Vehicle height sagging.

[Z2TT]

Hi,

I've got a VS Wagon, and from the tyres to the arch at the front on the left there is about 7cm and on the right 5cm.

At the rear, 3cm from the wheel to arch, and on other side 7cm.

What should the factory height be?

Would this be caused by old springs or is there other causes?

[The1]

mines 6-7cm all round on stock springs on level ground, mines still the originals i guess they can sag, shockies could make a difference

[Z2TT]

Ah so shocks can make the suspension sag too???

Front shocks are new put them in myself, rear ones think have been replaced at some point they say AC Delco on them.

[The1]

well depending on condition they may help it to sit at full height in some places, i would have thought. Obviously springs are 98% of it.

[PanthaVS]

well depending on condition they may help it to sit at full height in some places, i would have thought. Obviously springs are 98% of it.

agreed. shock struts are a form of damper, used to reduce the size of the oscillations of the springs. I'm not going to go into a full science lesson here... but from my knowledge:


Springs:
- Set the ride height
- Control the stiffness (Also known as "K", how easy it is to compress the spring)

Shocks:
- Are "mated" to the springs based on the natural height and maximum compression of the springs used.
- Have different damping rates based on comfort req's.

I've heard of stories where people put small springs (or chopped!) in their car and dont change the shocks to match the new travel dimensions, resulting in shorter springs and long shocks. this can cause the springs to fall out, as well as stuffing the shocks up as they are over compressed from the shorter "maximum compression" of the new springs.

[Z2TT]

Thanks guys,

Well time to get a set of replacement stock springs, is there different types like VS Sedan has different springs than VS Wagon.... and VS Wagon Country pack different?
Is this purely for heights e.g country pack is more of a high ride or just more heavy duty springs?

Would a bad spring be visible upon inspection or not necessarily? as in "dead" coil sections basically with no spacing between them

Any good place of buying other than Chain stores like Repco/Supercheap that will get me a better price?

Cheers Guys.

[Chrispy]

hey mate i've got the same thing but I've replaced my rear shocks and springs cause I lowered it. I called a suspension place and they said that it could be the front that's making the height uneven.

I can just fit my hand between the tyre and the arch on the left side but can't on the other side. about 5cm different in height.

[Asmodai78]

i have the same problem only my chasis is twisted, to combat it i put airbags in the rear, to level it out the left side needs 34psi and the right side needs 64psi and thats dead even, found out that its the front left side thats twisted up.

[Andrew426]

agreed. shock struts are a form of damper, used to reduce the size of the oscillations of the springs. I'm not going to go into a full science lesson here... but from my knowledge:


Springs:
- Set the ride height
- Control the stiffness (Also known as "K", how easy it is to compress the spring)

Shocks:
- Are "mated" to the springs based on the natural height and maximum compression of the springs used.
- Have different damping rates based on comfort req's.

I've heard of stories where people put small springs (or chopped!) in their car and dont change the shocks to match the new travel dimensions, resulting in shorter springs and long shocks. this can cause the springs to fall out, as well as stuffing the shocks up as they are over compressed from the shorter "maximum compression" of the new springs.

Shocks can still affect the ride height noticably. Its not uncommon to see sagged or otherwise soft springs sit a bit higher with new shocks on the car. Especially gas shocks.

[Z2TT]

Andrew is that because the sagged springs are weakened, and the new shock is able to push them up more thus creating a higher than normal ride?

[Z2TT]

Hi,

Today I got a new set of springs for my rear, lovells brand the type where on one end the coils are close together and on the other the coils are far apart.
I started by replacing the rear left the one that was sagging heaps, i replaced the spring and lowered it, height is exactly the same.

Also I noticed the coils that are close together on the lovells spring, when the car is lowered off the jacks, the coils that are close together on one side
are literallly stacked on each other, touching each over making them look useless.

Any ideas?