Rear Suspension

[Chris LR]

There is probably nothing wrong with my rear suspension but I jus want to check.

The car is a totally standard 92 SR, and the rear of the car is so low that you can't see the very tops of the tyres. When looking from the side the car is noticable lower at the back than the front, and gives an awful ride if your unlucky enough to be in the back. Does all that sound OK?

[concoursNeil]

Check underneath the car at the spring mounts.
Check where the spring touches the chasis,you may well find the you have the dreaded METAL WORM!!!!!!!! and the chasis has rusted thro.Causing the spring to puncture into the chasis giving the spring no decent support,hence the rough ride and the car sitting alot lower than normal.
Easilly rectified just cut away the rotten area and fabricate new sections and weld them in. A good body shop will do that for you ,unless you are capable yourself.

Patching will get you over the problem ,but remember it only prolongs the inevitable.
My moto: IF YOUR GOING TO DO A JOB,DO IT PROPERLY OR NOT AT ALL!
Ive rebuilt mine in galvanised plate, It is my job tho! :) :roll:

[Anton]

Check your shocks aren't leaking :)

[mowgli]

Hi, Disregard the previous replies.
If a car is sitting funny, ie lower at the back, it cannot possibly be shock absorbers, as they don't actually hold the car up, they just slow down the bouncing.
If a 1992 car sits lower at the back then the spring mounts are not likely to be shot, unless it sits lower at one side, but you did not state that.

Standard practice with uprated springs on novas it to have the back sitting lower. I would guess that it has been lowered at some time, or your rear springs might be worn out & weak. anyway, novas have never been that comfortable in the back.

keep the faith

[Manta Mad]

has the car been as low as this since you bought it? or has it gradually got lower by its own accord. If its been getting lower its self then something is wrong underneath otherwise, the previous owner may have fitted something wrongly.

[concoursNeil]

its no good disreguarding previous comments, remember it is not a brand new car. i am not saying it has rusted but there is the possibility it may have as this is another area where they can start to go, hence srring getting alot lower. Ive owned a nova for 15 years so should have some idea about them!

[Jim]

Susspension is a funny thing. Me and a fellow Nova owner have exactly the same wheels, tyres and susspension all round and yet his car is visually lower than mine. Even when he had a stripped out interior his car still sat lower than mine. I put this down to the fact that his suspension was older and it had settled more than mine. The problem could be something as simple as your rear susspension has come to the end of its life and has sunk lower than you would expect. It sounds similar to what happened with my car when I first had standard susspension on. New suspension corrected it all, but I soon wanted the car lower again, lol.

It might be worth taking it to a reputable garage and get them to take a look. Insist you don't want the work doing, you just need to know if the susspension is nackered.

Jim

[novax]

If the chassis mounts are OK then I'd say the springs are knackered. The rear suspension is so simple it doesn't have much that can go wrong.

[concoursNeil]

Must agree with slim jim too, each car can run at a different ride height. my Gte used to sit lower than alot of others,even before i lowered that and ive had it for 12years.
Get down on ya knees and have a look around!!!!!!!
If still in doubt then let the garage have a look.
Good luck :?

[Chris LR]

Thanks guys, The cars sits at the same height on both sides and has been as low since I've known the car (3 years)

The main problem with this car is that the first and only previuos owner smashed it up and left it for 2 years. never had it serviced or anything, the first time the front brakes were done was by me after 58k miles.

I know first hand how simple rear suspension is, 2 bolts gets the springs out and another 2 gets your shockers out. As I'm not a very good back seat driver I don't care how bad the ride is, I've shock the car and the shockers are fine. I'm going to get it up on a ramp to check it out properly but if theres nothing wrong I'm happy to ride around in a half lowered car.

Cheers

[concoursNeil]

Hope its nothing too serious then, b ut have a good look around for rust in those areas, if its been neglected it doesnt take much for it to start eating away at the nova!
Especially if it was a FRIDAY AFTERNOON CAR!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Chris LR]

Not only is it a Friday afternoon car it's one hell of a lemon, I save up money over xmas ready to start modding after the MOT in may, the only problem is that my modding fund is never enough to get it through the MOT,

As I said it's been like it for 3 years a least but it's only when i saw it next to another Nova it got me thinking.

[concoursNeil]

Welcome to the joys of motoring :lol:
As ive had my car such a long time i no it inside out now,every nut and bolt! Before it wears out its replaced!
Sod the expense!!!!
:lol:
Nothing gets dirty!!
Trophies to prove it too :lol: :D

[Chris LR]

I used to feel the same way but I've only been driving for about 4 months, Insurance, Tax, MOT, Petrol I've had enough I found some spare cash for bodywork but that was only rust removal.

