Leaning sagging rear end

[aj1978]

Hello,
I have a 2002 L series 4 Door with the 2.2 the car is a highway car and run around vehicle to save fuel.

The Drivers side rear of the car is lower than the passenger, upon inspecting the car (have a lift) it appears the bushings in the knuckle are badly worn, and the lower one flops around. I am not convinced this is the sag however. Also the strut assembly is from a junkyard, bought car used, and cannot find any cracks in the spring so far.

Also the outer portion of the tires, BOTH sides are scrubbed away while the last 1.5" on the inside still has tread.

My plan of attack: New Struts, and mounts
Replace knuckle bushings both upper and lower
Adjustable lower control arms, Raybestos

Please let me know if I am on right track, or what else to look for, this has me stumped as usually with a sag I can find a broken spring etc.

[pierrot]

Originally Posted by aj1978

Hello,
I have a 2002 L series 4 Door with the 2.2 the car is a highway car and run around vehicle to save fuel.

The Drivers side rear of the car is lower than the passenger, upon inspecting the car (have a lift) it appears the bushings in the knuckle are badly worn, and the lower one flops around. I am not convinced this is the sag however. Also the strut assembly is from a junkyard, bought car used, and cannot find any cracks in the spring so far.

Also the outer portion of the tires, BOTH sides are scrubbed away while the last 1.5" on the inside still has tread.

My plan of attack: New Struts, and mounts
Replace knuckle bushings both upper and lower
Adjustable lower control arms, Raybestos

Please let me know if I am on right track, or what else to look for, this has me stumped as usually with a sag I can find a broken spring etc.

The plan of attack appears sound. Do you know with certainty that you need adjustable lower control arms? Were the originals damaged in an accident? (It seems to me that such a diagnosis for replacement should come from a qualified repair station's recommendation.) Were both rear struts replaced some time previously? Did the previous owner ever have a four wheel alignment performed on the car?

I replaced the rear knuckle bushings on my own car 2 years ago. They needed replacement some years prior to that. Their badly worn status did not alter the ride height on my car so I agree with you - those bushings aren't the source of the altered height. The fact that the left rear of the car rides lower than the other side, and that you don't appear to have a broken spring, is certainly odd. Perhaps the strut currently on the L/R of the car was installed incorrectly and thus altered the ride height. There is some adjustment for that present there.

Just in case you may also be planning to replace the front struts, I highly recommend that you use only the factory mounts. There are stories here in the forum - including one of my own - about bad aftermarket front strut mounts. If you're only doing the rear struts then aftermarket mounts are okay.