Is This Normal??
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Is This Normal??
I purchased a used 330# VBP rear spring that came with the appropriate Bilstein shocks.
The spring went in easily. However the shocks seem to be too short!
When I went to install the shocks, I found that even under a load I had a heck of a time getting the shocks to come down far enough to mount on the lower shock mount.
Is this normal?
The spring went in easily. However the shocks seem to be too short!
When I went to install the shocks, I found that even under a load I had a heck of a time getting the shocks to come down far enough to mount on the lower shock mount.
Is this normal?
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Onley VA
Bilstiens are nitrogen charged, they extend fully by themselves, taking about 40lbs. to compress. If you had to extend them by hand, something's wrong with them. You should have to compress them to install if the car was sitting on the ground with suspension compressed(if that is what you ment by "under a load"). If you mean the shocks weren't long enough with the car up on stands and the susp. in full droop then you're probably fine, the susp., when unresticted, will droop further then the shocks will allow.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
I had the car resting on the ground and I had to have some one sit on the rear end to get them to go on and it still was very tight.
Were there differences in length of travel from one year to another? These came out of a '72 and they are tight on a '69.
I didn't expect there to be any difference.
Were there differences in length of travel from one year to another? These came out of a '72 and they are tight on a '69.
I didn't expect there to be any difference.
Last edited by sly vette; Apr 28, 2007 at 09:18 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
So you're saying that you have to compress yours to get them on??
That's why I can't understand why I had a hard time trying to get mine to reach each mount.
I had to jack up one lower control arm at a time, till the frame was off the jack stand, and then they were not quite long enough, till I had someone sit on the rear of the car.
Do they make different shocks for Coupes and Convertibles?
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Lake Charles LA
Steve,
So you're saying that you have to compress yours to get them on??
That's why I can't understand why I had a hard time trying to get mine to reach each mount.
I had to jack up one lower control arm at a time, till the frame was off the jack stand, and then they were not quite long enough, till I had someone sit on the rear of the car.
Do they make different shocks for Coupes and Convertibles?
So you're saying that you have to compress yours to get them on??
That's why I can't understand why I had a hard time trying to get mine to reach each mount.
I had to jack up one lower control arm at a time, till the frame was off the jack stand, and then they were not quite long enough, till I had someone sit on the rear of the car.
Do they make different shocks for Coupes and Convertibles?
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Onley VA
This is normal...
This is not...unless...
Sly, if you had the car on stands under the frame and had to jack the control arm up till the frame lifted something is amiss. Either wrong/damaged shocks (they are same length for all C3's), spring is wrong somehow, or there is excessive binding in susp. Give us a little more detail about your process, meaning measurents of shock, how far you had to jack c-arm up, and position of spindle in relation to ride height.
Steve,
So you're saying that you have to compress yours to get them on??
That's why I can't understand why I had a hard time trying to get mine to reach each mount.
I had to jack up one lower control arm at a time, till the frame was off the jack stand, and then they were not quite long enough, till I had someone sit on the rear of the car.
Do they make different shocks for Coupes and Convertibles?
So you're saying that you have to compress yours to get them on??
That's why I can't understand why I had a hard time trying to get mine to reach each mount.
I had to jack up one lower control arm at a time, till the frame was off the jack stand, and then they were not quite long enough, till I had someone sit on the rear of the car.
Do they make different shocks for Coupes and Convertibles?