Quick Front Spring Question...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 2
From: Corona CA
Quick Front Spring Question...
Just double checking here...but
When installing the front spings, I gather the frame rail is used to determine the rotation of the spring...ie the end of the spring should be just back from the little hole that is drilled in the frame at the end of what looks to be a shallow a spring pocket. The lower control arm also has what looks like a spring pocket (deeper and more defined that the one in the upper frame rail) but this is just to be used to hold the lower end of the spring? Assuming I have the above correct, my new springs have one end that is open and the other end has the coils a little more closely stacked, with the last part of the last coil very near the next coil. Which end goes up? I am fairly sure I will end up having to trim just a bit off the springs to get the ride height set, which end do I trim the close stacked or the wider spaced?
Thanks
Darren
When installing the front spings, I gather the frame rail is used to determine the rotation of the spring...ie the end of the spring should be just back from the little hole that is drilled in the frame at the end of what looks to be a shallow a spring pocket. The lower control arm also has what looks like a spring pocket (deeper and more defined that the one in the upper frame rail) but this is just to be used to hold the lower end of the spring? Assuming I have the above correct, my new springs have one end that is open and the other end has the coils a little more closely stacked, with the last part of the last coil very near the next coil. Which end goes up? I am fairly sure I will end up having to trim just a bit off the springs to get the ride height set, which end do I trim the close stacked or the wider spaced?
Thanks
Darren
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Correct small-block front springs are variable-rate and progressively-wound; the end with the closest coil spacing goes up, as shown in the assembly manual, and the spring is only seated at the top, in the frame pocket. The hole in the recessed seat in the lower control arm is for water drainage, and has nothing to do with seating the spring. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,133
Likes: 2
From: Corona CA
So I take it that means if I need to take off a small amount to get the car to the ride height I want I should take it from the wide spaced side as removing any from the closer spaced side will change the amount of close turns while from the wide side it will make little difference as there are more wide coils and I can take off less anyway.
