rear suspension not level

[mnviper]

I have a 99 RT that I've had for about a year. I noticed the other day that car sits unlevel in the rear. I measured clearance from the fender edges to the tires and found the right rear sits 5/8th inch higher than the left. Front clearances are almost identical. Not sure how or when this happened, but it doesn't change with driving. How do I go about adjusting rear ride height?

 

[rt/10stew]

I am having a similar issue with my 01 rt/10. mine is sitting an inch lower on the left rear and the fronts are the same. I have it booked in at my mechanic on thursday, I am assuming it is a coil spring issue. Maybe a good opportunity for a set of Eibachs. will post a reply once I find out what is wrong.
Stew

 

[dave6666]

Swap the shock/spring assemblies around on the rear and see if the problem goes with the parts or stays the way it was. While you have it apart re-torque all your suspension and differential mounts and give everything a good visual inspection. Look for chassis damage around control arm mounts if the car has ever been wrecked. Check the rubber bushings on everything.

What was the year of the chassis recall...?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

If the rear end was ever worked on the suspension arms may have been tightened while in droop on one side or vice versa if that side was tightened on an alignment rack. The change in position while tightening could also be the problem because of more or less bind on the high side. I would start y loosening every thing while on the alignment rack, bounce the car and re tighten everything at the ride height.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

If you go to a Viper meet where you can see a lot of GenII cars in line next to each other I think you will see this is a chronic problems. Pretty much every stock suspension GTS I see sits lower on the driver's rear corner. I think this contributes to the infamous passenger front wheel locking up first on pre-ABS cars. My solution was to go to coil overs and set the driver's rear unit about 3/4" higher than the rest. Car is level, looks better, and both fronts lock up evenly. Because my car had Eibachs on it and I was worried one of the springs was shorter I had previously swapped rear stock units but that had zero effect. It is clearly the mounts not the shocks (measuring the frame rails to the ground came up with the same side-to-side difference as measuring the wheelwells). And regarding Mr. Jorgensen's concern about tightening the suspension pieces while weighted, I had experiemented in every possible combination with that and it had no effect but I did tighten the current set-up weighted.

 

[mnviper]

Thanks for the replies. MJorgensen's caught my attention since the previous owner did have gears installed in the car, which I'm assuming could result in changes to the rear suspension adjustment. However PhoenixGTS's comment raises the possibility that this is more a feature of the stock viper suspension. So I'm quite interested in what Stew (dinobuster) hears back from the shop.

 

[dave6666]

Thanks for the replies. MJorgensen's caught my attention since the previous owner did have gears installed in the car, which I'm assuming could result in changes to the rear suspension adjustment. However PhoenixGTS's comment raises the possibility that this is more a feature of the stock viper suspension. So I'm quite interested in what Stew (dinobuster) hears back from the shop.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but pulling the diff to change gears does not require removal (and subsequent re-alignment) of the suspension.

On the note about the cars being fabricated differently because they are handmade etc., I would just find that hard to believe that the suspension mounting points would vary by enough to make the car sit unlevel. To where that is commonplace. I mean, that is like flunking chassis building 101.

 

[2001 GTS]

Jack B did a writeup about the difference in heights being because of the rear differential

 

[RTTTTed]

If you go to a Viper meet where you can see a lot of GenII cars in line next to each other I think you will see this is a chronic problems. Pretty much every stock suspension GTS I see sits lower on the driver's rear corner. I think this contributes to the infamous passenger front wheel locking up first on pre-ABS cars. My solution was to go to coil overs and set the driver's rear unit about 3/4" higher than the rest. Car is level, looks better, and both fronts lock up evenly. Because my car had Eibachs on it and I was worried one of the springs was shorter I had previously swapped rear stock units but that had zero effect. It is clearly the mounts not the shocks (measuring the frame rails to the ground came up with the same side-to-side difference as measuring the wheelwells). And regarding Mr. Jorgensen's concern about tightening the suspension pieces while weighted, I had experiemented in every possible combination with that and it had no effect but I did tighten the current set-up weighted.

"Chronic problem"? Not likely ... I've never seen a crooked Viper.

I did see a thread that showed one guys broken welds on the rear susp. I guess one run over a curb could do that, and that's the first thing I'd check.

Ted

 

[PhoenixGTS]

"Chronic problem"? Not likely ... I've never seen a crooked Viper.

I bet you have but just never thought to pay attention. I noticed my car did this then when I went on a run with the local Viper Club Chapter I made a point to look at every GTS and to some degree every single one was a little lower on the driver's side in the rear. Another thing I checked out was if the lower a-arm adjustment cams were in differernt positions side-to-side. My thought was that if the passenger side was all the way in and the driver's side was all the way out that would effectively increase the distance between the shock mounts and lower the driver's side. No luck there as both cams where in similar positions.

 

[Viper GTS]

Nice advice , thanks for expert opinion.

I think i have tried every thing but still can't get the car right and equal on both sides !

I am facing the same problem with the height gap on the rear of the car going crazy to fix it !

NEED HELP TO !

I changed the following :-
# A new set of new Shocks.
# A new set of Eibachs Springs.
# The Complet pushing set of the car because it was a 1997 just for the safe side it was old.
# And did a chaise aliment to check that the frame of the car is straight and not bended or some thing , turned out it passed !
# And even got the service Manual Book !

Every thing under the suspension is new and looks excellent but not equal on both sides

The car on the left side is lower then the right side looks like it had an accident and did not get repaired properly ,But it didn't !

