Rodney

the swaybars have fixed endlinks, this will not do anything.

s2kdriver80

Thanks Rodney... so then I guess #4 and #7 aren't necessary, since CR anti-roll bars aren't adjustable?

So do you guys think that the most probable cause for this ride height issue is coilover preload related (and coilovers alone)? I did go up a short (but rounded) curb on the highway with the car going sideways after losing control a month before the suspension install. No frame damage though. The body shop did replace the spindle and knuckle on the driver rear, but I doubt that would cause the height imbalance. After the spindle/knuckle replacement, the body shop said they were able to align the car to factory specs.

Before the accident, the car sat very even all around (I just looked at my past photos). And after the accident (but before the body shop repair), I didn't notice a ride height imbalance either. After the repair but before the suspension install, I don't recall seeing a height imbalance there too (and like I said, I don't think a spindle/knuckle replacement would affect ride height).

I'm hoping this is just a coilover preload issue. I can't think of another reason. When you see new CRs or any S2000 shipped from the factory, you never see height imbalances. But then again, precision robots install the coilovers on our cars, right?

Wiggum

Fixed endlinks have nothing to do with the problem. You can still preload them unevenly with fixed enlinks.

Test it out. Put the car on jack stands, disconnect the sway bar completely, put the car back down, drive it safely around the block, and see how it stands. I can 100% say this a preload issue, my guess is usually sway bars.

Rodney

so, putting them back on will not solve anything. i agree, pull one endlink, and take a quick spin. if it is fine, this would necessitate at least one adjustable endlink. still an oddity, because he is using stock based parts.

s2kdriver80

Ok, help me to understand something as I'm confused. And correct me if I'm wrong as I'm not trying to misinterpret anyone.

Wiggum -
Do you mean that even though it sits uneven now... if I were to unbolt the coilovers and the bars, attempt another preload of the coils using jackstands to push up on control arms, tighten up the coils and then the bars, then put the car back down... that there is a chance the car will sit even this time?

Rodney -
Do you mean that the fact that it sits uneven now, it won't have a chance of sitting even (without an adjustable endlink), even after going through the song and dance of what I described up above in Wiggum's blurb of another preload attempt?


What I'm getting at is, would going through steps #1-10 (that I wrote a few posts up) have a chance of correcting the problem? Or if I'm interpreting Rodney right, does this mean the frame could be hosed?

Thanks. I never knew installing suspension components could be such a headache lol.

Ks320

You aren't the only one with this problem.

My car has the exact same problem. I've taken the car for some serious inspection to see whether the frame was damaged, and whether there were issues with the coilovers ... and both turned out to be fine.

So ya ... you aren't the only one

tan0116

It is pretty common for cars to be uneven from passenger to driver side at static conditions. I have not looked at a CR closely but I would guess that it is set up to be uneven empty. Measuring with fingers is accurate and the difference of half a finger could be the level of the ground.

s2kdriver80

When you say the same exact problem... do you mean the driver side was a bit higher than the passenger side? And did you ever get this problem "corrected"? If so, how? Lol, this issue is killing me.

s2kdriver80

Do they really make it so that it would sit uneven when empty? Maybe I'm wrong but I doubt that. I mean, if someone were to sell me used CR springs (without the shocks), the part numbers for the springs alone are probably the same (left and right). If they are indeed purposely uneven, I could end up installing the wrong spring on the wrong side of the car.

I measured with fingers at more than one instance and the driver side is always higher, so I doubt it's the ground level issue. In some instances, the differences are much less, but the driver side is always higher.

Also another question, if what you say is correct, would stock CRs have this same issue? I haven't heard of CR owners complaining about this problem yet.

Incubus

Half of a finger isn't that much. My 2005 S2000 had the same issue. The only reason I noticed is because so many others were pointing it out about their cars.