Front Suspension - Coil Springs

[Vincent D.]

I've been rebuilding/restoring my front suspension and steering on my 66 BB. The front springs were installed upside down and had cushions at both end seats. Springs must have been removed to install the cushions; also, lower ball joint was bolted not riveted. I re-installed the springs with the closer spaced coils toward the top and decided to re-install the cushions as the car was at a correct ride height by measurement and appearance. I installed the springs on the same side they came from. The result is no good...car sits much too high; camber unbelievably out of wack. I guess I'm going to have to do it over again...not something I'm looking foward to as installing the springs with the car on stands is a b.....h. To remove I used one set of jaws of a internal spring compresser bolted thru the upper shock mount hole....worked OK. To install I used a thread rod from the upper shock mount hole thru the lower control arm .Along with this I used a floor jack to lift the lower control arm by the shaft bolt. Was a very difficult as the spring was hard to get in place; kept wanting to move outward towards the tire. Question is should I buy new springs (if I do I'll use Eaton) or do I remove the cushions and hope for the best.

Thanks,
Vin

[Joe L.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

I've been rebuilding/restoring my front suspension and steering on my 66 BB. The front springs were installed upside down and had cushions at both end seats. Springs must have been removed to install the cushions; also, lower ball joint was bolted not riveted. I re-installed the springs with the closer spaced coils toward the top and decided to re-install the cushions as the car was at a correct ride height by measurement and appearance. I installed the springs on the same side they came from. The result is no good...car sits much too high; camber unbelievably out of wack. I guess I'm going to have to do it over again...not something I'm looking foward to as installing the springs with the car on stands is a b.....h. To remove I used one set of jaws of a internal spring compresser bolted thru the upper shock mount hole....worked OK. To install I used a thread rod from the upper shock mount hole thru the lower control arm .Along with this I used a floor jack to lift the lower control arm by the shaft bolt. Was a very difficult as the spring was hard to get in place; kept wanting to move outward towards the tire. Question is should I buy new springs (if I do I'll use Eaton) or do I remove the cushions and hope for the best.

Thanks,
Vin

Vin------


If the car was at the correct ride height with the current springs + the spacers before you dis-assembled it, it should be at the same ride height after you re-assembled it with the same parts. Correcting the orientation of the springs should have no effect on this. I would say that you don't have the springs seated properly.

[Bill M.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

Vin------


If the car was at the correct ride height with the current springs + the spacers before you dis-assembled it, it should be at the same ride height after you re-assembled it with the same parts. Correcting the orientation of the springs should have no effect on this.

Agree with Joe. Also, the car has to be moved for the suspension to settle to normal ride height; it will sit high when you first let it down.

[John H.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

Vince -

Two things to check:

1. Be sure the top end of the spring (the end of the coil) is properly oriented relative to the end of the seat in the frame tower, as shown in the Assembly Manual; it doesn't matter where it ends up at the bottom (the hole in the lower control arm is for water drainage, not spring seating).

2. Don't tighten the upper and lower control arm bushing bolts until the full weight of the assembled car is on its wheels, at normal ride height.

[Vincent D.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

I re-did one side and I'm halfway thru the other. I put a 3/4" sheet metal screw thru the hole near the end of the seat and made sure the spring was touching it; I read this in one of the other threads. I should be done tomorrow and hope I got it right this time as it's not a very pleasant job.
Thanks all and I'll let you know how it works out.
Vin

[Vincent D.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

Well, I completed both sides a second time and the car still sits too high. It approx. 2'' more than the 2-1/2" +- 1/2" differece shown in the chassis service manual. I used screws as stops and am sure the spring is sitting right. This time th camber is not as bad as the first time. All I can think of is that when the springs were upside down they must have sat better at the bottom. Did anyone ever hear of this happening when cushions were installed after factory assembly. I can't figure it out and i's very frustrating. I stoppped by a local corvette club last evening that I been wanting to join and spoke with a few people but the C2 guys were not there.
Here are the measurements if they help to tell what's going on:
Prior to restoration; driver side 8-5/16" and 10-15/16" (2-5/8" diff); pass. side 8-1/4" and 11-3/16" (2-15/16" diff). Everything OK.
First time : driver side 7-1/4" and 12-1/16" (4-11/16" diff); pass. side 12-11/16" and 7-7/16" (5-1/4" diff)
Second time: driver side 7-9/16" and 12-1/4" (4- 11/16" diff); pass. side 12-1/2" and 7-1/2" (5" diff).
I'm thinking of removing the cushions as they have to be contributing to the increase spacing between the A arm the the spring tower. I can't figure out why they were OK before....this is crazy/baffling.

Vin

[Vincent D.]

Re: Front Suspension - Coil Springs

Joe,Bill,John,

I'm feeing better about the second spring installation. Over night the springs settled and the car was lower by about an inch on each side. I then took the car for a 10 minute drive to check everything out as I had to adjust one of the tie rods which was visually off; I lined it up by eye with a straight edge across the tire to get it close. The car rode OK; chamber appears a bit off but no where near where it was the first time. I then re-checked the ride height and the measurements are: driver side 11-3/16" and 7-1/2" (3-11/16"); pass. side 11-3/8" and 7-7/16" (3-15/16"). Still above the 3" max. but the car looks OK; just slightly up in the front and i can live with that for now. I'm going to wait and see if it seats it self any better and the get it aligned. Car goes straight when I let the wheel go and squaels a little when I turn but all in all I'm alot happier today.

Thanks again,
Vin