View single post by Jim Picot
 Posted: 11-24-2014 11:20 am
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Jim Picot

 

Joined: 07-09-2012
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 39
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 Hi Eric, the shocks won't determine the ride height, only the springs and whatever packing they have. The condition of your bushes may also affect it they are badly deteriorated on one side. If the rear springs are original, then they may well have sagged, not necessarily to the same degree if the car has been used driver only for much of its life. Replacing the rear springs is pretty easy, provided the seats and retainers are in good nick. You will need to drill out and replace that bush we talked about.

Front shocks aren't much harder than the rears, but the springs are a little more involved. Yes, you will need a spring compressor - I made do with a set I bought years ago.

I'd recommend you get yourself a workshop manual, not just the Jensen manual (if you can find one), but a Vauxhall Viva HB manual - exactly the same suspension, and more user-friendly instructions than the Jensen one. You can pick one up pretty cheaply on ebay in the UK.

Have you checked the condition of the bushes front and back, and also the ball joints at the front?

I ended up doing EVERYTHING on mine, everything is brand new. But it still leans on the drivers (right hand) side. I may need to slacken and re-torque the main wishbone bolts. Failing that, the new springs might not be that well matched, so might need to be swapped around. Better to have the passenger side a bit low so the drivers weight evens things out.