Marauder sits 3/4" lower in rear on drivers side than pass side. Adjustable??

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Hi guys, I had been noticing that my Marauder sits lower in the rear on the driver's side than the pass side. I measured the car on level ground, with the car running for a while so the air ride was levelled off, and it is a full 3/4" lower on the drivers side than the passenger's side. Is the air levelling suspension adjustable side to side, or only grossly adjustable overall, both sides get the same pressure/height? Is there any other way to adjust the height? I would hate to have to do something rigged like shim under a spring. I'll look at body mounts but the car only has 24,500 miles, it really shouldn't be a problem that soon. I'd bring it to the dealer but what the heck are they going to do? I'm sure if they don't see anything odd with body mounts or suspension that it's within "normal" tolerance.

Damn American cars and their build quality!!

[Bradley G]

measured from where?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Centers of wheel lips. Yes not the most accurate location, but the whole car is visibly slanted towards the driver's side, there is definitely a ride height discrepancy, it's not just a panel gap difference. I found a post from 2004 where a whole bunch of people measured their cars and they were all off by around a half inch, and the dealer wouldn't do anything about it. Sounds like the problem is just that it's a Ford. LOL.

[Zack]

It sucks but is pretty normal on most MM's

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Yeah I gathered from the posts that if anyone on here measures their car, they will probably find the same thing. These cars are built like 30 year old Detroit iron in a lot of ways (and that is not a positive in the build quality department). I am going to make a spring shim if I find out that the frame is correspondingly not level, it bothers me.

[Zack]

Yeah I gathered from the posts that if anyone on here measures their car, they will probably find the same thing. These cars are built like 30 year old Detroit iron in a lot of ways (and that is not a positive in the build quality department). I am going to make a spring shim if I find out that the frame is correspondingly not level, it bothers me.

Try makng the adjustment via the rear sway bar before anything else.

[KillJoy]

Try makng the adjustment via the rear sway bar before anything else.

How would one go about adjusting this via the Sway Bar(s)???

KillJoy

[Zack]

How would one go about adjusting this via the Sway Bar(s)???

KillJoy

If you tightened the passenger side more than the driver side, the passsenger side will lower and vice versa.

EDIT: DUH, BIG RED TRUCK :eek:

[KillJoy]

Hmmm......

Perhaps I started an epidemic :D

YAY FOR ME!!!

KillJoy

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I will check the sway bar adjustment. The only way it should be adversely affecting ride height is if the bushings were unequally preloaded. Even then, over time that should settle out. If I intentionally preload the sway bar bushing to crank up the driver's side rear of the car, that bushing is not going to live very long.

[GordonB]

VicsEvilBrother,
Where do you live, for openers?
There are a few good L-M Dealers around incl. one near me.
Suggest that you load your trunk with yourself (Climb in!), seriously, with the key in the ON position. Leave the trunk lid Up! You should hear the Air Suspension compressor come on and fill up the rear air springs. When the noise stops, get out. You should now also hear the air suspension release air to lower the suspension. Now go back and check the rear side to side wheel opening heights. It may be that the Drivwer's side air bag has something wrong with it and is being prevented from 'doing its normal thing'. Just me 2 cents and it's FREE!
Now if you want real Tech advice, PM Carfixer and he can give you the BEST advice, bar none!

GordonB

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

The air suspension works properly, it runs briefly when the car starts if it has been sitting, inflates a little, and you're good. After the suspension has been levelled by the air bags it is still 3/4" off. Both bags appear to be pressurized fine. I'm in Springfield, VA. Most dealers are "good", but I'm sure none are going to be able to do anything about not quite even ride height due to poor build quality. I'll have it checked anyway to see if its something wacky like a strut or body bushing, but it's probably just the way the car is.

[Drock96Marquis]

RAS adjusts rear height only - not side-to-side
http://www.crownvic.net/drock96marquis/RAS.htm


Your issue is probably with one of the front springs, or you have excess weight in LH side of trunk.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

LOL no weight in the trunk, I may look dumb but am not that unobservant. I have not measured the front yet but visually it looks level, whereas the difference in rear ride height is visibly noticeable. It's entirely possible it's just the way it's gonna be and I should find something else to pick on.

[David Morton]

You can adjust the height with the sway bar, but it is not recommended. If there's a preload on that bar it will affect handling, in this case it will be loose on the left turns and tighter on the right turns. So I won't tell you how you can adjust it that way. While I'm here I'll warn the guys thinking about shimming the body to frame mount. Do you like your doors to close nicely? Would you like to realign your doors? I wouldn't. The only proper way to get the rears even would be to adjust the front spring heights and that would make the front uneven.

That would be a bad thing IMHO. :lol:

But I will let you in on a secret. First, two questions: Do you think it's a coincidence that all the Marauders have this same amount of lean and on the same side? I don't. Do you think it's a coincidence that when you take off under full throttle that the torque of the engine then plants the high side of the rear down more than the left? And that it's just enough to make the rear even? I don't either.

Get the secret yet? :cool4:

I'll give you a clue. It has something to do with traction.

:D

[MENINBLK]

Hi guys, I had been noticing that my Marauder sits lower in the rear on the driver's side than the pass side.

It is that way because it has been carrying you around on the left side for all those miles...