Passenger side leaning

[Wirenut]

I was adjusting my headlights and while measuring the headlights for center line I notice the passenger side is lower than the driver side. I checked the rear fin height and same thing. It looks as though the complete right side is 3/4" lower than driver side. The tires have equal psi, new shocks all 4 sides, rear leafs were checked for equal arch when disassembled to media blast and paint. I have not got under it to see if anything noticable but will this weekend. Has anyone encountered this with their car? Maybe a weak leaf spring? Any suggestions on other possibilities.

[RICH MUISE]

Maybe it's just that the previous owner had fat girlfriends.
It would seem if a frame was going to fatigue, it would be on the driver's side, but, we are talking 60 year old assemlies here, so hard to say. Other posibilities could be previous rust issues/repairs that were done with the car in a sagging state. I don't recall what your suspension mods/rebuild is.

I think Gerald had that issue last year on his convertible. Not sure what he did, if anything, to correct the situation. Someday, I may take a measuring tape all the way around mine, or maybe not, lol.

[Wirenut]

I did a body off, the frame is off of a donor but was straight and sguare. I'll figure it out. I was hoping to tap into some of the members expertice. Thanks Rich. I was going to jest that I had kicked the fat lady out but figured someone else would do that for me.

[Ray Summitt]

When I got my fairlane it set 3/4" low on drivers side. I took it to a spring shop and had 4 new springs 4 new shocks installed. Put it on the alignment rack and it still set low 3/4" on drivers side. We got to looking and measuring things and found one of the lower ball joints was different size.   Replaced with two the same and fixed my problem. 

[lalessi1]

In my distant unreliable memory I remember learning that cars were designed to be level with the weight of a driver (for alignment). That would make the passenger side lower on purpose. I wouldn't bet on it but I have always thought that to be true..

[Wirenut]

Hmm, I'll sit in it and check it to see if it levels out. I do recall some alignment shops years ago putting a weight in the drivers seat while checking alignment. That would save me some troubleshooting. I can justify my waistline tire. Thanks for the feed back,  I'll still double check my leafs and front coils. It's just difficult knowing if it's the front or the rear since either one affects the entire side.

[Ford Blue blood]

Did you replace the bushings in the front suspension?  If so did you torque down the nuts prior to finishing assembly of the entire vehicle?

Many have had issues with "level" after suspension work.  I recommend leaving the nuts loose until the entire weight is on the suspension.  I even drive my cars around the block a couple of times to "settle" everything then torque them down.

[RICH MUISE]

I had forgotten that, Bill. I'm glad you were around to tell me that when I was doing mine!

[terry_208]

I hadn't heard of this problem but had thought that it would stress the rubber in the bushing to torque them before fully loading assembly.  After having the bushings pressed in, I also noticed that they appeared slightly loose in their bores and thought about "pinning" them but decided that they were good for 60 years from the factory without it so why bother. 

[gasman826]

bushings shouldn't be loose...press fit.

Settling the car...watched a video of the Corvette plant assembly line.  At the end, they drive the car over a series of rubble strips (more like speed bumps) to settle the suspension before going to the alignment station.

[RICH MUISE]

Gary.I'm not sure what Terry was talking about on that post. He did say he had the bushings pressed in, so I'm assuming the "slightly loose" was refering to how the bushings fit on the shafts, and maybe the "pinning" was meant to be "peening"?? Just thinking outlowd here.

Terry?

[Wirenut]

I did not leave any bolts or bushings loose, I tightened as I installed. I did install all new bushings and body bolts etc. I appreciate the info. I'll start there.

[terry_208]

I had the bushings pressed into the A-arms.  The guy pressed the upper bushings in until they seated against the A-arm.  The originals had between 1/8" and 3/16" between the lip on the bushing and the A-arm.  To regain the spacing, I had to press them out of the bores slightly. This wasn't as difficult as I had expected.  "Pinning" or staking as I meant it, into the bore to reduce the internal diameter of the bore of the A-arm, better securing the bushing into place. 

[Charter]

By reading your first post I am assuming you reused the old leaf springs. My bet, that's your lean. I did a complete frame off restoration off a bronco and reused the rear springs. After a weak or so I noticed it was leaning. As it turns out on the floor they were the same, But they weren't equally as strong. by adding all new hangers, shackles, bolts and seats the old springs once seated in caused the lean. Put new ones in and leveled right up. 

[Wirenut]

I did reuse the original springs I placed them side by side to check the arch thinking that was adequate. I think I'll swap them and see if that changes things. I have an extra set but not sure how they can be checked. I assume they would need to be checked at a spring place. I appreciate your feedback.