Youngvettehunter

I just finished getting the body on my 68 and bolted down and the car is sitting way to high off the wheels. The gap between the quarter and the rear wheels is 7 inches and the fender to the top of the front wheel is 5 inches. I'm thinking it could be the shocks (ac delco) I've tryed bouncing on it to get it to settle and there's no change in tire diameter it is same as stock. From the ground to the top of the lip on the fender is 30 inches and ground to rear quarter is even more 32-35 inches (need to remeasure). Rear spring is aftermarket but has been used and front suspension is all stock. Someone help me make my car lower it looks like a 4x4 right now and I can barely look at it

The Punisher

Suspension needs time to settle. Also shocks would not be the cause of ride height. Springs control the ride height

Alan 71

Hi YVH,
Both coil and leaf springs have specifications….load ranges…that contribute to the ride height of the car they're installed on.
Do you have any way of determining the the specifications of the springs on the car now?

The front frame spring pocket and lower a-arm pocket have a particular position that the end of the first/last coil must be installed in. Did you do that?
The a-arm bushing retainers shouldn't be tightened until the full weight of the car is on the suspension

A photo of the rear spring and other rear suspension components may help someone spot something there. The 4 spring mounting bolts shouldn't be tightened until the full weight of the car is on the suspension.

Is the car 'completely' back together? The total car weight contributes to ride height too. What is the height of the tires being used?
Regards,
Alan

Easy Mike

Are the engine and transmission installed?

leadfoot4

..........as well as the dash, seats, etc.


How long was the chassis "unloaded", without the weight of the body on it? After installing the body, did you roll the car back and forth, 8-10', a few times, to get the wheels back to their original camber? Did the car sit this way before you removed the body?

Youngvettehunter

I didn't have a frame when I bought the car so I bought a complete chassis from California. Everything except rear bumpers and exhaust is on the car and I don't think that will get rid of 5-6 inches of height. And I never had the front springs out.

Alan 71

Hi YVH,
What is the dimension, in inches, from the ground to the center of each wheel arch on the body?
What wheels and what size tires on on the car?
Regards,
Alan

Youngvettehunter

Also like I said before the tire height or diameter is almost stock 255 45 17 on all 4 corners and also like I said before from the ground to the top of the arch in front is 30 inches and in the rear its about 33 inches

MelWff

have you rolled the car back and forth to settle the suspension?
are the rear half shafts almost parallel with the ground after you roll the car back and forth?
if after rolling the car back and forth and the rear half shafts are higher at the inside, do you have additional length on the long spring bolts to lower the car? If not you need either 8" or 10" bolts.

Youngvettehunter

Half shafts are not parallel. I've rolled the car but I don't think rolling it will drop it 6 inches... longer bolts will probably help the rear (I don't think it will completely fix it) but the front will still be high

MelWff

well you have established that the spring in the back is responsible for that end being too high.
you did make sure the front springs are correctly installed? there is a hole in the frame pocket where you should just see the end of the upper coil.

Alan 71

Hi,
The rear spring is an aftermarket spring of some sort.
Without knowing it's load rating it's difficult to tell how much effect it's having on the ride height…. or how long the bolts will need to be to lower the ride height.
It does not seem to be a variable rate spring from it's appearance.
Have the shipping straps been removed?
Regards,
Alan

Torqued Off

I must be missing something on this, because with the upper control arm in place....you can't see the upper spring pocket or hole in the frame you speak of.....can you explain this?

So, what about the more obvious spring pocket and hole in lower control arm?

Youngvettehunter

i haven't removed them but they slide off very easily so I do see how those would change it

revitup

On my '77 there is a hole in the lower control arm where the end of the spring is supposed to sit. The upper coil ends up wherever it does. Even if the lower end is rotated somewhat out of position, the effect on ride height is negligible.
Going to longer rear spring bolts isn't going to get you much either, in my experience. 2" longer bolts might get you 3/4".

Alan 71

Hi r,
Original coil springs were cut so they would 'seat' in a particular location in BOTH the frame pocket and lower a-arm.
They also had 4 close together coils at their top which gives the spring a variable rate which affects ride hight. The springs can go in upside down which affects ride height.
Regards,
Alan





4 close coils.

revitup

Thanks Alan, if I understand it right, if the lower end is in the right position, the upper end should fall in, if the spring is made correctly. If not, doesn't seem that you could do much about it.
I replaced my original HD springs with 550lb coils and I couldn't see any difference in the coil spacing on either end in the originals or the replacements.
Am I the only one having a hard time seeing how installing the springs upside down would affect ride height? The spring length is the spring length, right?

Alan 71

Hi r,
My understanding is that the close together coils affect how the weight of the car 'loads' the spring. Variable rating.
I can understand the rear spring better it too was designed to have a variable rating….I think the rear spring accomplishes this by having the 6 different length arched leafs, and THEN the 3 straight leafs at the top.
On a spring with straight leafs the car starts out 'thinking' there are only six arched leafs, but as the spring becomes increasingly loaded the straight leafs come into play.
I know pretty well how to make them look nice, but aren't nearly smart enough to understand how the springs work!!
Regards,
Alan

Primoz

Alan once again thanks for the info! I'm rebuilding my front suspension because of the worn out bushings and the information you provide is priceless.
Do the 4 close coils come to the top as I understood?

leadfoot4

OP, how about some pictures of your car, so we can help diagnose the issue??