car seems lower at one side that the other

[alane]

was checking my car over as the mot is due next month ,
at the rear the suspension is lower at one side than the other on the passenger side i can get 2 fingers between the arch and the top of the wheel and on the drivers side i cant get any in .The top of the wheel sits level with the arch

Any ideas anyone ??

[bazza93]

weak spring or knackered shock

[Hyperion]

Hi
I have the same issue.. I first thought it was the springs so i changed my cheap springs for some Eilbach springs. It helped a little but i still have a difference in height.

[ian332isport]

Fat passengers

[bazza93]

Fat passengers

LOL i was going to suggest that but thought i would be nice for once

[abelai]

Subframe mounts can cause this. Have a look at both sides and see if one side is higher than the other.

[orangecurry]

I saw this on a cabbie - we swopped the springs, then bought new springs - but with absolutely no difference.

Then we noticed that there had been some (well repaired) accident damage in the rear corner where the side of the car was 'too high'.

Look carefully down the sides from standing behind the car - can you see any ripple/twist directly above the rear wheel arch (on either side of the car)?

An off-centre rear impact can twist a cabbie just enough to have this effect on the rear suspension.

Have either of you got hard-tops? (edited - Hyperion have you got a Baur?) My hardtop would not fit onto the 'twisted' cabbie.... it would either fit into the sockets at the back or it would fasten onto the windscreen.... it wouldn't do both

[alane]

ok thanks for the advise
im not fat so that rules that out .

but the car has had accident damage which i was aware of when i bought it but ive been all round the car inside and out and underneath and cant see where its been damaged/repaired so im guessing it was a good job -and it was in 1991 so the previous owner didnt know what the damage was -but its definately been damaged as it shows up on the hpi report .

Have never fitted a hard top although the car is hard top prepared

Is the height difference a mot failure ?

[orangecurry]

it wasn't noticed on the single MOT we did on the 'twisted' car. I doubt any MOTer will notice.

If you can borrow a hard-top for 5 minutes this might show you for sure.

If you haven't already, pull the side-carpets out in the boot and have a good look if you are worried.

[sam325is]

this is an extremely common issue. do a search on it and apparently there is a 19mm adjustment bolt on either side at the rear. adjusting these bolts sorts it ......................apparently!

[ian332isport]

this is an extremely common issue. do a search on it and apparently there is a 19mm adjustment bolt on either side at the rear. adjusting these bolts sorts it ......................apparently!

Not on any E30 I've ever seen

[StuBeeDoo]

Subframe mounts can cause this. Have a look at both sides and see if one side is higher than the other.

That would be my first port-of-call, too.

[alane]

thanks again
i understand the subframe is a pig of a job to do ?

[Cyruz]

I had this problem on the front, thought that when i swapped the springs i'd accidentally put the one of the old springs back on by mistake...

Changed the wheels and tyres and it was fine. Think I was running 1x 14 and 1x 15 and I'd never noticed

[e30-320i]

i have the same problem with mine at the moment and its pretty low so its more noticable and it passed the mot fine last month.i'm planning on doing the rear bushes (one day) so hope this will sort it

[sam325is]

a guy i know has a motorsprt cab and hes has had all rear end bushes replaced.The problem is still there. i wasnt to sure about the bold either ian thats why i said apparently lol but lots of e30's have a problem where one side is a little higher than the other on the back.....it is often a very small amount but it is often there....as people say..probly worn bushes

[Hyperion]

any luck with this? was it the subframe mounts in the end?

[alane]

i havent looked at it yet

[Radar]

I had this problem with my E36 M3 Saloon. Turned out to be a broken spring.

[bmwsport]

If you find out what the problem is i'd like to know too Mine is sagging at the O/S rear. Indy garage looking at it in half hour so may find the cause.