I took my '68 camaro in for a new 18.5" rear end last week. When I went to pick it up I noticed the car was not sitting level anymore. The drivers side rear seems to be sagging - wheel clearance to the fender is less than the pass side. It was balanced just fine when I took it in. We crawled underneath to see if there was anything obvious. Nothing seems to explain why. The rear springs were not removed or touched. Just a rear end swap (entire rear end and brakes). The guy told me that the stance of the car depended on the front end and that the coil springs up front must not be seated evenly. BUT IT WAS FINE WHEN I TOOK IT THERE! Any ideas? Could it be possible that they twisted the frame somehow by hoisting it and leaving it hoisted for a couple days? What should I do to troubleshoot where the problem is coming from? I just replaced all the front end about 8 months ago, new wilwoods, and bushings. Could the spring pop out somehow and change the ride height on one side?

Not sure what to do. Thanks for any input.

Mark

if you have lowering coils in the front, it is possible that the spring came out of the pocket just by taking the weight of the front, it happens to me all the time and almost always pops back in place over the first bump

I would loosen all the U-bolts and the shackles. Bounce the rear of car a few times and unbolt the shocks. Tigthen everything back up, with the car on the ground and see what happens. I have a feeling it may have to do with the shocks. Do you have multi-leaf springs ? Does the new rear end have multi-leaf spring perches etc. ?

I had that drivers side sag by about 1 inch from passenger to driver. I had new frame rails installed and I was hoping that would fix the problem but it did nothing. I did a disc brake conversion and had a set of 6308 coils put up front and seated properly and now she sits perfectly. It was a poorly seated coil in the front that was the problem. I had the new ones compressed and banded before installation, and we were able to install them in the identical postitons according to the manual and JohnZ the God of Camaro assembly. I would look at that first.

I had that drivers side sag by about 1 inch from passenger to driver. I had new frame rails installed and I was hoping that would fix the problem but it did nothing. I did a disc brake conversion and had a set of 6308 coils put up front and seated properly and now she sits perfectly. It was a poorly seated coil in the front that was the problem. I had the new ones compressed and banded before installation, and we were able to install them in the identical postitons according to the manual and JohnZ the God of Camaro assembly. I would look at that first.

Thanks for the input, reseating those springs is a big job. Does anyone think that I could compress the springs right where they sit now without popping the upper or lower ball joints? If I could jack the car up so the wheels are hanging first...... anyone see a problem with that?

If the rear suspension bolts were tightened without the weight of the car on the springs the rubber bushings will be in a bind which can cause ride height problems. Either you or your mechanic should put jackstands under the rear axle. Loosen the front spring eye bolts and the rear shackle bolts. Bounce the car a few times and then tighten up the bolts.

If it still sits cockeyed you probably need new rear springs. What you describe is a common problem on old Camaros and most of them sag to the driver side.

Farm boy could be correct. Since nothing has happened to the front of the car maybe you could try what he says first then take a look at the coils in front. To do my trunk they had to remove the whole rear end. The fellow who did the work is a chasis and suspension specialist, and I think he levelled the rear pretty well. In my case the front drivers coil was not installed properly and the coil spring change fixed the problem.
By the way JohnZ told me that the front coils should be 3/8" from the TOP hole, on both sides.

If the rear suspension bolts were tightened without the weight of the car on the springs the rubber bushings will be in a bind which can cause ride height problems. Either you or your mechanic should put jackstands under the rear axle. Loosen the front spring eye bolts and the rear shackle bolts. Bounce the car a few times and then tighten up the bolts.

If it still sits cockeyed you probably need new rear springs. What you describe is a common problem on old Camaros and most of them sag to the driver side.

Thanks. I will try doing what you said and see if that makes a difference. The guy who did the rear end job told me he didn't touch the rear leafs during the installation. The front and rear eye bolts were not removed (not even loosened), only the rear end housing was removed and the new one installed with the springs in place.

Gee, Why didn't I say that... read from the begining !

TS69: You did, we just needed a second opinion. LOL!

Hey everyone. Yeah, i have the same problem now on my 67 Camaro. I did a rear multi-leaf conversion from single, thinking that was it, bought all new shocks, bushings, shackles. It did nothing for the driver side sag. I even had someone install new struts in front but same coils. Should i change out coils too.... i need more help.

Gee, Why didn't I say that... read from the begining !

I read yours as well. I'll try all the advice, not fun driving a lop-sided car around town......

Hey everyone. Yeah, i have the same problem now on my 67 Camaro. I did a rear multi-leaf conversion from single, thinking that was it, bought all new shocks, bushings, shackles. It did nothing for the driver side sag. I even had someone install new struts in front but same coils. Should i change out coils too.... i need more help.

That's too bad, but it seems like the only thing you haven't tried so you may as well. Or else go to a fully adjustable system where it can be fine tuned down to the mm. Good luck, let me know if you ever find the reason.

Thanks for the input, reseating those springs is a big job. Does anyone think that I could compress the springs right where they sit now without popping the upper or lower ball joints? If I could jack the car up so the wheels are hanging first...... anyone see a problem with that?

Go to A-zone and you can rent a col spring compressor...that way you dont have to pull ball joints....

So what I did last night is I jacked up the rear of the car by the center pumpkin. The front of the car balanced itself after bouncing it a bit. The rear wheel clearance is off by over 1.5"! I guess this narrows it down to a problem with the rear end.

Right now I'm reluctant to take the rear end apart until they look at it again (I'm taking it back) but what if they just tell me to go away?

I am having the EXACT same problem on my 69. I went from the stock mono leaf to the Hotchkis 3 leaf converstion with 1 1/2 drop. Been on the car for 3 years now and the drivers side in the back dips about the same as yours. I've go a Detroit Speed and Engineering front end with 500lbs 2 inch drop springs that are seated correctly. I called Hotckis and basically they said to swap leaf springs from one side to the other. If the lean goes to the passenger side then it's a bad spring. If the lean stays at the drivers side then it's a body problem. Haven't had the time to do the job yet but will soon I hope.