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Okay, what did I do wrong????

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Old Oct 29, 2011 | 04:35 PM
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Default Okay, what did I do wrong????

"02 4dr 4wd: I replaced the lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends and driver's side CV axle shaft. In doing so I let both lower control arms go down until stopped by the shock.

I then used a jack to raise the lower control arm up to the upper control arm/ball joint....everything went together with no problems...other than I messed-up the alignment.

BUT NOW....the left side of the vehicle is higher or the right side is lower...not sure which....I just have a difference of about 5/8 to 3/4 inch measuring at the rear and about 3/8 inch at the front....side to side.

So WHAT did I do wrong? Is it possible that I broke a torsion rod or one side came loose?

I have never messed with the torsion rods.....need help with them.

Thanks...
 

Last edited by LannyL81; Oct 29, 2011 at 04:39 PM.
Old Oct 29, 2011 | 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by LannyL81
"02 4dr 4wd: I replaced the lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends and driver's side CV axle shaft. In doing so I let both lower control arms go down until stopped by the shock.

I then used a jack to raise the lower control arm up to the upper control arm/ball joint....everything went together with no problems...other than I messed-up the alignment.

BUT NOW....the left side of the vehicle is higher or the right side is lower...not sure which....I just have a difference of about 5/8 to 3/4 inch measuring at the rear and about 3/8 inch at the front....side to side.

So WHAT did I do wrong? Is it possible that I broke a torsion rod or one side came loose?

I have never messed with the torsion rods.....need help with them.

Thanks...
Check the stabilizer links, they rust and fail, one may have broke.
 
Old Oct 29, 2011 | 07:12 PM
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yup check those out, i doubt you broke a t-bar.
maybe messed up the t-bar alignment...i dont see how though

you may need to crank them to align the height again.
others will weigh in i hope...just guessing on my part.
 
Old Oct 29, 2011 | 08:08 PM
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Checked the stablizer links.....both okay....although I thought perhaps I bent the stablizer bar because I could not get the link bolts off so I left them on and then separated one lower ball joint without a jack under it...did this on the right side.

Appears that the left side is high rather than the left side low.

So I took the stablizer bar off and it is fine, not bent, not twisted...fine.

I have jack stands on the rear axle and front back on the ground with no stablizer bar. Left side higher than right side. Again everything looks fine comparing side to side. When jacking up the front, place jack in middle of front crossmember....the right side leaves the ground berfore the left side by about 1/2".

I am stumped.
 

Last edited by LannyL81; Oct 30, 2011 at 08:01 AM.
Old Oct 29, 2011 | 11:33 PM
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Have you driven it since doing the work?

I have noticed when I let the tbars unload to the stop, particularly just one side, that that one side will sit higher than the other until driving a short time. The longer the tbar(s) are unsprung, the more I have noticed it. After putting the suspension through a short workout, everything goes back to where it should be.
 
Old Oct 30, 2011 | 08:12 AM
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I have driven it several miles and no change. I am going to try un-cranking the right side torsion rod today to see what difference this makes.
I had the front on jack stands for over a week as I was awaiting the new lower ball joints to arrive.

I sure hope nothing has bent or anything.

Will update later today.
 
Old Oct 30, 2011 | 12:43 PM
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So I loosened the left side torsion rod and did about 1/2 turn crank on the right side. Left side came down and right side came up....so pretty much level now..actually I kept the left side a bit higher to compensate for a full tank of fuel and driver weight.

I adjusted the tie rod ends by sight....now will need to take to the alignment shop....and perhaps he will notice something.

Oh well...
 
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