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I am repairing a 123gt which was found beneath a Banana tree, apparently it had been there for about 10 years. I am well down the track now, the engine and gearbox are back in, and I have replaced the components in the front and rear suspension, as required.
The car now sits too high!! 5 inches between the tire rim and the lower outer edge of the guard, both front and rear!! All components are correct>
Should the KY gas shocks be fitted when the car is down on its springs? I fitted the shocks with the car hoisted, they (the shocks) were fully extended, I thought the car would settle but it sits up!!!
Do I have an easy fix, just put the shocks on with the car weight down, or may I have another issue.??
Thank you for your advice,
TAM (This Ageing Male)
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Just go drive the piss out of it. If it doesn't settle after a couple of days, you have the wrong springs or shocks in there.
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May I have an opinion regarding the rear suspension please, it also appears high, Should I have tightened all the bolts there with the weight on the wheels also.
Jeff
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Yes, the same rules apply. At this point best to have all of the bolts, front and rear slackened off with the car on level ground. Give the car a really good bouncing at each corner, combine with another person if possible to really give the suspension a work out. This will help all of the bushes to settle into their normal unstressed positions. Many of the nuts/bolts can be tightened without jacking the car back up again but some will be a bit difficult to get to. Obviously if you can get it on a lift to do the bouncing at ground level and then raise it you'll get the best result.
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Derek,
So many folks, even practicing and paid mechanics, forget this fact with fixed rubber bushes.
So many times, before I really understood decades ago, how wrong it is that some suspension techs will fix the bushings (torque the retaining hardware) with the suspension hanging while the chassis in on the lift.
In a short while, the bushes can tear out, doing such an install incorrectly.
Though quite different issues with articulating urethane bushes.
Like you say, I leave the rubber bushing hardware slackened. Though I'll drive it over to the alignment mechanic. The vehicle is unloaded, containing the normal pieces, like spare tire and such, and the driver, on the drive over. I'll let the mechanic know before hand I performed a suspension rebuild, the bushing retaining hardware is tightened to snug, though minimally. So, the mechanic will verify proper tire pressure, on cold tires. The mechanic loosens the hardware, relieving any stress on the bushes. than applies torque. And then performs an alignment. All is well, and the factory OEM or, now, OE manufacturer rubber bushes last as long, usually, as factory.
Though it's be swell to get the Europa-made OE and OEM you get in the UK. Auto parts market in North America is a bother.
Thank you.
Still wants a 110-120-130. Someday.
Happy Holidays.
Duffed.
--
Jonathan Harshman Winters III: The Mightiest, Greatest, & Most Powerful Comedian, Presenter, Comedic Actor, Artist, & Author of North America in Perpetuity
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It won't matter what position the suspension is in when you put the shocks on. I've seen gas shocks raise the car some though. Usually the old shocks were so worn the car sat low. Not sure what is causing your issue. Maybe the springs are for non gas pressurized shocks. Maybe the wrong shocks or springs.
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Did you tighten the suspension bolts with the wheels hanging or with the weight of the car on the wheels?
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Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com
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I am sure I tightened the bolts with the wheels hanging
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Yeah, that's not right.
Suspend it again and loosen the through bolts
Then set it down (on cinder blocks works so you can crawl under there and retighten 'em), so the full weight of the car preloads the suspension and (locating the lower control arms in their working position), then tighten the long through bolts.
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I've always been told not to use cinder blocks as they can fail. Doesn't mean I haven't done it, just be aware.
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Ah now Eric , you may have hit upon my problem, kindly advise what should have been done , if I have it wrongly tightened , can I reestablish it.Thank you for this reply.
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My recommendations only pertain to original style rubber bushings and not most polyurethane bushings(see my response to Ron Kwas' post in this thread).
Your bushings should be fine after you loosen the nuts and bolts and then tighten them with the weight on the wheels.
Since I don't have a drive on lift, I use a set of heavy duty wooden boxes we had a carpenter friend build for us.
Whatever you use to hold the car off the ground, please be careful.
A tip for all of you DIYers, I strongly suggest that even with high quality floor jacks and jack stands that you don't work on a car without someone being within earshot to help in case of an emergency.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com
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Jeff;
Gas shocks do extend when relaxed (and with significant force, hence the compression straps to assist installation), and so do raise the suspension a bit, but yours does sound abnormally high...Eric's idea about suspension being preloaded if bolts are tightened without weight on wheels sounds plausible, but I don't think I've ever needed to do that...
Eric; Does that mean I'll chew up the bushings faster, because they are stressed at rest?
I will follow this thread with interest!
Good Hunting!
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Hello Ron,
It is critical to bushing longevity that you use the correct tightening procedures when installing original style rubber suspension bushings that have a center sleeve that is bonded to the rubber. FYI, there may some poly bushings that have been bonded to the center sleeve.
When you tighten the fasteners on this style of bushing, the center sleeve is locked in position. Some of the bushings even have center sleeves with serrated edges that help hold the sleeve when tightened. When the fasteners are tighten with the weight on the wheels, the rubber inside the bushings will be in their neutral position without being twisted.
If you tighten the fasteners with the wheels hanging, the rubber inside the bushings will be partially loaded when the car is on its wheels and that can raise the car. But more importantly, when you drive the car with the bushings incorrectly tightened, you over stress the rubber when the suspension is compressed which will reduce their life span of the bushings.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com
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Eric;
Thanks for clarification!
Cheers
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Good Morning All,
Thank you from a very grateful DIYer.
So much to learn and so little time left for me to do it!!
Jeff ( This Ageing Male )
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