Hello. Last week or so I chimed in on a thread about Bilstein's adjustable perch. The consensus was to start on the 3rd level from the bottom.

I did, however, the driver's side tire still rubbed on the quarter panel lip, however, did not on the passenger side (close, but still).

Today I moved the perch up to the 5-tier and the tire is still rubbing on the lip - on the passenger side much better clearance.

I did note that the driver's side wheel sits out further than the passenger side and all other wheels. I took a look at the CV joints to see if there was a difference between side, however, did not see anything that would make me think it would be the CV joints.

I inspected the A-arm and it appears to be solid, no signs of rust or break(s). Can someone throw some ideas out at me. I drove this car out from California in 2002 / 2003 and didn't have this problem.

I initially suspected the CV joints because when we did the rebuild the CV were removed and reinstalled.

I will get some pictures so you guys can see exactly what I am talking about.

thanks,

Fern

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Here is a picture of the driver side tire, as it sits out further away from the car. This is the same tire size that it had when I drove it out fro California.

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Passenger side.

what size wheel and tire?

Something doesn't look right there. That driver side tire is way out compared to the pass side.

Is the rear end in alignment?

How much is the gap from the inside of the tire to the fender well on each side?

the size of the tire is P185/65R15 - the weird thing about it is that they are the same wheels and size tires that they had in Cali - I bought new tires before I drove her out to the east cost - same size.

I didn't have any issues with them, then I had the engine rebuilt and thought the CV joints might have been put on wrong, I will take some pictures of both sides and forward.

Four or more eyes are better than two.

thanks,

those tires should fit with room to spare. Something is assembled wrong.

Prior to rebuilding the engine I had it aligned and it drove fine with respect to alignment / height. I can cup my fingers on the passenger side with no problem, about 1 1/2 to 2 inch clearance - can't get my finger in between the driver's side and on the 5th perch???

Fern

Would not be the cv joint, it would be the trailing arm and how it was mounted and adjusted.

Rich

That toe looks crazy. Do you have a print out of the alignment numbers? I'm betting they have slipped. Could be that the guy used an air wrench and stripped the trailing arm adjustment hardware?

Rich, Brant,

The trailing arm, which I mistakenly called it A-arm earlier was not removed / adjusted.

The alignment was done a while back. I will take a look today and see if I am missing something from the trailing arm (how the left differs from the right installation).

thanks,

Fern

But loosening and adjusting the trailing arm is how a rear alignment is performed. It might be the pictures. But put a tape measure on the rear and check your rear toe

Is this how it looked before ?? maybe the stub shaft nut never got tightend when they serviced the CV's if they pulled it as an assembly ?? but then the brakes would bind ??
Or like others have said something moved ..

As stated above, it looks like the toe and camber are way off.
That has nothing to do with where the spring sits on the perch.

When aligning these cars, you use shims at the front mount of the trailing arm to add/remove camber.
You also rotate the trailing arm in the same location to adjust toe.

Seems like you have way too much toe-in and positive camber on that side.

Is the suspension ear broken/rusted out?

What I was thinking.

the nut on the stub axle should not have anything to do with the position of the wheel.

If they removed the hub and didn't get it fully seated in the bearing, it could move the wheel out as the wheel position is directly related to the position of the hub.

Shoot a pic from the rear of the car showing both wheels in their rest positions. If, as mentioned, the drivers side in a position like this \ , it would equal to much positive camber.

Wheels should look like this / \ from the rear (not quite that radical though).

My $0.05

I gotta go with Brant or Bullit. Either the tech stripped it out/didn't tighten it and said it didn't need alignment thereby taking himself out of the circle of blame or it's a rust issue.

I'd also check the control arm - I had one that looked right but was bent when compared to stock spec's.(unfortunately, it was one that I had installed new bushings.... ) If the cars been hit or tagged a curb hard enough, that could bend the control arm or the inner mount (ear).

Though most crash damage will tend to push the wheel into the wheel well. And the trailing arm tends to fail in a noticeable way before the suspension ear moves. (Don't ask how I know this! )

--DD

I think we lost the OP

I'm back, it has been a hectic week at work. I just read all the suggestions and will take pictures this weekend and post so you guys can take a look at the car from underneath.

Yes that is the car when it was running. Since that picture the engine was rebuilt completely, the car has not been in an accident and sat most of these past 5-years on jacks and now on car dolly's. Not in a accident at all.

The ear on the trailing arm is in tack, no rust and after looking at were the ear is mounted on the car there appears to be no shift. Again I will take pictures this weekend so you guys can chime in. I can be mistaken.

That LH CV joint were it sits in the trailing arm, doesn't look the same as the RH side. The boot looks like it is sitting higher in the trailing arm hole than the other side.

I will get back to you guys on Saturday.

Thanks for the suggestions / opinions / comments / help.

Fern

Isn't there some "wiggle room" when installing the engine and trans into the car? Maybe the whole thing is just shifted a bit? Or is it tighter than that?

The brace bar under the engine, engine mounts, and tranny mounts are tight - from what little experience I have with these cars I do not believe it to have shifted. Just my opinion.

Fern

Why would the location of the engine/trans combo have anything to do with the alignment of the rear wheel or trailing arm?

I would say it would be prudent to do some measurements of the suspension console on both sides to rule that out. You can find the specs in the "914 Info" link at the top right hand of your browser window.

Once that's ruled out, then the trailing arm and/or hub would become suspect. Alignment numbers would also go a long way towards ruling things out.

Happy Saturday to all.

I worked on the car today, did some fuel stuff and wanted to get under and see what I could find on my LH rear tire rubbing on the fender w/ rear Bilstein on 5th perch.

I took some pictures:
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I moved the CV joints / rods towards / away from the trailing arm / to engine and both moved smoothly. I wanted to perform the measurements like the Painted Man suggested, however, do not understand the instructions.

If someone could break it down for me I would appreciate. last resort would be to have it towed to an alignment specialist to see what he comes up with.

I took a shot underneath and of the car in the garage for the hec of it. It is a great looking car, just have to get her finished up. It is a pain / pleasure type of relationship - sort of like the one I have with the wifey....

She came out to the garage about a dozen times today mentioning how great the weather was in Miami...

Any help would be appreciated.

Fern

Is it me or do you have 2 different width rims (stagger)? I was looking for other pics of your car to get a clear shot of the wheels from a different angle. Maybe its just me but they look different. Have you measured from the wheel center to the outer bead? If you do have different widths are the matching wider pair on the rear?

That would be an easy fix if they were. When I bought the car I never noticed a difference, but worth the check.

It's way too late for me to move the cars around in the garage but will do so in the morning.

thanks,

Fern

Give Jeff Hail a cigar (Arturo Fuentes) for figuring out the problem (send me your address). Looks like I miss marked the wheels when I took them off and put them back on.

I was watching the Bears / Lions game and went out to the garage during intermission to puff on a stogie and looked at all the wheels...

Looks like the deeper setting tires / wheels go on the front for movement while the less deeper wheels go on the back (stationary). I have two of the deep setting wheels on the LH side and two of the other kind on the RH.

Jeff - can't thank you and this forum enough - people like me that love these care, but lack the real know how can not do without!

Fern

Sometimes it takes another set of (experienced) eyes to solve a problem. Glad to see it was such an easy fix.