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Thread: Can jacking up an E36 and putting it back down compress one rear corner weirdly?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Metro DC
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    79 323i, 94 325is, 13 M3

    Can jacking up an E36 and putting it back down compress one rear corner weirdly?

    Okay, I had an E36 325si up with all four corners - the wheels -- set on 24" wooden wheel platforms, level, for a good nine months. (Doing a custom drivetrain and exhaust).

    Then I took it off the blocks; did the rear by putting a floor jack under the center of the rear sub-frame cross-member to lift both sides simultaneously, pulled out the platforms, and let it down slowly. Did the front the same way.

    A few days later, I notice the driver's side rear corner is sitting way lower than the others, a good two inches! I bounce all the corners, and nothing changes. I bounce hard on the passenger's side rear corner, and I hear a bit of noise over on the other side. Ugg.

    Yesterday I get around to jacking up the driver's side corner, pulling the wheel, and taking a look. It all looks fine. I put a second floor jack under the suspension and run it all the way up and down. All looks fine.

    I put the wheel back on, lower that corner back onto the concrete -- and the car is now perfectly level. No problem.

    Question: In taking the rear down off the blocks from the center, did I inadvertently camber-tuck the wheel on that side or something?

    Is there something else that can cause a dramatic but intermittent suspension sag like this? On a visual, all the suspension parts look 100% normal.

    Thanks,

    Jamey

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    The spring probably fell out or got out of alignment with its mounting spot. Nothing else back there can really shift/change.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Avus Cosmos Calypso!
    seating of spring or just the regular compression of the shock. takes a bit of rolling/compression for the shock to settle to ride height.

  4. #4
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    Forgot to circle back. I jacked it up again from the rear center point (subframe loop under the diff). When I put it back down, both sides were square and tidy.

  5. #5
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    I would also guess the spring fell out it's perch.


  6. #6
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    79 323i, 94 325is, 13 M3
    Sounds entirely possible.

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