Why does it sit higher after jacking?
01-19-2001, 09:46 PM
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Why does it sit higher after jacking?
I had my car jacked up today...i put it on jack stands, then jacked up the tranny to replace the tranny mount. When i lowered the car it sat higher then before...it was very noticeable visually, plus i knew it was sitting higher cause i could fit the jack under no problem where as before i had to use a spare tire jack to get it up enough to fit the floor jack under. Is this just cause its got old shocks and stuff or what? After i pulled the car into my driveway it looks ok now....So did i screw anything up???
01-19-2001, 09:54 PM
#2
Josh,
That is completely normal (at least at the front end).
When you raised the car, the front suspension was allowed to fully relax to the lowest position. When this happens, the swingarms (lower control arms) swing the bottoms of the front wheels inward slightly. When the car is lowered, the tires are the first thing to contact the ground. As the weight of the car transfers back to the suspension, the tires are pushed outward. The sidewalls of the tires tend to push inward against the weight, holding the car slightly higher than it would normally be.
The first time you move the car a few feet, the tires relax to their normal positions and everything equalizes, so the springs alone are holding the weight of the car. This won't damage anything unless you have nylon belted tires and leave it that way for several weeks.
Don't freak, dude!
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Later,
Vader
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"I'm gonna talk about some freaky sheet now..."
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KaleCo Auto Parts
That is completely normal (at least at the front end).
When you raised the car, the front suspension was allowed to fully relax to the lowest position. When this happens, the swingarms (lower control arms) swing the bottoms of the front wheels inward slightly. When the car is lowered, the tires are the first thing to contact the ground. As the weight of the car transfers back to the suspension, the tires are pushed outward. The sidewalls of the tires tend to push inward against the weight, holding the car slightly higher than it would normally be.
The first time you move the car a few feet, the tires relax to their normal positions and everything equalizes, so the springs alone are holding the weight of the car. This won't damage anything unless you have nylon belted tires and leave it that way for several weeks.
Don't freak, dude!
------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
"I'm gonna talk about some freaky sheet now..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
KaleCo Auto Parts
01-19-2001, 10:23 PM
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Cool, thanks vader...i knew it was a dumb question...but my camaro was looking like a 4x4 sittin that high and It just made me wonder if it was normal. 
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