In the next 6 months I need 4 new tyres, front wheel bearings, new brakes and more petrol, and I'm not the kinda of person who lets mommy & daddy take care of such finacial worries.

I've better things to do that even attempt to clean a black car!!!

[Chris LR]

I used to feel the same way but I've only been driving for about 4 months, Insurance, Tax, MOT, Petrol I've had enough I found some spare cash for bodywork but that was only rust removal.

In the next 6 months I need 4 new tyres, front wheel bearings, new brakes and more petrol, and I'm not the kinda of person who lets mommy & daddy take care of such finacial worries.

I've better things to do that even attempt to clean a black car!!!

[concoursNeil]

Hope its nothing too serious then, but have a good look around for rust in those areas, if its been neglected it doesnt take much for it to start eating away at the nova!
Especially if it was a FRIDAY AFTERNOON CAR!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[concoursNeil]

Im 33 mate i dont think my mum and dad pay for my cars anymore!!
Those days are long gone. The car comes after the mortgage and the bills are paid

[CP]

Actually it is poss to get shockers that lift a car up at the back. I fitted G-max uprated and shortened shockers to the back of my stripped out car and it actually raised it. The uprated bit means they have internal springs inside the dampers which are quite powerful

[Jim]

concoursNeil,

do you have any pictures of your car?

Jim

[Chris LR]

Thanks CP, but I'm thinking of new springs (if that turns out to be the problem) I'd rather keep the car as standard as possible. It's not really the sort of car that would appreciate modding if you know what i mean. I think it's only got another year left in it.

Sorry Neil, but my m8s that have cars have had them paid for by their parents, 96 Corsa, 02 Renault Clio, 97 Nissan Micra, 99 VW Polo. Then I go and overtake them all in my own 92 SR, lol

[concoursNeil]

Slim Jim if you look at total vauxhall this month my car is the one bottom rigt on page 55 PCC national wknd. Me cleaning yet again.

[Jim]

Okey Doke, I shall scour the earth looking for a Total Vauxhall Magazine ;) Actually, I'm quite lucky here in MK, it's usally readily available. Whats on the cover this month?

[concoursNeil]

OPEL FRUIT Astra on 18s on front cover, ther is also pic of engine in last months,but they printed it in the wrong car at a rolling road day.
If you get hold of a copy(Blue Nova saloon) on front cover Page 33 If you a member of Performance car club its in the club mag pretty regular!
Also events gallery on club site.Can also be seen on Trax 2002 section of
Matt Millers site
www.novagte.co.uk

Neil

[Jim]

yeah, I have the TV mag with the blue Nova saloon, I'll take a look.

Jim

[concoursNeil]

my engine is the one in the astra van!
if youve been to pcc shows mine is the std concours white nova gte

[Jim]

LOL, I was just about to ask which car is yours :) I just went on the website that you posted. The car looks very clean, very impressive.

Jim

[concoursNeil]

Came second to Ian holmes GTE this year and 2001 second to Declan Burkes car 2000 second to Ians again and year previous missed out to Gary Hopes on concours so now u can tell how clean it is!!!!!!!! :D :D
21000 on an F reg gte which ive owned since 1991

[concoursNeil]

THAT SHOULD HAVE READ

210 000 on an F reg :D :D 8)

[Breeny]

Seen your car at a few shows Neil, a lot of respect for keeping it so clean, especially after 210,000 miles!

Wanna come and clean mine :roll: He He

[cassanova]

Ive got a 92 SR too and my suspensions's a bit dodgy, i only noticed now im thinking of getting it lowered, looks like its already been done about 30mm on the rear but the front looks standard. I put it down to being my sub/box in the boot but surely a 12" pioneer isnt guna drop a car by about 30mm.....??

Ford

[concoursNeil]

Cheers Breeny
Sorry mate if you want me to clean your car it would cost you a fortune :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I like to see a few std ones around as everyone too quick to modify these days!
Std ones tend to stand out now especially when so clean.
Want something new but cant seem to part with the nova, had it for too long now 11 yrs this one and 3 yrs a b reg SR before it

[brian]

Neil i didn't know ya on Novaload as the owner of that gte. it was the first thing that caught my eye on p55 of Total V. congrats it's a real minter.

[concoursNeil]

Cheers Brian
Its fairly clean i suppose haha :lol: :lol: :lol
Yep thats my car!!
Hence " concours"

[Chris LR]

Thats descibes mine too cass, I'm planning to get it up in the air and check it out. I'm thinking of new springs which isn't too bad. I'll let you know what I find.