Sitting at an angle

[Johnny]

Got a problem here and I sure hope it's an easy fix. I didn't notice so much until I put the body on the frame. The car is higher on one side than the other. I thought it would be the coil over shocks, so I took my spanner wrench and turn one for several threads, no change. Adjusted both of them, no change. Could it be due to no engine and tranny in the frame?

Thanks guys

 

[Francis Blake]

I had the same problem, one of my radius rods was adjusted higher than the others. You can adjust them with your clevises, take one radius rod loose at the frame mount and if it's lower or higher than your frame adjust it till it bolts in without binding. I hope this makes sense. Maybe one of the others on here can clarify the issue.

 

[Allen]

John -see if your frame is in A TWIST OR BEND?!!

 

[putz]

I had the same problem, one of my radius rods was adjusted higher than the others. You can adjust them with your clevises, take one radius rod loose at the frame mount and if it's lower or higher than your frame adjust it till it bolts in without binding. I hope this makes sense. Maybe one of the others on here can clarify the issue.

Agree with Francis blake radius rod bushing probably binding.

 

[Youngster]

Also check your front spring. Look at the top leaf to see that the retaining plate pulled up evenly during tightening.

Ron

 

[Johnny]

Also check your front spring. Look at the top leaf to see that the retaining plate pulled up evenly during tightening.

Ron

I think you hit it, Youngster. I jacked up the front and let it down on jackstands and now it's level. Got to do some adjusting on front end.

 

[Johnny]

Well, I thought I had my front end level, but when I put it back on the ground it was no good. Showing how dumb I am here. Would the radius rods cause one side to be higher than the other?

Try some stuff again tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[Youngster]

Sounds like you need to get out the chalk and tape. Park your car on a flat surface. Drop a plumb bob on each wheel and mark the axle centers on the ground. now roll the car back and measure each side front to rear and across. If the cross lengths don't fall within 1/8" of each other then you have some adjusting to do.

You didn't say what type of radius rods you're using but that's where I would start. Pull the front ones (mark which side they came from and which side is up)now lay one on top of the other. If you have clevis' and heims you should be able to drop a bolt threw when they're the same length. Before you bolt them back on the chassis, check to see that the frame mounts are the same distance from the front cross member. Now do the same with the rear rods. Aftyer everything is adjusted and measured, Check with the plumb bob again.

I just re-read your original post. Is it your body or your chassis that look uneven?

Ron

 

[RPM]

Well, I thought I had my front end level, but when I put it back on the ground it was no good. Showing how dumb I am here. Would the radius rods cause one side to be higher than the other?

Try some stuff again tomorrow.

Thanks

Yes a radius rod out of adjustment can preload a chassis and cause it to set lop sided. Take one of the bolts that hold the heim to the frame out. Be careful doing this as the preload will create a lot of force. The bolt should go in and out easily, if not you need to adjust the clevis till it does, removing all the preload.

Give me a call if you like and I'll walk you thru it.

 

[Johnny]

Thanks, guys for the info. Ron, I will give you a call if I can't get it adjusted.

Youngster, when I put the front on jack stands everything is level. I can see the front end is out of wack. Left side is lower than right. Going out to work on it, after I finish my coffee.

I'll let you guys know how I do.

 

[rooster57]

If you have a front panhard bar that can pull you over and let the shackel set crooked. are both your shackels at the same angle???

 

[Johnny]

SUCCESS!!! Thank you Ron Pope, for walking me through this front end deal. Sitting nice and level. Now, I can continue with other stuff. Yeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaa!!! :kiltdance: :kiltdance:

 

[EX JUNK]

It's things like this that should make every guy glad to be on this forum. When a guy has a problem there are quite a few guys ready, willing and able to help him solve it without any lip or wise cracks. Thank you to all the guys that helped and will continue to help other guys in the future.

Jim

 

[Ted Brown]

A few people sometimes notice that my T sits a bit low on one side, I loaded the chassis a few years back when doing a lot of street racing, daaaaaaaaaaa dumb. I know that now, just lucky that I did not get a ticket, never lied to the officers and that made a huge difference, all the difference in the World... But the chassis is still set up that way even though I should change it now that I have a small block engine in her now... I will get energetic and level her out, no more racing for me...

 

[RPM]

SUCCESS!!! Thank you Ron Pope, for walking me through this front end deal. Sitting nice and level. Now, I can continue with other stuff. Yeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaa!!! :kiltdance: :kiltdance:

You are quite welcome. Any time. You or anyone else needs a hand we are just a phone call away.

 

[Allen]

A few people sometimes notice that my T sits a bit low on one side, I loaded the chassis a few years back when doing a lot of street racing, daaaaaaaaaaa dumb. I know that now, just lucky that I did not get a ticket, never lied to the officers and that made a huge difference, all the difference in the World... But the chassis is still set up that way even though I should change it now that I have a small block engine in her now... I will get energetic and level her out, no more racing for me...

You maybe getting old, but racing is in your blood and will always be there. Remember, you've only got one chance and then you're looking in your rear view mirror. That's never going to change. That's what people love about you, and it's just like me. Nice try, though. hehehe! --Back to the thread. Johnny may have a tweaked frame. Frame gauges would answer that question. Although, I've seen radius rods put a twist in the frame. Just me here.

 

[Ted Brown]

Here is something to check, I thought one of my frames was way out of whack once, turned out to be the body was about 3/4 of an inch higher on one side, ended up cutting a wedge out of the back of the body between the top of the bed and top body lip, what a waste of time, if we would have put the top on, that would have hid the whole thing.. daaaaaaaaaaa another was higher in the cowl section, had to cut that also... to make the windshield sit level...

 

[Allen]

Now this thread is starting to get interesting. I have two rear body mounts on my Roadster. The front section right under the cowl has a piece of metal laminated into the bottom floor that rocks as the car torques leaving the windshield and cowl stationery.

 

[Youngster]

It's not uncommon to find older bodies with one side taller than the other. I have found as much as 5/8" difference.

Ron