72 280sel rear tires look like \ / after lowering

[docedo]

hello,
i just changed my fuel filter and lowered the car back down, now the top of my tires point out, is this going to level itself out eventually? Should I drive like this? I know its a swing axle, not sure if this is normal.

thanks,
newbie

[alabbasi]

drive forward about 10 ft and see what happens. Mine would do the same, I would lower it gently so that it settles itself back down.

[johnathan1]

It should settle after driving.

[docedo]

ok, i'll try driving it, thanks guys.

[Arthur Dalton]

Reason being:
Camber on swings changes with load...so, when you jack the car, you are unloading the suspension, causing positive camber .. [ if you watch the tire as you jack, you will see the bottom of the tire pulling inwards with each jack stroke just before the tire leaves the ground]
When you lower the car, the tires hit the ground before the camber can get back to normal loaded condition [ tires holding positive camber] , so you have to roll the car for the suspension to reload to normal conditions.

If the tires were on a slippery surface that would allow them to side-slip, they would return to normal camber , but the ground friction holds the tire from doing so..but rolling the tire [ in either direction] allows for the wheels to find the proper camber/load condition.
There are several suspension repairs that require this rolling for the suspension to find itself before tightening suspension components, including driveshaft repairs. Common practice........

[tonkovich]

same thing happens with a volkswagen bug. (i know, the engineering is a bit less refined. on the other hand, they are both german)