Question: Too high at the front after replacing rubbers and shock absorbers

[C3 girl]

Hi there

I have a 72 Vette 350 coupe that I imported to Australia about 3 years ago. Since replacing all the rubbers, bushes and front shocks, the car sits up really high at the front. We don't know why. It feels light and kind of 'flighty' in the front on the highway.

The same coil springs went back on. What could the problem be? Is there an up and down side to the springs? is it possible to put them in upside down? I've heard that GM springs react the opposite to other springs and spread when under pressure, rather than contract. But we're not sure.

The guys in the shed here are at a loss. Any help from the US would be really appreciated!

Cheers Kate

 

[slofut]

Hi there

I have a 72 Vette 350 coupe that I imported to Australia about 3 years ago. Since replacing all the rubbers, bushes and front shocks, the car sits up really high at the front. We don't know why. It feels light and kind of 'flighty' in the front on the highway.

The same coil springs went back on. What could the problem be? Is there an up and down side to the springs? is it possible to put them in upside down? I've heard that GM springs react the opposite to other springs and spread when under pressure, rather than contract. But we're not sure.

The guys in the shed here are at a loss. Any help from the US would be really appreciated!

Cheers Kate

Kate, did you tighten the bushings with the car in the air? Or with the suspension relaxed all the way down? When bushings are replaced you tighten the fulcrum bolts and nuts with the car on the ground, or on a drive on lift would be a lot easier .

 

[toobroketoretire]

The springs don't have any "top" or "Bottom" but they do have to be indexed correctly into the spring seat in the lower control arm. If you put the springs in without indexing them the car could sit a good 1" higher than it originally did.

 

[Toms007]

A welcome is in order here for you, Kate. Many people here are ready and willing to help you troubleshoot your problem. I trust they will help you figure out the problem and get you back to the nose down position.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Any time the upper and lower control arm bushings get replaced the front end needs to be re-aligned by using my method or by taking it to a front end alignment shop. If the alignment is off it will feel really "loose" and it'll tend to wander all over the road and the steering wheel will shimmy when going around high-speed corners.

 

[dougelam]

Yes the springs are directional, the bottom of the spring has be in the correct position

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[GTR1999]

Stock springs are directional, coils tighter on one side I forgot which side is up. After market springs are not like this. Also as mentioned the bushing cap bolts might have been tightened while suspended. Loose them up and roll the car on a flat surface then tighten them up again.

 

[SVO]

On the lower control arms, in the spring pocket, there is a indent that the end of the coil spring is suppose to fit in. It's easy to spot, as it has a small drain hole drilled in the spring pocket.

 

[C3 girl]

Thank you

Hi and thank you to all of you. You are being so helpful. We have checked and tried everything you've suggested and everything appears to be okay.

Perhaps a new set of springs might help? If the old ones were left out too long is it possible they've spread? We can't think of anything else it might be except for the springs.

Cheers, Kate

 

[slofut]

Hi and thank you to all of you. You are being so helpful. We have checked and tried everything you've suggested and everything appears to be okay.

Perhaps a new set of springs might help? If the old ones were left out too long is it possible they've spread? We can't think of anything else it might be except for the springs.

Cheers, Kate

Is it possible it was pretty high to start with and you didn't notice? Many are high from the factory, mine certainly was.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Hi and thank you to all of you. You are being so helpful. We have checked and tried everything you've suggested and everything appears to be okay.

Perhaps a new set of springs might help? If the old ones were left out too long is it possible they've spread? We can't think of anything else it might be except for the springs.

Cheers, Kate

Possibly post a pic of the car for us to see, or measure your car against the factory dimensions shown in the AIM.

 

[Antz81]

Perhaps a new set of springs might help? If the old ones were left out too long is it possible they've spread? We can't think of anything else it might be except for the springs.

Cheers, Kate

Springs won't be the cause. Could it be that the old shocks were worn and allowing the car to sit lower?
As Mikey said, post a photo or some measurements.

 

[dougelam]

Springs won't be the cause. Could it be that the old shocks were worn and allowing the car to sit lower?
As Mikey said, post a photo or some measurements.

Shocks don't effect ride height

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[C3 girl]

Hi Mikey

We've measured it against a couple of other vettes here and ours is 35mm higher at the front. From the ground to the top of the wheel arch our measures 740 mm (I think that's 28").

I've been looking all over the internet to find the factory dimensions but no luck. Excuse my ignorance but what is the AIM and where can I find it?

You'll also have to excuse my forum skills if the photos are small. Not sure how to make them bigger.

Here it is when it left the States:


And this is now:


thanks guys

 

[GTR1999]

That looks like my 72 only I still have the 73 hood that the previous owner ( 1978) put on the car.

AIM = factory Assembly manual, it covers how the assembled parts were bolted on the car going down the line. All the vendors sell copies of them now.

 

[C3 girl]

Hi Gary

Thanks for that. We can't get anything like the AIM in Australia. Where would you suggest I can buy one in the US? Not all places ship to Australia either.

P.S. you have good taste in cars

Cheers, Kate

 

[Antz81]

Hi Gary

Thanks for that. We can't get anything like the AIM in Australia. Where would you suggest I can buy one in the US? Not all places ship to Australia either.

P.S. you have good taste in cars

Cheers, Kate

I got mine and the FSM (service manual specific to my year) off ebay.

 

[82ColEd]

Hi Kate..
Very nice car..

What the guys are suggesting is this: AIM1 or here AIM2 or directly from CorvetteAmerica (they also have this on CD, which might make it easier to ship?)

i would also suggest the Shop Manual, not sure how good the 72 shop manuals are, but for my 82, it's a great tool for trouble shooting tech issues.

Hope you can get them shipped to down under, if not, have a chat with shop's, maybe they let you buy them and can send you the PDF directly?.


Stefan

 

[Antz81]

Can you get a photo of how the spring looks with the wheel off? I vaguely recall something about the way my spring not sitting correctly in the chassis rails when I was doing mine. I noticed long before putting weight on the car so not sure how it would affected ride height.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Great looking car! In looking at the 'before' picture, the car is actually sitting below OEM ride height at the front. It can be seen that the frame of the car is not level with the ground. This makes me suspect the springs installed are not the orignals and are possibly the aftermarket FE7 springs which are known to have this effect. On the othr hand this does no explain why the car is riding high after rebuild.

You're sure they're in right side up and the tail of the spring is fitted into the pocket on the A-arm?