A bit of history first... I've had my TRD springs installed ever since I received my tC, back in early September.
I check the tire-to-fender well gap daily, sometimes two or three times. Call me anal but the rear driver side gap is almost always shorter than the others and the front passenger gap is almost always taller. I've checked my car when parked on all kinds of different slopes, full tank of gas, near empty tank, cold engine, and after driving for a couple hours...
Front driver has a two finger small spread. Front Passenger has a two finger medium spread. Rear driver has a very tight two finger (or loose one finger). Rear passenger has a two finger small spread.
Anyone else have this problem? The car looks fine now but I just hope the springs don't settle anymore, leaving the rear driver wheel looking tucked! Not to mention the affect this could have while driving at highway speeds.
DieLow
12-08-2004, 04:51 AM
nope but i have H&R springs, and then again i just got them put on today so no sagging yet...
PunkInDrublic
12-08-2004, 04:54 AM
Bring it back to the dealer, they should take care of it if there is a problem, they did install it right?
Stewbie2002
12-08-2004, 12:47 PM
Yes, dealership installed
3_IGs
12-08-2004, 01:48 PM
This may not be exactly what you're talking about but I'll throw it out there anyhow...
IIRC the tC has independent rear and MacPherson front? I know for a fact that on VW's (MacPherson front) a properly tuned aftermarket suspension (Shine Real Street suspension) will have the appearance of the front end sitting higher ( a body in the trunk look)...it's kind of an optical illusion as the front looks higher, due to the fender well design, but the car itself is level. The control arms up front should sit very close to parallel to the ground for optimal handling and not less than parallel (at least on VW fronts).
Many suspension companies springs will allow for your car to look "level" all the way around...when actually the front is a bit lower than the rear in the name of aesthetics and could actually diminish handling a bit...but more people seem to want looks over performance.
Maybe TRD realizes this and manufactures their springs to sit properly for handling and not for looks?
I really dont' know how to explain the differences in the rear heights. Sorry.
I am by no means a suspension expert...this is stuff I have learned over the years and through the suspension guru's over at www.vwvortex.com, one of which is Dick Shine (Shine Real Street Suspension). This may not pertain to the tC set-up at all...if not, I apologize for wasting this space.
Happy motoring
tChillin
12-08-2004, 02:09 PM
All the tC's with TRD springs look that way. I think it was already like that, but now its just easier to notice. I did need to adjust my headlights down a little though.
grey
12-08-2004, 03:52 PM
If I had to guess, then this is due to TRD developing the springs for a medium sized driver while he/she is in the car. I bet that if you get in your car and have someone measure the gap, then it will be perfect. I also bet that the spring rate when a medium sized person is in the car is even on all four corners (since the spring rate changes when the springs are compressed). :D
Then again, it's just a guess.
TheKnown
12-08-2004, 04:40 PM
i would also guess along the same lines.... theres alot of driver consideration put in thought before these springs are made..... it would make total sense if the accounted for the weight of the driver when evening the springs.
ShaunTC
12-08-2004, 04:54 PM
If I had to guess, then this is due to TRD developing the springs for a medium sized driver while he/she is in the car. I bet that if you get in your car and have someone measure the gap, then it will be perfect. I also bet that the spring rate when a medium sized person is in the car is even on all four corners (since the spring rate changes when the springs are compressed). :D
Then again, it's just a guess.
But wouldn't the springs have to be side specific for that to work? One of the front and the rear springs would have to be a bit stiffer for the drivers side? And then you put a passenger in the car and it would throw it out of whack again.....I might be looking at it all wrong, who knows. My guess is that the springs are not seated properly and i would go back to the dealer,
grey
12-08-2004, 05:45 PM
Yes, they would have to be "side specific". If they're not, then they're isntalled improperly. Either not seated properly, or something is in the way (like a piece of tape, rope, paper, etc.) on the seating surface.
djct_watt
12-08-2004, 06:15 PM
Trd's here, and no such crookedness. . . -'d question tthe install, tho it's possible you got defective springs. . . Dunno if it worth the hassle, but you could try loading up the passenger side with weight (like a 5 gallon water jug filled with sand) and leave it in for a week or two. . . Might help, might not.
zoltiz
12-08-2004, 07:36 PM
I'd get under the car and look how the springs are installed - good chance that whoever did it did not align the saddle with the spring on one side.
Jdawg82
12-08-2004, 07:41 PM
I have trd springs and mine are exactly how you described. Im glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has noticed it.
markritch
12-09-2004, 12:26 AM
u have subs, amp anything in the trunk..that would way down that side ? Just a thouht
Stewbie2002
12-09-2004, 01:13 AM
nothing in the trunk or car, not even optional bazooka sub
Ranthese
12-09-2004, 01:45 AM
same here, gap's different in the front than the back i thought they would eventually settle to level but to no avail
taehwan_jkim
12-09-2004, 04:43 AM
does it look ugly tho? i mean would u rather have some other springs, are u regretting them?
Ranthese
12-09-2004, 04:56 AM
no regrets. the difference isn't too great that you really notice. they still look good.
Stewbie2002
12-09-2004, 04:57 AM
No, it's not ugly. I suspect that 90% of passers-by wouldn't even notice the difference.
I wouldn't want any other brand of springs because the TRD springs provide the right amount of drop, albeit uneven.
I'm not regretting them, yet... As long as the gap is roughly the same on all four corners and no tires look "tucked."
Ranthese
12-09-2004, 11:13 PM
Yea, I measured them again going home from school. The front is about a three finger gap where as the back is a two finger gap with a small spread. I seriously wonder why this is. I always thought they'd be the same.
A previous post mentioned that this was for performance/handling? How so?
Stewbie2002
12-13-2004, 12:03 AM
I thought the larger gap in the front was b/c there's more weight in the front