FD3S rear end loose not stable :( HELP!!!!!!
12-15-12, 03:41 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
FD3S rear end loose not stable :( HELP!!!!!!
Hello need some massive help my rear end is loose and it's been like that since I bought it when i make hard turns it feels like I'm on a boat it's all over the place..... I want it stiff so that if I auto x or just take a sharp turn I'm not gonna die lol.... I have bc racing damper kit and a Kaaz 1.5 way super Q...... Also the passenger side sits higher then the driver side........ I have the passenger side coil over screwed all the way down and drivers side coil over screwed all the way up so it would match sides.. It wasn't always like that but I had to keep make adjustments till where its screwed all the way down and all the way up
12-15-12, 04:08 PM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
12-16-12, 05:09 AM
#4
You should have an experienced racer or mechanic look over the car for wrongly installed or failed parts and help you correct them.
I would guess you have a blown rear shock.
You should not adjust your suspension as you have; it can lead to very treacherous handling.
Brakes, suspension, steering and passenger safety devices aren't things you should work on before you have a solid understanding of what you are doing and how it will effect the vehicle.
Its a downside to the popularity and affordability of adjustable suspension pieces recently, many more dangerous and unpredictable handling cars being driven fast.
I would guess you have a blown rear shock.
You should not adjust your suspension as you have; it can lead to very treacherous handling.
Brakes, suspension, steering and passenger safety devices aren't things you should work on before you have a solid understanding of what you are doing and how it will effect the vehicle.
Its a downside to the popularity and affordability of adjustable suspension pieces recently, many more dangerous and unpredictable handling cars being driven fast.
12-16-12, 08:19 AM
#5
Racing Rotary Since 1983
iTrader: (6)
wow, something to use your adjective, is "massively" wrong...
if i read you right you have one side spring all the way up and the other all the way down.
just ballparking, most coil overs have at least a couple of inches of adj and considering the leverage envolved in the the rear the body would move 1.4 times the shock adj!
something major is wrong here so i second Blue TII's comments about having someone long on experience take a look.
it probably wouldn't be a shock issue. ride height is determined by the spring. even though many shocks are internally pressurized the amount is not enough to be load bearing unless you consider 15 pounds to be measurable. i know this from having owned a shock dyno for a number of years.
maybe you have a front spring on the rear? maybe you have one spring w a very very different rate? perhaps the upper spring mount is missing or doubled on one side?
whatever it is, it is major, and shouldn't be difficult to find once you remove the rear two coil overs.
once you straighten it out that might solve your loose condition.
to further dial your car do the following in order:
set cold tire pressures at 30 front, 27 rear
set ride height at 25 inches front and rear at wheel wells (you must set ride height first as it will effect camber)
set camber at negative 1.4 degreees
set toe at 1/8 in front
set toe at zero rear
set rear shocks at a couple of clicks from full soft
set front shocks at mid range
pls do let us know what you find re the rear shocks.
howard
if i read you right you have one side spring all the way up and the other all the way down.
just ballparking, most coil overs have at least a couple of inches of adj and considering the leverage envolved in the the rear the body would move 1.4 times the shock adj!
something major is wrong here so i second Blue TII's comments about having someone long on experience take a look.
it probably wouldn't be a shock issue. ride height is determined by the spring. even though many shocks are internally pressurized the amount is not enough to be load bearing unless you consider 15 pounds to be measurable. i know this from having owned a shock dyno for a number of years.
maybe you have a front spring on the rear? maybe you have one spring w a very very different rate? perhaps the upper spring mount is missing or doubled on one side?
whatever it is, it is major, and shouldn't be difficult to find once you remove the rear two coil overs.
once you straighten it out that might solve your loose condition.
to further dial your car do the following in order:
set cold tire pressures at 30 front, 27 rear
set ride height at 25 inches front and rear at wheel wells (you must set ride height first as it will effect camber)
set camber at negative 1.4 degreees
set toe at 1/8 in front
set toe at zero rear
set rear shocks at a couple of clicks from full soft
set front shocks at mid range
pls do let us know what you find re the rear shocks.
howard
12-16-12, 11:00 AM
#6
Is the driver side and passenger side the same height at the front? The only thing I can think of right now, to cause such a big difference in height at the rear, is that maybe one of your rear upper control arms is on upside down. Can you remove each rear wheel and take a picture of the suspension on each side?
