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I recently rebuilt my front suspension with VBP 550 springs, Global West tubular upper and lower arms, poly sway bar end links and bushings, spreader bar, and new tie rods. I am not happy with the ride height and would like to drop it down some more. The VBP springs didn't drop it lower from the stock springs, but I assume that is because the stock springs were sagging. I have driven the car a few hundred miles since installing the new setup, and it hasn't settled at all. The spring is in the pocket correctly, so that isn't an issue.
I want to cut the springs to lower the car. I have cut springs before, and I would not mind the car being a little bit stiffer or the coil rate changing.
My questions is: do I need to disconnect the tie rod to allow the lower control arm enough swing to remove the front spring? I would love to save the tie rod boots from being destroyed by using a pickle fork to get the end out.
Last edited by Black72GTS; Apr 16, 2020 at 11:47 AM.
Here are pictures of the car before, and after the suspension change.
Before suspension work...
After suspension work...
The tires on the stock rims are massive 235/75/15 wheels with a height of 28.9 inches. They rub on the inner fender on turns. I am getting a new set of wheels with correct 255/60/15 tires this afternoon, and expect the new tires to push me to drop the front end even more due to the extra fender clearance that I will have.
Last edited by Black72GTS; Apr 16, 2020 at 11:46 AM.
The tie rod is attached to the spindle, not the lower control arm. So, when you pop the lower ball joint to swing the lower arm down the tie rod won't go with the arm.
The tie rod is attached to the spindle, not the lower control arm. So, when you pop the lower ball joint to swing the lower arm down the tie rod won't go with the arm.
I was planning to pop the upper ball joint because that's what I read... But now that you say that, it would be easier just to drop the lower ball joint. Then all I would have to do it disconnect the sway bar end links and wouldn't have to mess with the caliper... Amiright? Or would I still have to remove stuff to make space for the spring?
It's been a while, but as I halfway remember, you can drop the lower arm by unbolting it at the cross member. I imagine you have to unbolt the shock and sway bar.. As I said it's been a while. You have to have a jack under it and let it down slowly.
I would put the new tyres on and drive it around a bit , then see what you need to do .
Yup, that is the plan... i'm just trying to plan ahead assuming it doesn't settle that much. From what I have read, the VBP 550 springs don't really settle that much over time.
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absolutely! And if the new springs were higher than advertised..send them back!
should be significantly different height
I did not measure the fender lip with the old setup so I cannot tell you the measurements before or after suspension work. I wish that I had taken the measurements, but visually, it definitely did not drop the car at all. My car had the 9-leaf spring and no rear sway bar so I assumed that my car did not have the gymkhana suspension setup. When I reworked my front suspension I noticed that I did have the 1 1/8 front sway bar, and I was surprised that the springs weren't that much taller than the VBP 550 springs. Maybe the PO had installed the gymkhana setup in the front, and that would explain why there is no drop. I can't seem to find anywhere that has the uninstalled spring height of stock vs. gymkhana springs, so I can't tell you.
With that being said, the car with the suspension and 255/60/15 rides much better than the old setup. Other than the looser steering feel, it feels almost as good as my C5. It doesn't change the fact that I would still like to lower it another inch or two.
Last edited by Black72GTS; Apr 17, 2020 at 02:45 PM.
I measured the springs I removed, and they were 13 1/8" tall uninstalled, and have 8 total coils. Does this sound more like the gymkhana springs compared to stock suspension springs?
My 79 L82 w air..non gymkhana..is 28 inches oem at 24 psi..
my sway bar is like 22/23 inch... i think after 79 all were ~1.2 in front i think. So very probably stock springs
Check out Harbor Freight "Ball Joint Separator" it is about $20 without a coupon. It works great for getting tie rod ends and ball joints apart without damaging the boots. It puts pressure on the joint and then all you need to do is hit the side of the joint and it comes apart. There are videos on Youtube that show it in use. Unk
Measure your wheel well lip height, decide where you want it to be. Now remove your spring height out of the car. If you want a 2" drop cut 2" off the spring and you should be darn close. That's how I've always done it and it always worked.
i have the 550 springs and took 1.5". Off and it sits nice. I always hated vetted that are higher in front.
I removed the sway bar end link and shock. I then put a jack under the lower control arm and used a Harbor Freight ball joint separator (worked like a charm) to pop the lower ball joint with the castle nut still thread on to catch it when it broke loose. I was then able to pivot the spindle/rotor assembly out of the way without removing anything else. I decided to take it easy and cut a full coil off (about .75"). It is a good thing I didn't cut any more because It ended up dropping my fender lip from 28.5" to just over 27", leaving me only 2.5" clearance from the air dam to the ground. Heh, one of the reasons I got rid of my C5 was because I wanted more ground clearance...
Excellent...my front with new spring is 28.5 inches floor to lip.
my old non gymkhana spring was 15.5 inches unsprung..so your look like gymkhana springs?
question...when you lined up springs did you line them up from the hole in the bottom control arm? Or top?
Excellent...my front with new spring is 28.5 inches floor to lip.
my old non gymkhana spring was 15.5 inches unsprung..so your look like gymkhana springs?
question...when you lined up springs did you line them up from the hole in the bottom control arm? Or top?
I installed VBP 550# springs, and cut 1 full coil off. I installed the cut end in the shock tower spring pocket using the bolt-through-the-hole method to locate the spring. The Global West control arms have a bushing that you can rotate to match the spring orientation.
Dropping Front Springs
