Help have I assembled the suspension incorrectly?

[jazzdude]

Just finished putting on all 4 corners and the front suspension doesn't look right.

Firstly, even though I jack it up until the chassis starts coming off the stands, the bottom wishbones are nowhere near horizontal, but slope down outwards. (the body is off the chassis but I doubt it is that heavy at the front to make such a large difference).

I am certain I put the shocks(Gaz Gold Pros) back on the right way round, as I had to cut one out and changed the rose joint, but of the two, the shocks on the front are about 5cm longer than those on the back. Is this right? Have I put the fronts on the back? Is this why they seem to sit low?

Also in these pics, one is with the assembly hanging and the other (with the block) is pushed up as high as it goes. Does that upright look at the right angle, as the ball joints arent straight. With the suspension hanging, the hub is more or less tight to turn and only loosens up when it is jacked up.

Both top and bottom ball joints were torqued up to 85Nm so I can't see how they could go in any deeper. The mount of the bottom ball joint has the pointy bit of the base pointing to the shock.

[jojackson4]

It looks like the top wish bone is up side down and the bottom ball joint is not seated correct

[jazzdude]

jojackson4 said:

It looks like the top wish bone is up side down and the bottom ball joint is not seated correct

I think the top wishbone is correct as the kink with the plate in the web is at the back and underneath.

The bottom balljoint was torqued up after being pushed in as far as it could go in.

[carsy]

With the suspension at full droop and the fact the hub is stiff to turn it is most likely the bottom ball joint that has maxed out. Ball rubbing on its casing if you get what i mean.

Discussed here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I also put 2 washers on mine on the 2 outer bolts only. They go in between the wishbone and ball joint, just to help angle the ball joint in the right direction to keep it free from binding up.

I think every car is different in this respect depending on what wishbones shocks springs balljoints are used. Some struggle to get the right camber, others reach it easy.

[carsy]

What bushes are you using. oe metalastic or poly.

[jazzdude]

I fitted metalastic throughout as getting the old ones out was a case of dropping everything off at an engineering shop, so nothing difficult about that to warrant the extra cost in poly bushes.

So does the longer shock go up front?

With my Gaz gold pros, the springs were all the same height. Would they also have the same compression strength?

By putting the washers in are you not taking the loading that is spread evenly around the perimeter of the hole in the wishbone to 2 small point loads?

[QBee]

My memory of doing mine is that the longer dampers go on the rear. I fitted them the wrong way round when I bought some Racing Reds off a Tampora owner - they go long at the front on a Tampora, IIRC. Tha car was weird under heavy braking.

[jazzdude]

I fitted metalastic throughout as getting the old ones out was a case of dropping everything off at an engineering shop, so nothing difficult about that to warrant the extra cost in poly bushes.

So does the longer shock go up front?

With my Gaz gold pros, the springs were all the same height. Would they also have the same compression strength?

By putting the washers in are you not taking the loading that is spread evenly around the perimeter of the hole in the wishbone to 2 small point loads?

[jazzdude]

QBee said:

My memory of doing mine is that the longer dampers go on the rear. I fitted them the wrong way round when I bought some Racing Reds off a Tampora owner - they go long at the front on a Tampora, IIRC. Tha car was weird under heavy braking.

When I took off the front shocks one of the bolts was fused to the rose joint and had to be cut off either side of the shock from the wishbone. The rose joint was pressed out with the bolt still in it, so it was the only shock missing a rose joint.

This shock was one of the longer pair but now I am confused as I could have sworn it was cut out of the front wishbone.

[carsy]

IIRC the bottom ball joint only seats on the 3 pick up points, it doesnt seat evenly all the way round against the wishbone, so putting a couple of washers in wont make any difference. Mine has been fine like this for a few years now.

Sorry but i cant remember if the longer shocks go front or rear.

As you are using the metalastic OE type bushes have you tightened them up ? If so this could be your reason for the wishbones not going up to horizontal when jacking them up. When using OE bushes you have to tighten them with the whole car on the ground and ride height set. Basically the whole weight of the car on the suspension. This is because these bushes only have a certain limited amount of movement once tightened. The bonded rubber in them only stretches so far. This doesnt matter for polys as they are always free to move.

I would imagine when tightened up correctly the OE bushes will restrict full suspension droop and your bottom ball joints wont bind.

Keep going it all looks very nice BTW.

[jazzdude]

I have been searching the threads and so far am none the wiser re shock length, front /rear with the Gaz gold pros.

I saw a photo of the yellow / red Bilsteins and the rear were a little longer. So perhaps they were on back to front, although I will call Gaz tomorrow to check for sure.

I haven't tightened up anything yet as the body is still raised, so perhaps the drop is indeed more, which is fouling the ball joint. When pushed up a little then the hub does free up.

[QBee]

Phone Gaz, as you suggest. My memory isn't what it used to be, and I could be wrong.

[Richard 858]

Anthony is quite right, front shocks are generally a couple of inches shorter than the rears

[bobfather]

Have you been working on nearside and offside at the same time. Perhaps you've got the wrong side either lower or upper wishbone on there

[kevd]

The longer shocks go on the rear. I think your top wishbones may be the wrong way round, on the wrong sides. I will pop out to garage and compare your pics to mine

[kevd]

Hope these pics may help

[kevd]

[jazzdude]

Got to take the shocks off again

This time will put a shorter bolt on the bottom shock wishbone, the 3" bolt is such a pain to get on.

I checked some online photos, the kink on the top wishbone is definitely on the underside at the back nearest the bulkhead, and the slots for the top ball joint slope downwards towards the shock.

[jazzdude]

kevd said:

Hope these pics may help

Yup, that's the way I fitted them.

[kevd]

You may want to turn your shocks round at the bottom so the adjuster points downwards makes it easier to adjust from underneath