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I have a 46 Clipper and recently after a long trip the front left has started sagging ( image attached ) .

We had put in new front shock absorbers a few months before the trip. Coils are a year old only and new & not reconditioned OR tempered. The rear shock absorbers are also new gas filled from Kanter . Though we have zero ride issues and it is as smooth, I really need to know what could cause this problem


Thank you

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Thst much sag could be due to a weak spring - even if only a year old. It can happen regardless of make or supplier.

I don't know about this particular model, but generally on a coil spring front suspension, the ends of the coils usually sit in a "pocket" in the lower A-arm that keeps them from rotating. Perhaps when new front springs were installed, the spring end missed the pocket slightly, but now has indeed rotated to a position away from the pocket. If this were the P-side, then that would cause the static spring force to be greater than the D-side, which would elevate the P-side and make it look like the the D-side is sagging.

OTOH, maybe the D-side spring has relaxed it's tension for whatever reason.

Craig

Hi Kasi:

If the right front is high the left rear leaf spring is sagging.

If the left front is sagging then the new springs aren't working out.

If the coils are in the wrong position that will cause a creaking sound. Usually there are two holes in the lower control arm and the end of the coil needs to be between those two holes. If there is only one hole, the hole needs to be half to covered.

I've seen the springs seat rot out, but the car looks too clean for that.

I thought that car had the hydraulic knee shocks on the front??

Packard49 Quote:

And the shocks have exactly what to do with the car sagging on one corner? Zero. Even gas charged shocks don't make a difference. Now if there were "air lifts" or somesuch shocks in the back, maybe. In this case, I don't think so because the OP did not describe them as such. The problem is a spring or placement of spring.

In the rear leaf springs, which I presume this car has, one can have a broken leaf that goes completely unnoticed until removed and disassembled. A broken leaf provides no lift for it's part. That also could be the problem.

Craig

Quote:
Yes, knee actions shocks were used on the front through the 23rd Series. Yet, in no way does that shock absorber support the weight of the car; it merely acts as a damper.

Now, I can imagine that the internals of the knee action unit could bind. I've even experienced that with tube type shocks and modern struts - though not very often. However, there would much more to complain about than just sagging, but the owner indicates ride is OK.

Meanwhile, I hadn't considered a problem with a rear leaf spring, but nothing from the one image provided suggests that.

BH Quote:

Brian, it's good to know that on occasion you and I agree about something.

Getting back to the OP's original problem: it may well be that he's or his mechanic is going to have take the entire suspension apart to find the culprit. Oh, I hate that.

Craig

Some 16th series 120's have stronger rear springs for the driver's side; could this apply to yours?

Thank you Sirs, I am actually going to take all the points mentioned and run thru the car to see what the issue could be . Then the coils could have actually given way and need to be replaced :(

There is a squeaking noise from the front which has made me wonder if the coil has actually fitted properly as mentioned .... big job ahead

Thank you