MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: kiddfrost on November 17, 2011, 10:51:23 pm

Title: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: kiddfrost on November 17, 2011, 10:51:23 pm
I recently fitted some Eibach Sportlines and a couple of weeks later noticed that the driver’s side of the car sits about 5mm lower than the passenger side. I think it was like that before but just didn’t notice it because of the larger wheel to arch gap.

Before I start trying to fix it does anyone know if this is normal? 
Maybe due to road camber, the car being originally designed for LHD so the driver would cancel out the difference or tolerances?
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: bacillus on November 17, 2011, 11:27:32 pm
New springs??
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: AjayB on November 17, 2011, 11:45:14 pm
I noticed the exact same thing from my passenger rear today. I'm sitting on 35mm h&r springs.
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: dub singh on November 18, 2011, 02:21:20 am
Petrol tank is on the drivers side too.. weight of the tank and petrol..?

Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: PDT on November 18, 2011, 01:51:52 pm
Try and park it on perfectly flat ground, measure from centre of each wheel to lip of arch (90degrees from ground, i.e straight upwards)

Normal roads are often very uneven and can cause height to look a bit wrong.
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: AjayB on November 18, 2011, 01:55:59 pm
I heard today that the left side of a car is always slightly lower due to the drivers side purposely being a tad higher to compensate for when the driver is sat in?
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: Ducky76 on November 18, 2011, 02:21:38 pm
Was the missus sat in the car while u were measuring  :smiley:
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: Eccie on November 18, 2011, 02:37:23 pm
Was the missus sat in the car while u were measuring  :smiley:

 :signLOL:
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: AjayB on November 18, 2011, 02:42:40 pm
Haha no1 in there for me  :P only thing in there was a Greggs chicken bake pasty mmmmmm  :party:
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: kiddfrost on November 18, 2011, 04:37:29 pm
New springs??
Brand spanking new

I noticed the exact same thing from my passenger rear today. I'm sitting on 35mm h&r springs.
At least its not just me

Petrol tank is on the drivers side too.. weight of the tank and petrol..?
Less than a quarter of a tank when I measured it

Was the missus sat in the car while u were measuring  :smiley:
Pretty sure she wasn't but I'll ask her to make sure she didn't slip in while I was so engrossed with the tape measure  :P  :smiley:

Try and park it on perfectly flat ground, measure from centre of each wheel to lip of arch (90degrees from ground, i.e straight upwards)

Normal roads are often very uneven and can cause height to look a bit wrong.
It was parked in my garage which is quite level. I'm pretty sure it is dropped as when you try and put your hand in the top of the wheel arch there is a smaller gap on the RHS. I did measure it as you said but from the lip of the centre cap.

I'd appreciate it if a couple of guys could see if their cars are out by measuring it like PDT has suggested?
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: Little_Dave on November 18, 2011, 04:46:39 pm
Sure there was a discussion about this on another forum and they said it was normal for a lowered car to sit slightly lower on one side but i can't remember what the reason given was..... Guy was asking about his Jetta and i think they said it was to do with the related extra natural camber you gain going lower or possibly the extra strain on the rear axle..... sure someone will correct me if i've got it muddled up  :laugh:

Dave
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: S800BRN on November 18, 2011, 08:22:33 pm
My Cupra K1 sits ever so slightly higher on the passenger side too, more so at the rear. Lowered on H&Rs, btw.
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: gazbutS3 on November 18, 2011, 09:39:20 pm
I've noticed this on both my GTI's and the S3 also the rear left wheel looks like it sits further in the arch on all 3, only a few mm but my OCD side has spotted it  :smiley:
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: AjayB on November 18, 2011, 09:51:10 pm
Things get more noticeable once the car is dropped and the gap between arch and tyre is reduced! on normal springs nothing appears out of place...
Title: Re: Does your car sit slightly lower on one side?
Post by: patrickcullen87 on November 19, 2011, 11:01:41 am
yeh ive noticed this to, mines sits lower on the passenger side than it does on the drivers side