 

[RTTTTed]

I bet you have but just never thought to pay attention. I noticed my car did this then when I went on a run with the local Viper Club Chapter I made a point to look at every GTS and to some degree every single one was a little lower on the driver's side in the rear. Another thing I checked out was if the lower a-arm adjustment cams were in differernt positions side-to-side. My thought was that if the passenger side was all the way in and the driver's side was all the way out that would effectively increase the distance between the shock mounts and lower the driver's side. No luck there as both cams where in similar positions.

Actually this is my second Viper. Both equipped with Eibachs and quarter balanced, neither are crooked. On most cars it would be difficult to notice a 3/4" difference from side to side, but since a Viper is so close to the ground it would be obvious if there was that much difference. My car has about 2" of ground clearance and 3/4" (almost 46%) would be obvious.

I also didn't see any difference in this group of Vipers

You must be registered for see images

 

[RTTTTed]

I bet you have but just never thought to pay attention. I noticed my car did this then when I went on a run with the local Viper Club Chapter I made a point to look at every GTS and to some degree every single one was a little lower on the driver's side in the rear. Another thing I checked out was if the lower a-arm adjustment cams were in differernt positions side-to-side. My thought was that if the passenger side was all the way in and the driver's side was all the way out that would effectively increase the distance between the shock mounts and lower the driver's side. No luck there as both cams where in similar positions.

Actually this is my second Viper. Both equipped with Eibachs and quarter balanced, neither are crooked. On most cars it would be difficult to notice a 3/4" difference from side to side, but since a Viper is so close to the ground it would be obvious if there was that much difference. My car has about 2" of ground clearance and 3/4" (almost 46%) would be obvious.

I also didn't see any difference in this group of Vipers

You must be registered for see images

Ted

 

[RTTTTed]

Here's something for you to check on. There was a recall done on the diff mounts that could be your problem. http://www.wincom.net/mnllehti/998_999_Recalls.pdf

Seems the most likely cause if your car was driven hard or raced.

Ted

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Here's something for you to check on. There was a recall done on the diff mounts that could be your problem.

Thanks for that link that was great. My car had the 998 rear recall done by Eddie Martin here in Phoneix so no problems there - plus I did not see anything in there that would effect height at all in any event.

Question: how do you "corner weight" a car without adjustable height spring perches?

 

[RTTTTed]

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-g...lp-those-who-have-adjusted-stock-konis-3.html

this is a link to a detailed shock adjustments with a bit about threaded sleeves for adjusting height and perhaps weights.

Here's a tech link for the shocks, http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/tech.pdf

My car was done by the previous owner.

Ted

 

[crossram440]

Well, add another one to the list. My 97 GTs is also higher on the passenger side. Never wrecked no rear diff work , only the recall update performed. I installed Eibach springs last summer and after an alignment and drive pulled back in to measure the car, Much to my suprise the car did not achieve a 1" drop. The front only saw 3/4" the rear of the car only dropped 5/8" and the passenger side was still 3/4" higher than the driver side in the rear. All suspension components were tightened with the suspension compressed at ride height. I plan to machine the spring caps and or fabricate new ones to install custom height caps to get the car level all the way around. Not that it makes it any better, it is nice to know that I don't have some freaky 5 oclock Friday built car and has a unique problem.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I plan to machine the spring caps and or fabricate new ones to install custom height caps to get the car level all the way around.

Without going to adjustable height shocks I think this is the only solution. The ride height correction caps from Dodge do not have enough variability to correct the issue (although you might be able to stack them then weld them to effectively turn it into one cap - could be easier than starting from scratch and machining).

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Nuked GTS's post of his new dubs is interesting related to this thread. Check out the wheel gap on his passenger side rear:

Then compare the wheels gap on his driver's side rear:

That's what I'm talking about. Great looking car Nuked!

 

[Viper GTS]

nice car phoenixGTS very nice

i have the same problem !

do you think it will effect the handling and performance ?

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I have the same problem !

do you think it will effect the handling and performance ?

That is not my car - that is Nuked's car. I stole his pictures to show the lean this thread is about. One thing is does is help the passenger front wheel lock up prematurely under hard braking in pre-ABS cars.

 

[RTTTTed]

Mt car is perfect! About 2" between tread and fender lip. I do have Eibachs. My 98 GTS was also perfect and had Eibachs as well.

You must be registered for see images

Ted

 

[RTTTTed]

And the other side, in the sun at dusk.

You must be registered for see images

 

[RTTTTed]

My warranty was cancelled when I brought my car accross the border to Canada, but if my car was crooked stock, I'd be at the dealer getting it fixed!

Ted

 

[rt/10stew]

Hi guys, my mechanic did not get a chance to get into the suspension issue with my car. I will get it back to him within the next couple of weeks. once I have an answer I will post it.
Stew

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Mt car is perfect!

RTTTTed if your car was any more perfect we'd have to change its name to Mary!

But honestly, in the pics you posted the tire-to-fender gap clearly looks smaller on the driver's side than on the passenger side. Go measure the difference for us please.

 

[RTTTTed]

Hmm, I posted those pics 'cause the gaps look the same to me. I did measure the gaps today before posting the 2" mentioned above.

Ted

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I did measure the gaps today before posting the 2" mentioned above.

No measure from the ground to the top of the fenderwell arch not the gap itself. Assuming both tires are the same height that will be a more accurate measurement.

 

[RTTTTed]

I don't see the purpose of your above posts. I measured the gap. If my car was off by 3/4" that would be a difference of over 40%. Obviously it's not. You want me to measure my fender gap, then measure my tires and subtract the difference for both sides for a more accurate gap measurement?

Ted

 

[PhoenixGTS]

You want me to measure my fender gap, then measure my tires and subtract the difference for both sides for a more accurate gap measurement?

No sir. Just measure from the ground to the top of the fenderwell arch. No math involved.