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Old 01-31-2018, 02:49 PM   #1
BillCNC
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Question Body Leaning To One Side

Hey All,

Just finishing the lowering of my body onto my frame. I'm about to get ready to add the hardware for mounting the body so right now I have the body sitting on 2x4 blocks that are between the frame and the body blocks and I notice my body is leaning to the right about 3/4”. I measured the frame to the floor at the rear corner and it's off the 3/4”. I put a 6' long level across the top of the front tires at the axles center and then a 2' level on the front cross member above the front axle and those to are the same level. Yes, both levels have been calibrated to one another.

Is the fix for this is just to loosen and re-tighten the U-Bolt's for the front and rear axles?

Regards
Bill
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Old 01-31-2018, 02:52 PM   #2
J Franklin
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

When you get into the drivers seat is it level? Most lean to the drivers side. I would drive it some before worrying too much.
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Old 01-31-2018, 02:54 PM   #3
DJ S
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Did you replace the springs? They could be worn out if you didn't. If you did replace them, you probably have a bent frame or the spring bolt isn't in the hole in the cross-member.
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Old 01-31-2018, 02:57 PM   #4
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

I just finished restoring my 29 roadster, it leans some. My friends sedan leans as well. Blah
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Old 01-31-2018, 03:23 PM   #5
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Check your springs.

If there orginal, even if they have been reconditioned, they could be just worn out. 90 years is a long time. Would your favorite easy chair still be comfortable after 90 years with you sitting in it 24 hours a day.

New springs and shocks make a big difference. Enjoy.
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Old 01-31-2018, 04:33 PM   #6
Ron in Quincy
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

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The mounting bolts are probable not tightened the same on the rear spring. The dealers were told to check the rear spring bolts the first time the A was brought in for servicing.

Recently My 30 Coupe started leaning to the driver side when I stepped on the running board. You can not believe how loose the spring bolts on the rear
had become in just 1500 miles. I re-torqued the bolts and now the A does not lean to the right.

Ron
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Old 01-31-2018, 04:47 PM   #7
BillCNC
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Before the Chassis rebuild there was no lean.

Front spring is new from Snyder's.
Rear spring is old and rebuilt.
Complete original style shock kit with all the goodies from Snyder's
Frame is as straight as an arrow.

I'll loosen all the U-Bolt's and re-tighten. If there is still a lean, I should probably flip the rear spring ends 180*. If it lean's to the right NOW and I flip the spring ends, perhaps it will lean to the left ultimately making it level.

Sound's plausible, ... right?

Regards
Bill
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Old 01-31-2018, 04:51 PM   #8
1931 flamingo
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Try tightening the nuts, on the side that's high, or loosen them on the side that's low, BEFORE doing anything else. This will put your mind at ease. FWIW
Paul in CT
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Old 01-31-2018, 05:10 PM   #9
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

I had the same problem with my 32. Dropped the front spring to check the center bolt alignment into the cross member hole. It was fine. Swapped the spring around in the front still leaned the same direction. Checked the back spring , it's fine also. Checked my frame by just measuring off the concrete floor with the frame on jack stands it looks like it may be tweeked a little. Until I can get it checked properly on a frame machine, I placed a shim in the front between the cross member and the springs. The body is level now.
The 2.5 degree aluminum shim is from a off road 4x4 catalog. All I did was trim the sides down to fit up in the narrow cross member. You want to unbolt the spring and make sure the spring center bolt goes through the hole in the shim to hold it in place. It's a temporary fix till I have the frame checked out.
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Old 01-31-2018, 06:43 PM   #10
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Sheared some .041 aluminum shims and wedged them between the rear spring and frame. Problem solved.
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Old 01-31-2018, 08:29 PM   #11
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Sheared some .041 aluminum shims and wedged them between the rear spring and frame. Problem solved.
Root cause is still there.
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Old 01-31-2018, 08:38 PM   #12
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Quote:
Originally Posted by solidaxle View Post
The 2.5 degree aluminum shim is from a off road 4x4 catalog. All I did was trim the sides down to fit up in the narrow cross member. You want to unbolt the spring and make sure the spring center bolt goes through the hole in the shim to hold it in place. It's a temporary fix till I have the frame checked out.
That sounds like a good temporary fix. But I'm curious. How did you determine that you needed a 2.5° shim and not a 2° or 3° shim?
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Old 01-31-2018, 10:12 PM   #13
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Trial and error on the shim. If all else fails.

How much do you want to spend on fixing the problem.
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Old 01-31-2018, 10:25 PM   #14
Chuck Sea/Tac
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

I shimmed my rear spring as well . Worked great. After I wrecked it, and was back down to the bare frame, I realized why flipping springs and special tightening techniques didn’t solve it. The original “restorer” didn’t straighten the frame.
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Old 02-01-2018, 08:11 AM   #15
solidaxle
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

To answer your question Y-Blockhead. That's what was available. So I tried it. It does have to be secured, just jacking up the car and wedging it up there will result in it eventually falling out.

Last edited by solidaxle; 02-01-2018 at 08:13 AM. Reason: I didn't press quote to answer
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Old 02-01-2018, 09:07 AM   #16
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

BUT, what else could we expect, from a car with BUGGY SPRINGS???
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Old 02-01-2018, 09:08 AM   #17
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck Sea/Tac View Post
I shimmed my rear spring as well . Worked great. After I wrecked it, and was back down to the bare frame, I realized why flipping springs and special tightening techniques didn’t solve it. The original “restorer” didn’t straighten the frame.
Chuck, where did you actually place the shim? Do you have a photo?
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Old 02-01-2018, 09:13 AM   #18
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

loosen the u bolts attaching the spring to the cross member. Lift the body by the frame enough to wedge the shim into the side you want to lift between the spring and cross member and tighten u bolts. The further you force the shims the more you lift the body. They cannot be seen after installation and mine have never fallen out.
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Old 02-01-2018, 09:25 AM   #19
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

If you have a bad spring or bent frame shims don’t fix the problem. They just hide it.

Think about the next person who might own the car.
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Old 02-01-2018, 10:57 AM   #20
Benson
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Default Re: Body Leaning To One Side

THe '79 Chevy leaned to the left in the rear ... installed new springs ( I was installing overload springs anyway)...

Same problem.

Further investigation revealed the there was a low spot in the concrete slab where the left rear wheel was resting.

Just saying ... stranger things have happened.

Last edited by Benson; 02-01-2018 at 11:49 AM.
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