cjs27410

If the spring is in the proper spot (bottom end of coil at the stop) the upper part will be aligned correctly. On a recent change I noticed the upper part had to be shifted not rotated to insure that it was in the correct shock tower position during the compression part of the installation. It wanted to jam in kind of sideways. If the spring is "****-eyed" that could be the problem. But if both sides are the same height
I don't know what the problem might be. BB springs on a SB?

Custum73

springs appear to be seated correctly. I loosened the pivot bolts on the a-arms and set the car back down. Still not settling. If I tightenend everything on the sway bar before setting the car down, could that be the source of my troubles?

shadetreeperf

No engine and sitting on ramps will make it sit high like that. My father's 76 L-82 had that much clearance with the engine/trans out just sitting on the ground. If anything I think that vettes along this year always sit up too high in the front. My '77 that I'm building is gonna sit about 2-3 inches lower in the front when I get through cutting the springs.

KC

MarineGunny

Glad I found this thread. I was going to post a thread on the same thing. After replacing all ball joints, bushings idler arms etc. , I reinstalled the original springs and low and behold the car sits way too high!!!!!!! ride height should be in the 27 inch range and my is sitting at a whopping 30 3/4 inches!!!!!!! equally on both sides. Absolutely mind boggling. Before the new overhaul and install the car height was perfect. This really sucks!!!!!!!

Custum73

Let me know what you find and I'll do the same, because I'm still trying to figure it out. Will try a few things tonight.

I'm pretty sure the motor is in. I should probably check when I get home. It's that metal thingy under the door on the top of the car that opens the wrong way, right?

Don't be offended by the comment, I definitely want more comments from people as I work on the car, just can't get over how many people asked about the motor being in it.

NHvette

Very unlikely that the sway bar is holding the front up like that.

Q: How is the back sitting ? If the back is adjusted to be sitting
very low, that will force the front up. Trouble is, I don't think
it would push it THAT far up.

Where did you get the front end rebuild kit ?

Can you get some pics of the ball joints - installed ?

My MOOG stock replacements from the local parts store (460s)
installed very easily and they seem to sit nicely - under $50.
Are you going for NCRS points ?

turtlevette

have you set the car on the ground? Try pushing down on the front end.

where did you buy the spring? Any possibility its just too long?

you are so very high it looks like the engine isn't in, thats why all the questions. actually my car sits lower in front than that without an engine.

Hitch

How about did you tighten the a-arms while the car was in the air? All suspension rubber parts need to albeit the pain in the **** that it is to get to when on the ground.... If you tightened down on those bad boys that could be part of your problem.. Dave..

jpatrick636

shadetreeperf

You never said if the engine was in fact in the car or not.

KC

bams12

I am going through the same problems on a lesser scale but I replaced my original springs with new 460 springs from VBP. Whats up with your springs ? Are they original, new, or replacemants ?My 460 's changed my ride hight from 27.5 to 30 that settled to 29 after a couple drives around town. I cut 5/8 of a coil off hoping for a drop of 1 1/2 inches but have only achieved 1 inch so far. I am hoping it will setle in 1/2 an inch more. Brent

Custum73

Original springs. Got front end rebuild kit from van steel. set the car down and pushed down on it. suspension gives, but then restores to the heightened position (motor is in the car, radiator isn't). I'm measuring about 4.5" from tire to fender on one side and about 5" on the other. Sway bar is loose. A-arm pivots are loose. looked inside the springs as best I could to see if they are seated correctly up top, and they appear to be. Seated in the bottom with the end of the spring just before the drain. If the bottom is seated right, the top should be (as far as rotating the spring goes). Somehow it just has to be the springs. There's nothing else left that could be lifting the car.

I know I'm going to kick myself in the **** when I get this figured out.

here you can see the ball joints installed. Let me know if you want me to try and get a pic of something else.

turtlevette

your bottom ball joint is on the wrong way.

what do i win?

Custum73

If that's the case... :o

I kind of had a feeling that might've been it. I was looking in the gm service manual and saw some pics of the chevelle, nova, etc with the spindle bolting on from the top, but they didn't have any pics of the corvette.

turtlevette

I'm sorry, it is right, just looked at mine.

we'll keep lookin.

lostpatrolman

Look up on top of the spring pocket and either try looking at the peep hole, or poking it with a small screwdriver to make sure the spring is actually seated there. Most likely the spring isnt sitting in the seat. The upper control arm will block most of your view, so that is why you might have to do it by feel. The spring end should rest right around that hole, if you look closely you can see how there is an indention soon after the hole.

Custum73

So, is my lower ball joint in upside down or not? Nova, Chevelle, Monte Carlo and Camaro show the lower joint up, or stud is pointing up and grease fitting down. Is the corvette opposite?

wait, that has to be right. There's no way it could go the other way.

lostpatrolman

lower ball joint is fine

MYBAD79

IMO the only way to get this very long original spring correctly seated: use a threaded rod (allthread) and insert it through the hole that the shock mounts through. Use a nut at the top and bottom and some washers and a bracket (homemade) to compress the spring. I can email you a photo of the compressor that I built....
Compress the spring against the upper pocket, then raise the lower control arm...

good luck

Retro78

Just checked mine...it is correct. Cannot be anything else except either wrong springs or not seated.