c4 rear suspension one side is higher than the other

[bsponsler]

Hi folks,

fairly new to the site, but have a question , this is my second vette, first being an "89" , this one I just bought,a 30k 95 LT1, seems to lean half an inch towards the drivers side. if I measure from the ground to the fender well on the back , the drivers side is 28 inches and the passenger side measures 28 1/2 inches from the ground to the fender well. the front is ok what could this mean? its not really noticeable unless your the owner and you look at it all the time! seriously should this be something I should have looked at? what could be causing this? also, is the back hatch seal all one piece? I have to replace the one on this c4 and the old one is actually two pieces. thanks in advance for the help.

Brent

 

[Skant]

Don't fret about it.

First off, this is a fiberglass bodied car. And fiberglass body tends to move around very easily. It's very flimsy and light. (Which is part of why the Corvette is very light for a V8 car) It's also why you should not push start a corvette... the thin body panels can't handle being pressed upon.

Second, unless you have the car on a piece of granite, you really don't know that the ground itself is perfectly flat and level. It almost certainly isn't.

Third, if you're looking for straightness, you should be measuring the frame/suspension, not the body.

But in any case, unless it's quite severe (and half an inch is not), don't worry about it. It's normal.

- Skant

 

[bsponsler]

Thanks for the info

Don't fret about it.

First off, this is a fiberglass bodied car. And fiberglass body tends to move around very easily. It's very flimsy and light. (Which is part of why the Corvette is very light for a V8 car) It's also why you should not push start a corvette... the thin body panels can't handle being pressed upon.

Second, unless you have the car on a piece of granite, you really don't know that the ground itself is perfectly flat and level. It almost certainly isn't.

Third, if you're looking for straightness, you should be measuring the frame/suspension, not the body.

But in any case, unless it's quite severe (and half an inch is not), don't worry about it. It's normal.

- Skant

 

[c4cruiser]

The diference between the wheelwell openings heights should not be an issue. My 92 is about 1/2" off with the left side being lower. If there is a difference in suspension component heights, that would be cause for looking further.

The rubber seal for the rear hatch should be the same for 84-96 cars. There are differences in quality (and price!!) between the OEM GM piece and some aftermarket pieces, but I don''t recall seeing a replacement being a 2-piece design. Anytime you have a gap in a weatherstripping piece, it invites water leakage. Maybe a prior owner cut it to make the install a bit easier??

 

[vettepilot]

Well,

I guess I will be the bearer of bad news in this thread, but keep in mind this was MY experience, and does not necessarily mean your car has a history.
My 1993 was hit pretty hard in the right rear side when only 8 months old. Prior to the accident the rear wheel opening heights were within 1/8 inch when measured on a level floor whether driven in or backed into my garage.
After the repairs the difference was about 1/2 inch, with the left side being the lower of the two. You could also see a gap difference around the tub area between where the rear glass curved and the body curved, but only on the left side.
So, I know what caused my problems. I don't mean to cause you dire concerns, but it is a possibility that the car had some major body work at one time. I hope not, but anything is possible.

vettepilot

 

[WhalePirot]

you should not push start a corvette... the thin body panels can't handle being pressed upon.

I guess I should stop doing this, after 19 years, with THIS Corvette. Fiber glass, or more correctly, SMC (sheet molded compoung), on the C-4s and newer, is stronger than most sheet metal. My old roomie's Lotus was thin and frail, but every Corvette I've owned or known is quite strong.

I would check the rear alignment, including the angle of the half shafts. Optimally, they should be straight; unangled, from diffy to yoke. This may be a simple matter of adjusting the position of the nuts, on the bolts to the rear transverse spring. Height of the openings, measured from any floor, don't matter as much as getting the suspension geometry correct.

You can check for overspray and other indicators, if you're concerned about body repairs.

 

[taegdh]

I must agree, about the idea of the back being out of alignment, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were designed that way. Just so it looked level from the back on the road.
You know, there are some real screwballs out there who would think of stuff like that!

 

[drags1998]

Dont worry about wheelwell height!!!!!! I would be willing to bet that more than1/2 of ALL cars on the road are not PERFECT when measured some where from side to side!!!!!! If it bothers you that much, AJUST IT, its VERY easy to do. There are so many things that could be off 1/8 in. REALLY, dont sweat it!!!!!I know mine was off by almost 3/8 of an in. so I ajusted it!!! I also measured all my other cars (4) and found that (1) was NEAR PERFECT!!!!! the others were also off by as much as 1/2in. OH WELL!!!!!!!