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Just discovered this coil spring situation on the RH coil spring of my 69 L46 4spd vert. I have attached pictures of both LH and RH coil springs, one from front view looking back and one from rear view looking forward. You will see on the RH spring the coils are almost if not in fact touching in one inboard spot. This looks very abnormal and is not nearly the case on the LH spring. The car is n jack stands with suspension hanging. Stands are just rear of the front wheels and just forward of the rear wheels, all under the frame. Free hanging A-arms would at least in theory account for some differential in coil spacing inboard vs outboard on the coil....but not like this. Would welcome any thoughts on causes or things to check. These coils were replaced 2,000 miles ago which also happens to be 24 years ago. I can't think of much other than defective coils to begin with. If there were something funky going on with A-arm geometry would think coils would unduly bunch equivalently. I am aware that there is only one correct vertical orientation..tighter coils on top. Am not aware of any requisite rotational orientation...dunno if there is only one seating orientation for that which would preclude getting it wrong...I think. I will be pulling it apart at some point for restore but was thinking that was a year or two off. But now potentially driving it like this has me a bit concerned.
Spring might be damaged etc but the first (and easiest) thing I'd check is where the bottom of the spring sits in the pocket. If the spring is rotated so the end of the spring is opposite the pocket then the part of the coil is up in the air above the pocket and it will try to fold down into the gap and try to kick the spring forwards on the passenger side, rearwards on the drivers side.
The top can do the same but it's usually not as severe.
Anyway, an easy thing to check, if that's not the case, then the spring is suspect
M
The springs are seated at the top of the frame approximately 3/8" from the inspection hole on the top of the frame spring pocket. One of the springs looks bent or very tired. Is the car uneven at any corner? Jerry
Agreed, I'd be looking at how those springs are sitting in the pockets. But that one looks really bad.
if they have been installed incorrectly and left for 24 years. I think I would just get a new set. Springs are not expensive. Just putting them in is a pain.
What I posted originally about vertical axis rotational orientation I was thinking about something like the pocket mentioned by some which I was not aware of when initially posting. Pocket is clearly seen from underneath. Spring on "good" side covers the entire inspection hole. Spring on "bad" RH side covers half the hole. My knowledge of geometry and physics and overall engineering tells me there is nothing going on that could cause this other than spring defect...either originally or some sort of failure after install. All moot at this point as only course of action is tear down and replace springs and hope that alone addresses it. Of course dealing with anything else discovered along the way and I have come to learn there is ALWAYS something else....we are lucky if only one.
That looks like bad heat treating to me. - or-
Or someone hit it with a torch to lower the ride height.
Possibly during the original install.
Perhaps they were too tall when first installed?
How is the ride height now?
Spring is shot.
That looks like bad heat treating to me. - or-
Or someone hit it with a torch to lower the ride height.
Possibly during the original install.
Perhaps they were too tall when first installed?
How is the ride height now?
Spring is shot.
How does the car's height seem in the front? Someone might have used a torch on the springs to lower the car but over-heated the coils on that side... (?)
I bought car in 1997. Of course vette brings woman in 1998, woman becomes wife in 2000, wife becomes mother in 2002. Goodnight vette..enjoy your 20 year nap. But in 1998 I had a local garage replace front springs, prior were sagging and probably original. So either the garage put em in that way or they had a failure. No one touched them post install. Never hit big pothole that I recall. Car looked and drove fine prior to nap. Last year started restore teardown..just noticed this now. Car been on jack stands abt 4 months or so. Car ain't getting back on the road til this is addressed so cannot comment on ride height now.
I can almost "see" where it was heated.
The normal pattern stops at the arrow.
They heated it right there enough to let it sag, and then I will bet it continued to sag/drop over the last 20 years, even while sitting still.
The front & back of the coil are parallel at that spot. It is twisting badly at the arrow. It will break there eventually.
Well...look what we got. problem spring is second from right in the pic of four. The outside ones are used service replacements I plan to clean up and install. I have no idea how this spring got a dogleg bend in it....just glad it was discovered and removed.
Pretty weird..
you have more patience than i. Those original giant springs are more difficult to install than good usa moog replacements already powder coated
Pretty weird..
you have more patience than i. Those original giant springs are more difficult to install than good usa moog replacements already powder coated
Actually not all that bad. Get the A arms opened up good...use some strut compressors to take some height out of the springs. it works. hemorrhaging money on this restore so gotta leverage what I got here and there.
Coil Spring Bunching
