Guest Zachb55 Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 ok my car cant make it down the driveway without bottoming out on the driver side rear tire. The weird thing is it stays like that for a long time, not sure what makes it go back, some more bumps i would presume. i can even get out and go look at it and the tire is rubbing on the rim of the wheel well. this is really worrying me. the odd thing is that i took a hydraulic jack and put it under the tire and jacked the tire way up and it would barely get to the wheel well edge. any ideas? i was thinking shot struts but i dont know... -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j260z Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 a problem with the wheel not coming back down sounds like a spring issue. what setup are you using? if it is a stock setup it could be that the spring has broken or come out of its perch somehow. if you are running coilovers it could be that the bottom adjustable perch has come loose and the spring is no longer under tension. that being said, there must be another factor considering the strut won't return under its own weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 As far as i know, and from how it looks, im pretty sure it is a stock setup. the spring looked like it was compressing and expanding normally when i compressed that side with the jack... it does seem like something might be out of place, but im not sure what it is... -zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 It sounds like a bent strut cartridge. It would seam that the spring would have enough rebound tension to overcome this. I would definitely check out the strut cartridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I agree w/ SHO-Z, I had a bent cart in the front of my Z and it kept BOTH sides from moving up or down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 I have seen alot of "frozen" struts and that definately sounds like it. Good call guys I think that is the right track to head on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 ok, ill take it out and see whats going on, bad thing is; i need to be driving this thing on monday, hope i can find an obvious problem/cure to this. thanks for the conjectures! -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 ok, ive got everything mostly down and hanging there on that side but dont have a spring compressor to take it apart any further, any ideas? The whole assembly looks fine for 32 years old, which leads me to think that strut has to be the culprit. what do you think my best option is to fix it? i need this thing working on monday guys, or its alternate transport in a farming community... not pretty. ok so i was thinking go to my nearest tire/suspension place and see if they carry the strut i need, are they very model specific? or would they likely stock em? its a privately own "Tire Factory". ok give me your best advice people, im ready to get down and dirty, you tell me what i need to do! thanks a lot, -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 Some of the discount auto parts stores and rental places have spring compressors that you can rent. I bought mine from harbor freight tools, a cheap one. It works ok. I did mine without removing it from the car completely. Made one several years ago of all thread rod, nuts and steel plate I think all of the 240 are the same, the 260 have 2 different models, 240 type and 280 type. The 280 is all alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 It sounds like a bent strut cartridge. It would seam that the spring would have enough rebound tension to overcome this. I would definitely check out the strut cartridge. Werd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alternativez2003 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I had the same problem with my 85 735 BMW. Obviously a heavier car, but it occurred on the front suspension in extremely cold weather. You could consider stiff bushings, but more likely it's springs or shocks. If the springs, which actually support of the weight of the car, have lost their tensile strength, the spring will not push the car back up after compression. Likewise, if, as has been mentioned, the shock, which is only meant to dampen the compression and rebound, has ceased to function, by binding basically, then the spring cannot push the car back up. In either case, invest in a new set of springs and shocks; you'll appreciate the new ride, and it should cure the problem. While you are at it replace any suspension bushings, and your car will ride and handle better than new. Buy a pair of spring compressors, or borrow a pair from a friend. It's not a difficult job if you are mechanically inclined, but be careful not to launch a spring through the fender. Just remember which are front springs and rear springs. Good luck, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alternativez2003 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I had the same problem with my 85 735 BMW. Obviously a heavier car, but it occurred on the front suspension in extremely cold weather. You could consider stiff bushings, but more likely it's springs or shocks. If the springs, which actually support of the weight of the car, have lost their tensile strength, the spring will not push the car back up after compression. Likewise, if, as has been mentioned, the shock, which is only meant to dampen the compression and rebound, has ceased to function, by binding basically, then the spring cannot push the car back up. In either case, invest in a new set of springs and shocks; you'll appreciate the new ride, and it should cure the problem. While you are at it replace any suspension bushings, and your car will ride and handle better than new. Buy a pair of spring compressors, or borrow a pair from a friend. It's not a difficult job if you are mechanically inclined, but be careful not to launch a spring through the fender. Just remember which are front springs and rear springs. Good luck, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zachb55 Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 The deal is this; i got my strut casing out of the car, and noticed a pretty wet cap on the cartridge, then i pushed the strut inward and tried pulling outward, the outward motion was extremely slow and hard, and it actually sucked back inward if i let up. i now know that my strut must have basically bombed and that is why it got stuck down when it would bottom out, something must have gotten out of whack enough to have caused the strut to reverse it's opperation. pretty odd, but im just glad that with a new strut cartridge this thing will be on the road soon, hopefully sometime this week, looks like ill be bumming rides for a couple days oh well, thanks for the help everyone. -Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Sounds like the iternal seal went on the valve. Glad it turned out well for ya!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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