Re: Help!! 4KCSQ right rear end sagging

[paul.heneghan@bbc.co.uk (Paul Heneghan)]

From: Nicholas Menaker <72074.2716@compuserve.com>

>It's me again.  with an 86 4000 CSQuattro that has a slightly saggin right
>rear end.

>It is about .75 to 1" lower than the left rear,

I have noticed a few of these messages recently, and an idea just ocurred to 
me.  I know I should have gone and had a lie down until the moment passed, 
but I didn't, so here it is!

I think that if one corner is significantly low, and the other three corners 
are OK, then the car must be bent (or maybe the ground isn't flat). 
 Obviously, the body of the car can and will flex a little, but I would have 
thought 1" is more than flexing would give you.

It might be interesting to put a jack under the wishbone (A arm) of the 
sagging corner, jack it up until the rear of the car is level, and then go 
and measure the diagonally opposite corner to see if that has dropped.  If 
it has, then the car is almost certainly bent.

BTW I don't think the standard shock absorbers affect the height very much 
(they are quite easy to compress).  The height is nainly affected by the 
coil spring (very difficult to compress, therefore doing most of the 
supporting).  Perhaps these should be checked (measure length under various 
loads).  I don't know if they change compliance with age, but I have 
certainly had a few break on me (three in the last seven years).

Just guessing here.

Paul
paul.heneghan@bbc.co.uk
1984 Audi 80 quattro
1983 Audi 100 Avant (now a write off)
1989 Audi 100 Avant arriving on Thursday