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Thread: Rear ride height issue e36 autocross car

  1. #1
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    Rear ride height issue e36 autocross car

    My car is a 1994 M3 euro.

    Suspension is tckline sa kit.

    Recently after bringing my car home on the trailer from my last event I noticed it was sitting low on the passenger side (i was following the trailer in another car). I thought it was just how it was strapped down. I rolled it into the garage and noticed it was still sitting low on the one side.

    The spring adjuster on the drivers side is bottomed out as low as it can. When I originally set the height I remember the passenger side being a few turns higher.


    *Edit - I tried swapping springs side to side but there was no change.

    I tried to even it out and the adjuster is now almost at the top on the passenger side. Nothing looks bent and it seems like an extreme difference in the two sides.

    The front is level side to side and everything looks visually OK.

    After resetting the heights in the rear, I was rolling it back and forth to relax the suspension. I haven't taken it for a test drive, I will try that tomorrow.

    I am not sure how the rear can suddenly be 1" lower on the right side and require that much adjustment. Is there something I am overlooking. Any ideas on what I should check? Anyone have a similar problem?
    Last edited by guymandude; 09-12-2017 at 11:06 PM.

  2. #2
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    Is it one corner or the entire side? If one corner my guess would be leaky shock that has lost pressure.
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  3. #3
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    Its just the one corner. I will try switching sides on the shocks and see what happens

  4. #4
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    Shock does nothing to support car, that is controlled by springs.
    Back into a BMW, this time a track rat....and it won't be BMW powered and no, not a V8 either!
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by exvitermini2 View Post
    Shock does nothing to support car, that is controlled by springs.
    Rear TCK SA's aren't gas pressurized? Even if not, I'd certainly remove the lower shock bolt on the low side and see if the shock has full travel and doesn't bind.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by guymandude View Post

    *Edit - I tried swapping springs side to side but there was no change.
    Then, we know it isn't springs. That leaves either the rear spring adjuster, the rear upper control arm, or the unibody itself.

    You've messed with the rear spring adjuster and that didn't fix it- I seriously doubt the unibody is that messed up so,

    You need to look at your rear upper control arm on that side. They have been known to fail - maybe yours is bent somehow.

    Maybe also one of the bushings or bearings have come loose.

    It's not crazy hard to pull that thing out of there - that's where I'd look next. You may have to pull them out of both sides to have something to compare to.
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  7. #7
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    How are you measuring the ride height? You need to measure from the ground to the car floor at the jack stand. Measure both sides.
    It is not the shocks. Shocks do not hold the weight of the car, springs do.
    However, a shock mount can fail. Did you check the upper shock mount and the chassis around the upper shock mount? Did it fail?

  8. #8
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    Probably not it, but I note when I jack up one side of my E36 and put it back down, sometimes it doesn't settle at the same height as the other side, it's an inch or two off.

    Doesn't happen much if I jack the car from the crossbar under the diff, which picks up and drops both wheels at once.
    If God meant for man to motor-swap LS engines into track cars, He wouldn't have created Corvettes.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBasham View Post
    Probably not it, but I note when I jack up one side of my E36 and put it back down, sometimes it doesn't settle at the same height as the other side, it's an inch or two off.
    Release and re-engage the e-brake and the high side should drop back to regular height.

    OP, I'm very interested in the outcome of your research/troubleshooting, as I've got the exact same issue.

  10. #10
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    I am currently dealing with issues on my daily driver and this car is done for the season so i haven't updated this post.

    I will be pulling the rear appart until i find a problem. I will also be changing to another upper control arm and swapping the control arm bushings and balljoint while im there.

    I will be posting my findings.

  11. #11
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    I have removed the rear suspension from the car now.
    I have compared the right upper control arm to another used spare I have and there is no visible difference.
    The ball joint had a small about of play but both sider were about the same.
    I guess since its out I will replace all related ball joints and bushings, since they are all accessable.
    I still have yet to remove the subframe but it visably looks ok and there are no signs of fatigue or cracks in the floor.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by guymandude View Post
    I have removed the rear suspension from the car now.
    I have compared the right upper control arm to another used spare I have and there is no visible difference.
    The ball joint had a small about of play but both sider were about the same.
    I guess since its out I will replace all related ball joints and bushings, since they are all accessable.
    I still have yet to remove the subframe but it visably looks ok and there are no signs of fatigue or cracks in the floor.
    Is your swaybar links preloaded?

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