What are all the possible reasons for this?

Recent alignment #'s looked very even all the way around. Could this have gotten thrown off already? (was fairly aggressive in rear at -2.25*)

Shocks have 50,000 hard miles on them, but this shouldn't affect static ride height, correct?

Could the springs actually be worn out?

Bent control arm?

???

thx,
tom

 

Somebody chime-in if I'm wrong here.
From what I've read, most cars are designed so that the suspension compensates for the additional weight on the driver side... namely YOU.

In other words, the suspension will even-out when there's a driver inside the car.

Make sense?

 

tcjensen's car shows a SIGNIFICANT difference between left and right - easily seen by cursory visual inspection. I've never seen another S do that.

 

I've taken measurements of 3 stock AP1s in the past week. Measure from the center of the wheel hub to the metal of the fender (not the plastic inner fender). Post up all 4 corners.

Also...have you done any suspension work recently. Did you preload the suspension before torquing the bolts? If not, I've seen that cause uneven ride height on a Miata.

 

Are the spring spacers all removed? Never hurts to check.

 

I've got an s2k here right now with the right side sitting real low in the back. I'll let you know what I find within a few days.

 

A few days??????

Come on B-Man move it up the list! The curiousity is killing me. Is this a stock "S" you are referring too? I can't wait "a few days"........

Utah

 

I've noted that my car doe's appear a little lower on the passenger side looking at it from the front and in my driveway. I live toward the top of a hill and doubt my driveway is absolutly level so this was always my excuse to sort of ignore it. If I can remember, I'll try to observe the car in other parking areas.

 

Yes it's stock.

I have to finish the soft top conversion first, then move on to the suspension.

Since YOU can't wait, should I not post what I find?

 

Aight...the static position of the rear suspension was way off. With the suspension assys removed, there was an inch difference between the two sides. I leveled them out and the car sits perfect.

what I think is happening, the rubber bushings in torsion are "packing". When you hit a decend bump or corner real hard, the impact turns the bushings slightly in the mount, but they don't return.

Basically, all you need to do is loosen all 6 torsion bushings at once on each side, with the weight of the car on the ground (or ramps), then retighten all 12.

Each side will contain 6:

2 on the upper a-arm
2 on the lower a-arm
one on the tracking arm
one on the shock (bottom bolt)