Cruiser looks tilted when standing on flat road (1 Viewer)

[stonekutters]

Just noticed today that the cruiser looks tilted towards the driver side when standing on a flat road. Any guesses on what might be the issue?

I checked with a flashlight on the shocks but nothing seems off. I also measured the distance between the top of the front tire and the bottom of the wheel well and on the left front side it measures lower than the right.

Do I need new shocks? Ball joints? Bushings? Thanks in advance!

 

[OregonLC]

They all lean a bit that way.

 

[stonekutters]

They all lean a bit that way.

Really!? Any idea why?

 

[LBridges]

Just noticed today that the cruiser looks tilted towards the driver side when standing on a flat road. Any guesses on what might be the issue?

I checked with a flashlight on the shocks but nothing seems off. I also measured the distance between the top of the front tire and the bottom of the wheel well and on the left front side it measures lower than the right.

Do I need new shocks? Ball joints? Bushings? Thanks in advance!

Adjust the torsion bars? Most of the threads I've read take a measurement from the center of the wheel hub to the lower lip of the fender.

 

[n55luvr]

Check out the spring sag thread. I eliminated my driver side lean by putting in new OEM springs.

Gas tank sits on driver side and probably contributes to some of the tilt.

 

[ihadmail]

OME also makes rear spring spacers that come in 5mm and 10mm thicknesses and can be stacked if needed to take out that lean in the rear if you don't want to get new rear springs.

Adjusting the torsion bars as mentioned will take it out of the front.

 

[flintknapper]

OME also makes rear spring spacers that come in 5mm and 10mm thicknesses and can be stacked if needed to take out that lean in the rear if you don't want to get new rear springs.

Adjusting the torsion bars as mentioned will take it out of the front.

^^^^^^^^^ Yep.

Leveled the front of mine (side to side) yesterday by adjusting the Torsion Bars.

Cranked the Drivers side up 4 full turns and let passenger side down the same amount.

I have AHC...so I'll need to balance front to back, but my drivers side front was 1" lower than the passenger side. It was visually noticeable.

The adjustment nut is easy to reach (use a 30mm socket on a 1/2" breaker bar). I marked the nut with a sharpie so I could tell how much I was turning it. Easy Peazy ! All leveled out.

 

[stonekutters]

Thanks everyone - this helps a lot!

 

[TeCKis300]

^^^^^^^^^ Yep.

Leveled the front of mine (side to side) yesterday by adjusting the Torsion Bars.

Cranked the Drivers side up 4 full turns and let passenger side down the same amount.

I have AHC...so I'll need to balance front to back, but my drivers side front was 1" lower than the passenger side. It was visually noticeable.

The adjustment nut is easy to reach (use a 30mm socket on a 1/2" breaker bar). I marked the nut with a sharpie so I could tell how much I was turning it. Easy Peazy ! All leveled out.

Not to knock what you did, but IMO, I would not adjust it too far. This would be having the fronts compensate for a sagging spring in the rear.

What this does is put the corner weights way out of adjustment/balance. This can cause all sorts of dynamic idiosyncrasy when hitting bumps and terrain / and also odd handling behavior in the dry. Not that this is a sports car by any means, but this is why race cars are corner balanced with cross weights being an important parameter.

I would do some limited balancing with the torsions, and if the sag is not responding, then you know it's time for some spring spacers on the lower side in the rear.

 

[ihadmail]

Not to knock what you did, but IMO, I would not adjust it too far. This would be having the fronts compensate for a sagging spring in the rear.

What this does is put the corner weights way out of adjustment/balance. This can cause all sorts of dynamic idiosyncrasy when hitting bumps and terrain / and also odd handling behavior in the dry. Not that this is a sports car by any means, but this is why race cars are corner balanced with cross weights being an important parameter.

I would do some limited balancing with the torsions, and if the sag is not responding, then you know it's time for some spring spacers on the lower side in the rear.

If his front left/right was uneven he correctly fixed that issue by adjusting the torsion bars.

Also, spring spacers for the rear go between the spring and the body, on top of the spring.

 

[PADDO]

Not to knock what you did, but IMO, I would not adjust it too far. This would be having the fronts compensate for a sagging spring in the rear.

What this does is put the corner weights way out of adjustment/balance. This can cause all sorts of dynamic idiosyncrasy when hitting bumps and terrain / and also odd handling behavior in the dry. Not that this is a sports car by any means, but this is why race cars are corner balanced with cross weights being an important parameter.

I would do some limited balancing with the torsions, and if the sag is not responding, then you know it's time for some spring spacers on the lower side in the rear.

Spliiting the difference and raising the low front corner whilst lowering the higher corner is the right way to address FR to FL lean - much better to put four turns on the low side while taking off four turns on the higher side than eight turns on the low side only. Followed up by check/reset height and finish with pressure adjustment by applying equal torsion bar turns to both sides. FSM stipulates this approach too. There is always a place for trim packers when needed, but the torsion bars are independely adjustable for a reason.
Do you really feel that the down force applied by a few turns on a torsion bar would meaningfully affect the corner weight distribution and handling of these bricks on wheels?

 

[OregonLC]

Really!? Any idea why?

My guess would be because the driver's seat is always occupied and the fuel tank is on that side. Over time the extra weight fatigues the DS springs. That's my theory anyway. I've had OME springs on for 6 years now and I was noticing it listing port in the driveway.

 

[White wings]

This is interesting as I see a slight droop on drivers side, perhaps I need a larger best friend to ride with me

 

[Traskew3]

mine does it too, Gas tank on drivers side is what I was told, My Jeep JK in my sig did it as well leaning on down a tad on the gas tank side...

 

[Rigger]

Great thread. This issue has come up in both the 40-series and 60-series sections. It seems all Cruisers lean. As someone once said, "It's gangsta!"