Rear Suspension Problems

[Gash]

My 325 touring's rear end didn't sit level when I bought it. The near side rear always sagged a bit (25mm ish) . After changing the rear springs I thought I'd cracked it. But I've just noticed that the near side rear has sagged again after less than 1000 miles. Probably about 10 -15mm.

Any ideas anyone?

[handpaper]

You routinely carry a very fat passenger?

Boot full of junk?

Speed bumps

Check your suspension bushes wear here causes many issues.

Check your springs again - rears are known to break near the pigtail.

[Gash]

The Mrs ain't that big! and nothing in the boot. Not many speed bumps where I am out in the middle of nowhere.

Suspension bushes didn't look to bad when I changed the springs. Would they deteriorate this quick?

[e30bmlover]

lol ''gash'' your user name reminds me of something???

[Gash]

Its my nickname that comes from the lack of talent that I exhibit more than one aera!

[Gash]

Including spelling: "area"

[stuartgallafant]

maybe one of your subframe bushes has collapsed?

[charlE30]

Gash it's annoying isn't it? I had the same problem so changed springs (new), shocks (new), topmounts (new), subframe and trailing arms inc bushes (new) and it's still the same.

I'll be watching your thread with great interest and hope you manage to resolve the problem.

Charlie

[Splod]

Gash just noticed your thread, I have posted another rear suspension query but mine's a noise!

Hopefully with the vast wisdom here, we'll both get sorted out. I'll be watching this thread for any clues....

Cheers

Steve W

[Gash]

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for you post. When I bought the car, the last owner just popped a spring (don't know whether it was new or not or even the right rating) on the off side as it was broken. I was just about to go off and buy a whole new set of shocks, bushes and springs but your post has worried me!

I think, I'll get underneath with a tape measure and verniers and see if I can see if theres a obvious source to the sagging problem. I noticed last night that the car tends to hang on one side on the handbrake which makes the problem look worse than it is. On a flat road it looks like more than 7-10mm which I suppose isn't that bad.

Could be something as silly as the top and bottom rubbers that the spring sits on?

[Brianmoooore]

It could be absolutely anything, including a front suspension problem, or even a twisted shell from a past accident.
You need to check and measure absolutely everything, including getting it on a flatpack of some kind and measuring corner weights.

[Gash]

Brian, Is 7-10mm worth all the effort in your opinion or should I just accept it and apply my efforts else where?

Thanks

[Simon13]

a bent trailing arm from a crash.

does it drive striaght? Any signs of major accident damage?

[Gash]

No signs of major accident damage. Car looks straight as far as I can tell. Trailing arms look ok as do the rear cross member. Car drives straight as die.

[Gash]

Forgot to say. I had a four wheel alignment check done and everything was spot on.