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From: Loud, Raw and Dangerous 1968 327 4S in Southern California
Yikes also....2-3 inches of deflection down low. Looks like you will have to bite the bullet and take Zip up on their offer to exchange. I feel for ya.
Last edited by Redvette2; Mar 27, 2020 at 06:06 PM.
That looks a an autocrosser on road race slicks so probably pulling 1.25G. .Thats exactly why you want a big dia & wide wheel and really short sidewalls while racing.
You'd be lucky to get half that deflection on your street car, but that would still cause you big tire sidewall problems.
The only safe thing to do with it is to return it, unless you like your *** high!
Check my other thread for specifics but I would recommend a Van steel composite spring, if that's what you want.
Either their EZ-ride 200# or their 300#.low arch. Both should give you stock ride height with 8.0" spring bolts. https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...composite.html
The other thing - I have NOT seen mentioned- Is the measurements should be with a 1/2 tank of gas....
I'm so glad I went with Vansteel's coilovers and never looked back.... I can easily set the height with a spanner wrench and not worry about tires rubbing on the bolt-
That looks a an autocrosser on road race slicks so probably pulling 1.25G. .Thats exactly why you want a big dia & wide wheel and really short sidewalls while racing.
You'd be lucky to get half that deflection on your street car, but that would still cause you big tire sidewall problems.
Yup! Here are stock tires at low speeds. They deflect more (1'20" in case the video doesn't cue up to it)
Thanks Gents, and @leigh1322 in particular, for his insight and starting a new, clean, comprehensive thread with lots of clear information that I wish I had before starting this.
I am very uncomfortable with the installation. It looks unsafe and I shouldn't drive it. Fortunately there is a full lockdown here so I cannot drive it anyway
I can't return the spring as, in a desperate attempt to make it work, I trimmed the top plastic locating pin so it would slot in the bottom of the carrier allowing me to move the spacers under the spring (saving 3/4-inch ?). That just barely got me to the ride height with the nuts at the end of the 10-inch bolts.
Once my $$$ are in better shape, I will call Vansteel. Stay tuned
That tire looks like it could easily be our size, 255/60 on a 7 or 8" wide wheel, 8" of tread. At least 1.5" maybe 2" of tire movement. Sounds right and why you DO NOT WANT that rear spring TOO CLOSE to the tire. The factory tucked the spring end up inside the wheel, for a reason. Putting it down by the sidewall is like asking for trouble.
To the OP sorry for your troubles, but you are not the first, or probably the last to get bitten by that TRW spring. At least that spring didn't "bite you" in a way that would put you or your car at risk!
Last edited by leigh1322; Mar 28, 2020 at 10:59 AM.
I remembered seeing a video on CF that showed a C3 rear tire deflection. After much searching, I found it. Oddly enough, the title of that thread was "anyone running 275/60/15s with 10" lowering bolts?"
Wow ! Thanks !!! That’s super impressive. (Including the AN-8 fuel line and the beast under
the hood.) Those tires are deflecting enormously. Hmm. I measured to clearance with the end link and my tires. I’m at 1-inch. That deflection is more
than an inch.
Those look to be be 17" wheels due to the amount of light by the brake shield.
And those are sticky autocross tires with the stones sticking to them so 1.1-1.2G
The long spring bolt stops right next to & even with the wheel rim, that looks to be a 10" bolt.
Tires move so much they go to the inside edge of the spring bolt washer!!, at least 2 inches.
Anyone else see the yokes pop out of the diff like .25" at 1:44?
"there is actually nothing wrong with the spring." per Justin Abbott, Zip Corvette. Don't believe you lyin' eyes!
There isn't and I stand behind what I said. We have had these springs since at least the late 80's. You have different aspect ratio tires and play and all that changes things. I had 9" bolts in my 75 back in 89 until I being young and stupid decided to go with a Daytona 5 leaf spring. Stop quoting Dr. Rebuild, he calls everyone a liar that doesn't agree with him, yet he calls himself a Dr. go figure.
As far as the video of the tire deflecting, that is a drag slick with a wrinkle side wall, they are going to move around, they are designed to go straight and grow at speed, that is a bad example for a tire video. If you are running the correct size tires the will not be close to the end of the spring. This has always been an issue for us who run wider tires, fiberglass or steel, sometimes the end of the springs had to be trimmed.
Sooooo, I reached AIM wheel arch height of 27.9 inches, down from 29.5 and my half shafts are level.
To achieve this I had to place the spacer under the spring and I had to use 10-inch bolts with the nut run all the way down to the end of the bolt.
This probably will settle a little. For the moment it’s hanging a bit low for my comfort.
Dorian,
That is too close to the tire. If you hit anything in a turn that tire may deflect enough to hit that that tab on the spring. Remind me the size of those rear tires please.
Dorian,
That is too close to the tire. If you hit anything in a turn that tire may deflect enough to hit that that tab on the spring. Remind me the size of those rear tires please.
As far as the video of the tire deflecting, that is a drag slick with a wrinkle side wall, they are going to move around, they are designed to go straight and grow at speed, that is a bad example for a tire video.
I respectfully disagree. There is no way that those tires being used on that C3 autocrossing in a parking lot are
drag racing wrinkle wall slicks.
I respectfully disagree. There is no way that those tires being used on that C3 autocrossing in a parking lot are
drag racing wrinkle wall slicks.
Here's some DRAG RACING wrinkle wall slicks.
We must be looking at two different videos then. The one I saw that was posted above was obviously those. I see the same author has posted another video as well. Didn't watch that one but I will later.
On this size tire, a 255-60-15, the sidewall will move laterally 1.5-2.0" under racing or hard cornering conditions. Seen it and measured it many times.
That's why we have a problem with the 10" bolts on the TRW spring,
If you are running the correct size tires the will not be close to the end of the spring. This has always been an issue for us who run wider tires, fiberglass or steel, sometimes the end of the springs had to be trimmed.
Tire Size: F70-15 Tire Size: 225/70-15
Tire Diameter: 27.10 in. Tire Diameter: 27.40 in.
Section Width: 8.20 in. Section Width: 9.00 in.
Tread Width: 6.50 in Tread Width: 6.70 in.
F70-15 was the tire size used when the car was built. I'd say the 225/70-15 he's running now now are pretty close to the F70-15. The problem with the tire being so close to the spring end is 10" bolts with 15" wheels.
there is a full lockdown here 
so I cannot drive it anyway 
