I just installed coilovers (H&R Street, no independent height adjustment) on my 2011 MCS.

I set the front shocks so that driver's side is a little higher than the passenger side to account for me the driver.

I did not do this for the back; I set them identically to the same amount of threads as close as I can before putting them on. However, once off the jack stands, the rear passenger corner sits higher by almost an INCH!

I adjusted the rear shocks to even out the height. As a result, the shock on rear passenger corner is at almost at its lowest setting, while the other side is around the middle of the threads. I'm worried that one side has significantly more preload than the other.

What can be done about this? I've read old posts (2007~) about this issue, but they remain unresolved.

 

Make sure you have them assembled correctly. Also after you install them you should drive it a little and let the car settle, them make a judgement if you need to adjust them.

 

It has settled for a couple of days now. The tank is full, if that matters in the analysis. The ride is surprising close to stock with very minimal bounciness. On street driving, there are no rattles, vibrations, squeaks, or any other anomalies, even on bumpy roads.

I doubt it's the assembly. But now you're making me think of taking them back out, again.

 

I just disassembled and re-installed the coilovers and the height is still uneven

Before that, I spoke to H&R on phone and of course they blamed it on me.

Let this be a caution for those who are thinking of buying H&R in the future.

The ride and the performance seem fine. But be prepared to tackle unevenness when setting it up.

 

Perhaps you can check to make sure the springs are correctly seated for the one that is high.

FYI, I have the same experience with Eibach Coilovers.

If they are coils, can you adjust them to make them more even

 

Do people read the first posts at all?

 

relax buddy, he's just trying to help you. People make mistakes

 

Not trying to be a pain. Just trying to help and yes, I did read all your posts. I have been trying to figure out my imbalanced Eibach coils as well. Final solution was to buy some ASTs.

 

Sometimes it is not so easy to try and help. Thanks.

 

I guess that just how it is with basic coilovers with no independent height adjustment?

I couldn't hold out for a kit worth 2.5k, though. May be when a used one comes along...

 

Mine is in the front and the passenger side seems a little low, by about 1/4". At max height, there is still some fender rubbing. The height difference is not that much compared to yours. I was thinking about putting on some spacers to see it that could help.

Hopefully, the car will again see lots of track time this year so I am careful with the type of fixes I try.

I would not put on an AST for street use.

 

I just did the same install and had the same problem. I adjusted and there was still some un-eveness. Normally it is just me in the car, but this weekend I took a 1200 mile road trip with the family. After that they seem to be all square. It took probably 2000 miles for them to even out. It depends on where your parking at too the groud could be uneven.

 

You're welcome

 

Alright, this isn't to stir the pot, but how do you have a coilover that's not "height adjustable"?
Your description sounds more like a 'cup-kit' where its a set-spring height and strut combo package.

Those whole point of having a threaded strut body is to set ride height due to spring preload.
If you do have threaded coil bodies, corner-balancing the car will 'flatten' out the car's ride height.
Typically the reason the spring preload is different is due to the car having different mass distributed through the vehicle.

- Erik

 

I'm not even going to justify that condescending remark with a response, bluefox. Gosh, there's always one in automotive forums

To the rest of you, I'm happy to report that the corner that was too high seem to be settling. As Sacred Disorder recommended, I drove around with passengers. (Scared the crap out of them around the corners )

 

No serious; I was asking because the definition of a coilover typically translates to an adjustable threaded strut body to adjust spring pre-load / ride height.

- Erik

 

I had H&R streets, they are all height adjustable. Unless you have a product I am unfamiliar with. Have a link to the exact product you are using?

 

I was misquoted. I thought I wouldn't have to go there, but I don't appreciate being made to feel like a r*tard .

I was NOT talking about a lack of height adjustment. I was talking about the a lack INDEPENDENT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT. Meaning that adjustment for the spring preload IS also the height adjustment. As opposed to a coilover with an adjustable shock body, where height adjustment is independent from the spring preload adjustment.

 

I don't think anyone is talking to you like a retard. Honestly I am feeling more attacked then I think you have any grounds to be. I think the problem is how you worded it and that is why people are confused.

So you are unhappy because in theory you would have had to preload all four corners differently in order to have an even height? Were you planning on having the car corner balanced?

 

How "uneven" are they? Like inches or just a little bit?

My stock sport suspension settled a little unevenly, but not enough that it makes any difference in ride or looks.

 

Not planning on corner balancing. I'm not planning on tracking or auto-crossing, just some spirited driving in some winding roads. I understand that the car will have uneven weight distribution and that I have to compensate for that by adjusting spring preload on each corner in order to level the car. My concern is that in the rear one side had to kept at the lowest setting (no threads left), while the other side had to be raised to about 2.5 inches above the lowest setting. That's pretty significant. Even H&R said that isn't normal.

One side in the rear end is a little over 3/8" higher. Yeah, that sounds insignificant, but that's the corner that had to be set at the lowest setting!

 

Maybe you have bent suspension components like; top, mounts, arms etc. , have you checked those?

 

That is pretty much the same way mine was sitting. Passenger side all the way down and sitting 1/2 inch high. I adjusted the driver rear up about 2" and that helped. Now after the road trip depending on the day the gap does from 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch.

*NOTE*

On install be carefull when you torque the assembly down. I had the threads snap off on one of my struts during installation!!!!

 

No bent components. I even swapped the coilovers from one side to the other. If there were bent components, then it would have been lopsided towards the other side.

 

wow, this is a huge conundrum, sound quite annoying. The only thing I can really think of is left shock and right shock installed on opposite sides, but that would cause a few other issues I'm sure.

Have you measured each shock at full droop and full compression? Maybe one shock has a lot more stiction than the other (long shot) and doesn't fully compress?