Dave Meyers

'83 GSL....The driver's rear of the car sits one inch lower than the passenger side. Front end is okay. If I lift the drivers rear body with a jack, the stance is perfect. Actually, I can lift it by hand the required amount. The rear axle is centered under the car (I once had a GSL SE that sat way funny until the Watts link was found to be bent). The '83's tires are all the same size and inflated properly. Any ideas on what causes this, as well as possible reapirs? Is this one of the many common characteristics of older rx's? Or, am I just lucky? I looked at stuff under the car, but all appears okay on the surface. Dave

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

it could be a few things:

One of the springs in the back is sagging more than the other for some very off reason (it probably wouldn't hurt to get new springs ans shocks anyways if they're still the stock one and the shocks are probably toast anyways.

Another one would be the springs not seated properly. The way you can check that is you lift up your car and support it from the frame (not the rear end) when the rear end drops look at how the springs are sitting. There should be a rubber ontop IIRC and if its not seated in one of them properly it will rise that side of the car. Also IIRC the bottom end on the axle is only suppose to go one way if it is twisted from the location its sitting at it would rise it up.

So ya usually unless the springs are sagging the problem is in the one that is higher, not lower.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

They tend to do that for some reason. Options are: swap rear springs side to side and make sure both have the top rubber pad. Loosen ALL of the rear suspension bolts, bounce the car and retighten. Bolts must be tightened while car is on the ground. Front struts have spacers, check the BlackDragon catalog for a pic. Spacers will drop the opposite rear corner.

Dave Meyers

All good ideas, and eventually will get all new springs and shocks. First have to concentrate on drivetrain.


However, there is an odd thing going on. I checked the front suspension.......The passenger front corner is stiff, not locked up, but stiff like a high perf. shock or strut (or damaged?). All the other three corners are similar, a bit soft when I put my weight on them and bounce them.

If I sit in the passenger fron, I see the low corner, the drives' rear, raise up a bit. ANy thoughts on this? My ideas are 1. Front pass. corner is in better shape than the other three 2. The front pass. is different spec. than the other three. 3. the front pass. is damaged.

The front pass. does not make any noise when I bounce it, it is just really firm.

dj55b

iTrader: (2)

Its your last good one ... thats how you basically checks your shocks. At every corner of the car push down on it and let it come back out. If it bounces it means its just riding on springs and the shocks are blow, if it just come back up without anything boucing shocks are good.

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

Typical 1st gen problem even new springs and shocks/struts. You need a shim for mazdatrix. It goes between the strut top and the strut tower.

Dave Meyers

Thanks guys. For the heck of it, I let much air out of the front pass. to see what happens to ride height at all four corners. When that tire is low, the driver rear comes up a bit, enough to level things out at all corners. Looks much better, too.

Question about the Mazdatrix shim. Does it raise or lower the corner it is installed at?

Dave Meyers

Found the answer, the shims raise the side they are installed on.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Partially correct, the shim raises the corner it's installed in and pushes down the opposite corner by an ever so slight shift in the cg.