63 Coil Spring

[Thomas B.]

I have an issue with my front passenger side coil spring on my 63. The car was frame off restored years ago by a previous owner.

If I make a right turn into a steep driveway or hit a big bump in the road, the coil spring will hit the upper coil spring pocket as the spring compresses. Makes a pretty loud sound when this happens. You can see the paint scraped from the top of the coil spring in the photo of the passenger side spring in the first photo. No problem on the driver side.

The springs are both indexed to the drain hole in the lower control arm which is incorrect according to the AIM. Is this the causes of the issue? Note the location of the spring coil below the upper spring pocket on the driver side. There's much more clearance on that side.

Any suggestions?

[Thomas S.]

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

I thought there was plenty of clearance for the sway bar link but I'll check it closer later today. It's just that that the spring is so close to the edge of the spring pocket where the scratch occurs so that was the issue. Thank you.

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

Checked the sway bar link. No marks on the link washer or nut or sway bar. The photo is deceiving. There is a lot of clearance between the sway bar link and spring.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

You should be able to replicate the issue by by jacking the car up using a floor jack under that tire (not the frame). Or jacking up that side of the car using a floor jack, then placing a block, 2x6's, etc, under that tire. You can then slowly lower the car to see how the the moving parts are compressing.

You could also have a situation where those scratches were always there, and the noise you are hearing is unrelated.

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

That's a great idea. I will try that. That would duplicate the situation where I get the noise. Good point regarding the noise being unrelated. Could be something happening elsewhere such as the rear spring or rear sway bar. Thank you.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

Replicating a noise that occurs while actually driving may be tough. In this case you not only have the compression to deal with, but also the rearward forces generated by driving forward. I've always found it better to be a passenger when trying to isolate things like this.

Have your ruled out the exhaust system in particular where they pass through the cross bar? The supporting bracket controls a lot of that movement.

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

Agree with all your comments. Exhaust system is another possibility. I was getting a rattling noise at idle a while ago which I initially thought was coming inside the front driver side fender behind the interior kick panel. Chased it down to the driver side exhaust pipe resting on the hole in the cross bar and vibrating. Loosened a clamp right next to the cross member jacked the pipe up and retightened it which solved the problem. New mufflers installed in August. Exhaust system feels tight. I'll jack up the car as you suggested and monitor the exhaust system, front and rear suspension and look for issues as I go thru that process. Thanks.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

I would touch up those scratches as well to see if they come back.

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

Ok so I put a floor jack under the lower control arm and jacked it up a bit past the point where the coil spring made contact with the front edge of the spring pocket. Under driving conditions I think the spring coil is compressing more since the scratches on the spring extended further below the point of contact I saw. Didn't hear the noise I was getting while driving. It's possible the noise occurs when the coil first binds on the frame pocket and then snaps into the pocket and back out. I painted over the scratched area and will drive for a while to see if the paint gets scraped off again.

[Thomas S.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

i thought the scratches you we referring to were on the frame.

[Perry M.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

I was trying to follow this thread as well. Now I don't know where the scratch is that he is talking about. There is no way that the spring can make a scratch on the outside of the pocket where the obvious scratch is.

[David H.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

... If I make a right turn into a steep driveway or hit a big bump in the road, the coil spring will hit the upper coil spring pocket as the spring compresses. ...

Thomas

Are you saying, that with your car stationary, on level ground, coil spring is NOT in contact with frame (upper coil spring pocket)?

Dave

[Thomas B.]

Re: 63 Coil Spring

The photos were taken with the car stationary on level ground. The spring is in contact with the frame.

[Thomas B.]