Problems leveling my 240z

[gundee]

Does the car drive? Have you had it out on rough road and beat the

heck out of it yet? What does it look like after that? Any noises or rubbing?

[Patcon]

Thanks Meakin

[cbuczesk]

Take some measurements of the strut assy that Zed Head circled. Check the length below and above the spring perch and compare left to right. You can reach up to the top to feel if the insulators feel like they're the same length. The 280Z insulator is noticeably longer. If all of that checks out then maybe the springs are different lengths and/or stiffness.

 

Chuck

[rossiz]

the eibach springs i used are different lengths for the front vs. rear - and yes, i mixed them up during my install even though they are clearly marked...

sometimes it pays to eliminate the easy, dumb mistakes first before going to big measures such as straightening the body (no shame in dumb mistakes - plenty of them here).

 

just to be absolutely sure, i'd put the rear on jack stands under the frame rails, pull both rear wheels, remove both complete strut assemblies and compare them side by side to verify they are the same length and have the same isolators. you can do this without removing the control arms - disconnect the flexible brake lines and remove the half-shafts to let the hub drop down low enough to clear the mouth of the strut tower up inside the wheel well. then, with the struts removed, you can set the control arms level to the floor and measure up to the inside of the strut towers, which should verify that your body-to-wheel dimension is the same both sides.

 

my gut tells me you'll find the problem in the struts - at least that is my hope for you

[Mark Maras]

 I would think if there was that much twist in the frame and or body the gaps between the hatch to body & door to body wouldn't align. Your door alignment looks good. Can't see the hatch alignment. IMO the problem lies in the suspension. Any chance the rewelded mounts are in the wrong location?

[Darren Mann]

Ok Tonights experiment.  I placed the jack in front of the rear passenger tire and jacked up the body until it was level between the strut towers in the rear hatchback.  I measured the same distance from the fenders to the floor.  There was still an inch difference between tire clearance and the fenders.  All tires still on the ground.

[Zed Head]

Ok Tonights experiment.  I placed the jack in front of the rear passenger tire and jacked up the body until it was level between the strut towers in the rear hatchback.  I measured the same distance from the fenders to the floor.  There was still an inch difference between tire clearance and the fenders.  All tires still on the ground.

What is the difference between the top of the fender wells on each side, with the strut towers level?  We're trying to figure out if the body is square/level/copacetic with the strut towers.

 

Have you confirmed that the tires are the same diameter?  Fully inflated?  Sorry, just can't see these things that are probably obvious if the car is right in front of you.  Just missing a key point or two.

[Zed Head]

Forgot to say that the floor needs to be level also, for the fender well measurements to work.

[Zed Head]

This is what I mean.  This number, both sides.

[Darren Mann]

25-1/4" to the floor.  Both sides the same when the strut towers are leveled up.

[Patcon]

If the car is level across the strut towers and the wheel arches both measure 25 1/4" to the floor on both sides, the problem is somewhere else.

 

Recheck the spring locations like Rossiz suggests and check springs lengths at the same time like Chuck suggested. You're getting closer...

[Zed Head]

25-1/4" to the floor.  Both sides the same when the strut towers are leveled up.

This is a what you wanted.  A good thing.  The steel-box of a body appears to be in good shape.  The problem will be in a part or parts that can be unbolted and replaced.