I had my BC Racing BR series OEM style coilovers installed by my mechanic/friend two days ago and have been playing with my ride height to get it perfect ever since, lol. My question is, is it normal that I have to set the rear right considerably higher than the rear left in order for them to sit evenly? Yes, I'm adjusting on even ground.

He adjusted the shocks evenly on both sides and my car didn't have any sagging issues with the OEM suspension so I find it odd that I have to set them so unevenly in order for them to sit evenly. Any idea what the issue could be?

 

Are you sure the measurements were taken on *perfectly level* ground?
Did you reverse the car's position (left to right on same ground) and verify that one side is higher with *even spring* setting? How much is the difference?

 

Remember the springs are made in china and not perfect. Then you alo have to look at how the weight is distobuted thru the car.

 

Wow i though i was the only one this also happen to me same side and all i just left the other side lower to keep both sides even.

 

Ya my mechanic said the same thing, he thinks one spring is most likely softer than the other due to poor quality control. I'm debating whether I should send it back to BC or live with it like this.



I set them on a pretty level surface, it's almost definitely not perfectly level but regardless. I've tried several difference surfaces and my ride is definitely even from side to side but the rear right is adjusted a decent amount higher than the rear left.

 

As with all springs , they need to be adjusted to be perfect. Even my swift springs don't sit perfect. You do have adjustable coilovers right? Adjust them, part of the reason I charge a bit more than drop springs to set them up.

 

Most non adjustable setups can be within 1/8" side to side..that's within tolerances. I don't know how far you were off, but if it's really ride height adjustable (without changing preload on spring itself) you have no worries at all. Doesn't matter if they're set differently.

 

Well from what I understand you can't play with spring preload in the rear on an OEM style setup. There are only 2 rings, a lock ring and an "adjustment" ring, both of which serve to adjust ride height. How would you even adjust spring preload in the rear?

I also noticed that when I jack up the rear, the left spring becomes loose in the spring bucket, where as the right one doesn't. I assume it's because I have the right side set higher than the left by a good dozen notches.

 

Wouldnt hurt to verify the part numbers on the springs match. BC sent me a mismatched set.

You set the height that you want the car by the top collar on the spring perch.
You set the spring preload by adjusting the lower adjustment fork on the strut so that the spring bucket holds the spring in place with the strut fully extended.

 

^ Ya that's what I'm thinking may be the problem, I need to set the spring load to a higher setting on the left side cause the right side doesn't come loose but the left side does, so I would assume that means the preload is too soft on the left? What I do find odd however is that the preloads are set evenly from left to right. Why do I have to set them differently in order for them to be even?

 

*UPDATE*

I checked and both shocks are set to as short as they can be and I still have one side that comes loose and the other that doesn't. We also switched the springs around and it's now the left side that needs to be adjusted higher than the right for it to be even so it's definitely not a weight thing. I'm pretty sure one of the springs is soft.

Would be nice if BC Racing could chime in at this point. I spoke to a tech support guy on the phone but he was no help at all.

 

Yikes. That's not good.

Did you verify that the springs are both the correct part number as mentioned above?

 

If both shocks are at the full "short" condition and one of the springs is coming loose with the car jacked up, then it seems that the issue is not related to the stiffness of the springs but rather the length of the spring, assuming 1) both of the shocks are the same length, and 2) the adjustable upper perches of both springs are set at the same height. If those two conditions are confirmed true, then I would recommend removing both rear springs and measuring them to ensure they are the same height.

Also, are you positive that both rear springs are seated identically in the lower buckets?

 

Have you measured the shock length in the full short adjustment, just to make sure the are both adjusted the same?

 

I am sure that both of the shocks are set to the shortest setting and as I explained above, the spring perches are NOT set at the same height because if I do set them at the same height, one side ends up being considerably lower than the other. Also, yes I checked if the numbers on the springs are the same and they are, the springs are definitely the same model. Off the car, they seem to be the same height as well. The reason the one that comes loose does so, I think, is because that spring is set almost down, hence, as it's shortest setting. It doesn't come completely loose, it just wiggles around a bit.

So far it also seems that the troublesome side keeps sagging lower and lower, it make no sense that I would have to set one side more than half way up and the other almost all the way down in order for them to be even.

Does anyone know what the procedure is for having a replacement spring sent to me?

 

Are you at the same fuel level each time you mess with it?

At this point I would pay someone to corner balance it, possibly one of the front adjustments is off and putting more weight on that corner. Do you have an amp or anything heavy in the hatch area?

 

You are sure the shocks are at the shortest setting or sure the are both even when at the shortest setting. You have to remember that your dealing with cheap china crap. Measurements need to be made, even when you think it is at the shortest setting.

 

Is it really that common that the shocks are considerably different lengths when set at the shortest setting? Somehow I don't think so. And as I stated earlier, the problematic spring sags on either side of the car so regardless of the difference in shock length or the weight distribution between the 2 sides, whichever side the problematic spring is on is always the side that sags. This is what leads me to conclude that the spring is the problem.

Also, I called BC Racing again and they are shipping me a replacement spring because even they agree with me that after the tests I've done, there is no other explanation than a defective spring.

I'll post an update once I receive the spring and install it.

*Feel free to reply if you think you may still have another explanation.*

 

sooo. what was the reason? did u get it figured out??