Rear axle problem??

[Ads29]

To cut a long story short I'm in the process of converting the 172 into full on race car ready for 2016

I noticed over thelast couple of weeks that the rear suspension looked uneven, i assumed it was a broken spring and didn't worry too much as had new eibachs going in anyway, cut to the chase, I installed them yesterday afternoon and even after going for a drive the unevenness was still apparent, so back for a visual inspection and on the ground there was a massive difference in the angle of the spring plates on the rear axle?!, with approx an inch of ride height difference

As a test I have swapped to rear shocks across and have managed to level the back end out slightly but it is still over half an inch, with the rear end up on stands the axle is almost level (within a couple of mm's)

So has anybody experienced this?? I plan on aquiring a second axle as a precaution and I have another set of shocks on order too as mine have seen better days

My initial thought was a bent axle but maybe somebody else who has had this can help?

Many Thanks Ads

 

[Goodj]

Could have taken a whack at some point. Your boot floor and wheel well aren't all twisted up at all are they?

Oh, and for a "Full race car", surely you'd be fitting adjustable coiliovers?

 

[Scrooge]

Are the two rear springs identical?

 

[Ads29]

Yes, I've even put in two sets that I know are identical, swapping the shocks side to side did make a small difference but it was the difference in the angles of the spring plates on the axle that got my attention

 

[Ads29]

Could have taken a whack at some point. Your boot floor and wheel well aren't all twisted up at all are they?

Oh, and for a "Full race car", surely you'd be fitting adjustable coiliovers?

I will at some point be going full adjustable, although for next year my budget will probably mean staying in production class of tricolore and then progress from there

Doesn't appear to be any damage and I've certainly not given it a 'whack' myself, nothing appears out of line and it drives straight

 

[Goodj]

hmmmmmmm.
We have a mystery, team!

 

[Ads29]

Something I said??

 

[Ads29]

This may be a little far fetched, but IF and i mean if the roll bar in the axle had broken or become detached somehow on one side (purely speculation at this point) would that cause one side to drop or raise?? I'm struggling to find anything else that could cause the axle to be uneven

 

[Tony Hunter]

It seems like you have done the most obvious checks, but without actually seeing it, it's very hard to guess what could be wrong, apart from twisted.

Looking forward to seeing you out with us next year.

 

[Ads29]

I'll be out there, I aim to at least be there for the first race, might be bringing up the rear though

 

[Ads29]

Oh I'll try to get some photos of it tomorrow, more overtime today, got to keep the Mrs happy after all

 

[Tony Hunter]

Oh I'll try to get some photos of it tomorrow, more overtime today, got to keep the Mrs happy after all

Of course. And don't forget, everything cost £50 for the race car.

 

[Ads29]

To be fair as long as our bills are paid then I can do whatever I like

So early start this morning, and some photos of the difference

Passenger side

Please excuse the damp shock, I might have damaged the piston when swapping them over

Drivers side

Comparatively speaking there is a lot more movement in the roll bar on the drivers side compared to passenger, and by looking at the springs in the photos the drivers side is compressed more than the passenger

I'm starting to think it's probably best to just get another axle and swap them over, see what happens

 

[Tony Hunter]

That n/s looks very high anyway.

 

[Ads29]

That's on eibach proline too, new axle coming up, I was trying to work out if the passenger side was high or the drivers low