12-16-12, 01:42 PM
#7
Senior Member
The only reason like Howard said to have the spring perch that different (completely opposite) is the springs are not the same or something is seriously bent. A control arm or the frame itself.
Trending Topics
12-16-12, 09:18 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
As soon as I get some time or a day off I will take pics of the shocks in the back
.....the front is the same on both sides but for some reason the steering pulls uncontrollable to the left and the steering it feels like the cars wants to steer in all directions but straight gotta tell you very scarey when hitting full throttle with 531hp to the wheels lol I strong arm the **** out of the steering wheel and hope for the best I know my luck will only last so long so I thought now we be a good time to fix it
.....the front is the same on both sides but for some reason the steering pulls uncontrollable to the left and the steering it feels like the cars wants to steer in all directions but straight gotta tell you very scarey when hitting full throttle with 531hp to the wheels lol I strong arm the **** out of the steering wheel and hope for the best I know my luck will only last so long so I thought now we be a good time to fix it
12-17-12, 06:49 PM
#10
Racing Rotary Since 1983
iTrader: (6)
"steer in all directions but straight"
you no doubt have a number of things to fix but just not going straight (hunting) is generally caused by a lack of front toe (in).
howard
you no doubt have a number of things to fix but just not going straight (hunting) is generally caused by a lack of front toe (in).
howard
12-18-12, 09:14 PM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I took pics of the springs and outside the ride height so u can see how it the same height on both sides but one spring is screwed all the way in and the other is screwed all the way out.....like I said something is massively wrong!!!!!!!
12-19-12, 03:07 PM
#14
Judging by the pictures, your coilovers may be adjusted improperly. One of them is probably adjusted by moving, and compressing, the spring to raise that side of the car up. The other coilover is probably height adjusted by moving the shock body up or down without messing with the spring's preload.
Check out these two videos to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
This one shows how to lower/raise the coilover without messing with the spring preload:
This one shows how to set the preload about halfways into the video:
BC Racing Coilover Spring Change and Preload Adjustment on Vimeo
Properly set the preload for both coilovers and adjust both of them so the shock body is set the same. You can fine tune the height adjustment like the first video shows. This is a good starting point and may fix your issues. I'd check the front coilovers as well just so you know that all four are set properly and go from there.
Check out these two videos to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
This one shows how to lower/raise the coilover without messing with the spring preload:
This one shows how to set the preload about halfways into the video:
BC Racing Coilover Spring Change and Preload Adjustment on Vimeo
Properly set the preload for both coilovers and adjust both of them so the shock body is set the same. You can fine tune the height adjustment like the first video shows. This is a good starting point and may fix your issues. I'd check the front coilovers as well just so you know that all four are set properly and go from there.
12-19-12, 06:37 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Judging by the pictures, your coilovers may be adjusted improperly. One of them is probably adjusted by moving, and compressing, the spring to raise that side of the car up. The other coilover is probably height adjusted by moving the shock body up or down without messing with the spring's preload.
Check out these two videos to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
This one shows how to lower/raise the coilover without messing with the spring preload:
How to adjust BC Coilovers correctly - YouTube
This one shows how to set the preload about halfways into the video:
BC Racing Coilover Spring Change and Preload Adjustment on Vimeo
Properly set the preload for both coilovers and adjust both of them so the shock body is set the same. You can fine tune the height adjustment like the first video shows. This is a good starting point and may fix your issues. I'd check the front coilovers as well just so you know that all four are set properly and go from there.
