L & R side ride height difference

[1KWIKSIX]

Can anyone help me understand why my drivers side (both front & rear) is approximately 1" lower than the passenger side.
I recently installed (4) new bilsteins and both front & rear springs. Purchased the springs from Kirban. Fronts are #6566 and are 20% stiffer than stock and are supposed to return the car to stock ride height. The rears are #1520 variable rate springs (look like cargo springs) and are designed to handle 400lbs more than stock springs. (They advise that these may actually raise the ride height 1/2" since old spring were weak). I've checked and springs seem to be seated and installed properly. I did not notice this variance before I changed shocks/springs.
Any ideas what it could be, or what I should check?

Dave

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Body bushings and/or check that the springs are "clocked" correctly in the spring pocket on the control arms.

 

[jhanson1750]

If they look to be "clocked" correctly and still show a diffrence you might try swapping right to left just to see if it's the springs. I doubt it is but you never know. HTH Jon Hanson

 

[1KWIKSIX]

Air Bags?

Thanks to all who have replied......after thinking about it, I've decided to install air bags in the rear springs.......may have to put in a few more pounds in the drivers side to even things up, but it seems like an easy (and useful) fix.
Thx.
Dave

 

[jdpolzin]

Dave, no offense man but that is only a cover up. you really need to find out what the real problem is. Was the car leaning prior to putting in the new springs as well? I just think you need to find the true source here. By putting an air bag in the spring to try to even things up, you may take a chance on the car being "LOOSE." What I mean by this is our cars are strategically assemble so that everything is even.

 

[Bens87tr]

Similar problem here. Had new body bushings, front end kit, stock low mileage take-off springs installed. Stance was WAYYYY off. Had front coils heated to drop the high side, still not quite right. Tony Gomes suggested new springs all around, but I have a nagging suspicion that it will still be off. My car was also hit right front before I bought it so things are not perfect there either. I'm interested if anybody has used spacers to even things out at all. I know it will be "rigged" like that, but I'd like to have the car's stance looking good.

 

[SCOOBY DOO]

One of the members on the other board had the same problem. He tried EVERYTHING. The last thing he tried was loosening the bolts for the rear sway bar. PRESTO. That was the problem.

 

[turbofish38]

It's hard to address this particular problem. First off did you measure it before you put the new springs on? That would help to narrow down what might be the cause.

There have been reports that some of the new springs are of inferior quality. You'd have to do a search(I'm to lazy to post the links) but there are a few threads addressing that particular problem. I've even seen it posted on other boards. Apparently the springs are imported and may have not been tempered properly. Nobody that I know of has ever gotten to the root of that problem. I dont know how you could really tell unless you pulled the springs and measured them.

I know of one person who solved the problem by disconnecting the rear sway bar and adjusting it per the procedure in the FSM. Apparently it was binding up the rear suspension.

 

[Pronto]

I just looked at my manual on CD and there's no real procedure listed. Just the torque specs. Any links to the procedure?

 

[turbofish38]

IIRC all four wheels need to be on the ground before the bolts are tightened. GM used to sell shims that wedged between the bar and the lower control arm so I'm assumming that has something to do with it. If there is gap between the bar and arm dont just torque it down tight. Shim it up. I'm assuming thats why there is a torque prevailing nut on those bolts.