to the KONI adj ones the car is now tilted to one side.

Odd eh? Now I would have thought the same as you that the shocks wouldnt make a diff... but its the only thing that has been changed unless they have been assembled incorrectly?
 

CMF_route

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i'm absolutely pissed!
i paid for a new set of Tein springs thinking it will help solve the problem of my car tilting to one side but it didnt!

I'm quite certain its my shocks thats causing it! Damn! all those money wasted! Feel like driving the god damn car straight to the scrapyard
 

CMF_Alex_B

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may i ask who installed the koni's? maybe they didn't cut enough off the strut on one side and did the other one correct? as if you cut a little too much off it dosn't affect it as the insert is pulled down to rest at the bottom os the strut tube by the bolt at the end, if one side hasn't had the bottom bolt done up enough as it got really tight from not cutting enough off the top? then it could be sitting higher,

just a thought,

Alex - sorry if its hard to understand, if you have done a koni install you'll know what i mean :p
 

CMF_route

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my mechanic did.
asked one of my friends from the march club and he told me that a panhard rod will get it all fixed. according to him, a few others from the club encounter this problem too when their rides were lowered.
 

CMF_route

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alright, the problem is fixed.
all the car needs is an adjustable panhard rod.
i fitted in a whiteline one and now it sits perfectly both at the front and the rear.

thanks for the replies!
 

CMF_1300supers

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Hi guys!!

Just read this post today cause i'vent had much time like i used to be always in ciscos forum... but now i'm back!!

And after reading alll posts i cant imagine how you guys and even you Cisco :) didn't thought in the panhard rod!!!!

Theres the most common failure in our micras!!!!!

 

CMF_Sean

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A panhard rod doesn't cause the car to raise/lower at all...

It only adjusts the camber of the rear wheels which is distorted due to lowering (solid beam rear axle), hence why no one thought of it.

Sean
 

CMF_NotAnotherSSS

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Umm sean, doesnt the rear panhard rod just adjust where the wheels sit in relation to the rest of the body?

ie: like this?

standard: (note the extreme ride height :p)
_____

|---|

Lowered with standard panhard rod:
_____
|---|

Lowered with adjustable panhard rod:
_____
|---|

I didnt think the k11 had camber adjustment on the solid rear beam? I thought if you wanted to change rear wheel camber you had to heat up the axle and bend it down in the middle? Could be wrong..
 
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