Check out these two videos to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
This one shows how to lower/raise the coilover without messing with the spring preload:
How to adjust BC Coilovers correctly - YouTube
This one shows how to set the preload about halfways into the video:
BC Racing Coilover Spring Change and Preload Adjustment on Vimeo
Properly set the preload for both coilovers and adjust both of them so the shock body is set the same. You can fine tune the height adjustment like the first video shows. This is a good starting point and may fix your issues. I'd check the front coilovers as well just so you know that all four are set properly and go from there.
12-19-12, 10:03 PM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
take a sec and read my post i clearly said they are the same height on both sides......but one is screwed all the way in the sleeve the other is screwed all the way out......if you look at the pics i posed you can see the tire height off the wheel on each wheel and you can see the inside how its CLEARLY screwed all the way...the only thing ive ever adjusted is the lower part.................and you are correct one is high and one is low but its still the same ride height on both ends
.....if you dont know the answer another words dont chalk it up to me adjusting the coilovers wrong...ive adjusted them correctly from the bottom yet the problem is still there
.....if you dont know the answer another words dont chalk it up to me adjusting the coilovers wrong...ive adjusted them correctly from the bottom yet the problem is still there
Last edited by buffrx7; 12-19-12 at 10:15 PM.
12-19-12, 10:16 PM
#20
Senior Member
If one is high and one is low and the car sits at the same right height then something is installed wrong or SERIOUSLY bent. Is it possible to install an a arm upside down?
What is the spring length of both sides with the spring under no load including preload?
What is the spring length of both sides with the spring under no load including preload?
12-19-12, 11:31 PM
#21
Also the passenger side sits higher then the driver side........ I have the passenger side coil over screwed all the way down and drivers side coil over screwed all the way up so it would match sides.. It wasn't always like that but I had to keep make adjustments till where its screwed all the way down and all the way up
take a sec and read my post i clearly said they are the same height on both sides......but one is screwed all the way in the sleeve the other is screwed all the way out......if you look at the pics i posed you can see the tire height off the wheel on each wheel and you can see the inside how its CLEARLY screwed all the way...the only thing ive ever adjusted is the lower part.................and you are correct one is high and one is low but its still the same ride height on both ends
.....if you dont know the answer another words dont chalk it up to me adjusting the coilovers wrong...ive adjusted them correctly from the bottom yet the problem is still there
.....if you dont know the answer another words dont chalk it up to me adjusting the coilovers wrong...ive adjusted them correctly from the bottom yet the problem is still there
12-20-12, 12:39 PM
#22
you can't tell anything from those pictures.
jack up the back of the car and take the wheels off. it should be pretty obvious what is bent by what looks like close to 3 inches....
or you just have different springs rates/a defective spring on the back, but I doubt it.
It looks to me like the upper control arm on the side that's longer is pretty bent up. but I can't tell for sure.
PS - be a bit nicer to complete strangers that are trying to help you... you'll find they're a lot more helpful when you are.
jack up the back of the car and take the wheels off. it should be pretty obvious what is bent by what looks like close to 3 inches....
or you just have different springs rates/a defective spring on the back, but I doubt it.
It looks to me like the upper control arm on the side that's longer is pretty bent up. but I can't tell for sure.
PS - be a bit nicer to complete strangers that are trying to help you... you'll find they're a lot more helpful when you are.
12-20-12, 02:03 PM
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Your right ill be nicer just didn't like that he was insinuating that I didn't know what I was doing like I'm Dumb lol.........I will take the wheels off and take more detailed pics
12-21-12, 08:23 AM
#24
Wastegate John
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Long Island NY 11746
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes
on
9 Posts
Was this car ever hit?
What do the camber settings look like on each side? Is one cam adjusted more than the other?
Looks like the driver(?) side upper control arm is bent based on the pics ( the one with the coil adjusted to be longer free length than the other.)
The following users liked this post:
RotaryRKT (12-28-22)
12-21-12, 08:46 AM
#25
The following users liked this post:
RotaryRKT (12-28-22)