Hi- Just rebuilt the front end of my '72 Riv and installed the subject line springs. Dropped the motor in this AM and the car looks too high in the front. The height of the wheel arch at the center (basically inline with the center of the wheel) is 31". I don't have a spec on what it should be. I understand that springs can settle with time, but by how much? Anyone else used this spring in their boattail (with AC) or any other big car? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
Ken, measure the wire diameter of the old springs and compare with the new. Then see if the number of coils is the same. I have an old Moog catalog here..... it does show #5396 for 72 Riv w/ Ac. HD spring is 5534. If Yardley helped you install them, that is probably the problem!:bla:
Walt- I will check the coil wire diameter. I'll also look up into the spring tower and see if I can count the coils. One thing for sure- the original springs were ground flat on the upper side whereas these are full diameter wire both ends. I don't think this explains a big height difference, but points out that they are physically different. Actually, Yardley was busy putting the engine harness on the new engine while Bob Christo and I struggled to get those springs in. So, we can't nail Yards on this one, Walt. It's nice to hear that the catalog crosses at least. I also have a new set of rear springs. maybe the old ones are so sagged out that it really makes the front look weird. I thought I had ride height specs somewhere. I can't find them in the Service manual, maybe they're in the Fisher Body manual? o No: Now if I could just find the Fisher manual.... ou:
Ken, it often seems to me that the front of the boattail seems to float a bit high compaired to the rear. I'll see if I can find my manual......:TU: OK it shows the measurement from the center bottom rubber (ground/tire) to the center of fender lip as 29 in. The measurement of the door/fender gap bottom to ground as 9in. The measurement between rear door gap and beginnig of rear wheel arch as 8 5/8in and rear center offenter well to ground as 28 13/16. Like you said they will settle some. I hope this helped. P.S. What is the reason (or differences) for HD springs ft.and rr?
Thanks J-Pop! So it looks like I'm about two inches high. I think I'll change out the tired back springs, which should raise the back some I would think, and make the front height less obvious, and then drive it and see where it settles. If it doesn't come down enough to my eye, I'll go through the hassle of taking them out and cutting them. I don't know why the HD springs. I would imagine they would make for a firmer ride. But would the front be even higher?
That could be, Ross. o No: Looking at your Avatar, you look pretty low in the front- has a nice lowered look. Did you cut stock springs? If so, do you remember how many coils?
Ken, I have no clue what the springs are like as I bought the car and it was already lowered. My guess has always been that they were cut but how many coils I don't know. I can tell you that from the ground to the center of the front wheel arch is 26.25" If you want some more pics of it's stance let me know. I think the rear sits at the stock height.
Ross, you go outside and pull those coils right now!!!! :bla: BTW my ft. AND rr. rides at 30in. Hmmmm.
Ken, springs normally take at least 6 months to settle, sometimes longer. And at that only settle about an inch or so. After the drive out to Ohio measure the height again. Then & only then should you make changes. Will have to do an alignment initially & afterwards. Tom
I think I'll go with Tom's advice at the moment- drive it. I can handle that! :laugh: I'm hellbent on driving this car to Ohio, so I don't have time to mess with the springs and get the rest of it together. When I get home, or more likely in the fall, I'll probably end up pulling them and shortening them some. If the car is slightly lower than stock after I cut, I'm cool with that. For now, just get a front end alignment and go. Thanks for all the help, guys!
Dude, BAD idea. If the nose were an inch or 2 high, I'd say leave it alone. But I can crawl under your car and torque the tranny bolts as it sits now. The nose seems to have the springs ALL the way extended. It'll look and handle like chit and it will never settle to where you need it to be. Cut the coils now to avoid probs later.
According to the specs J-Pop posted it IS 1 or 2 inches higher. The spec is 29 and I'm sitting at 31 on stock tires. Seems so high, but maybe the stockers were that shot. Plus how much do you think the hood, battery, and fluids weigh? Maybe that will give me another 1/2 inch? I probaby lost 40 pounds with the intake swap. Also, I wonder if the Bilsteins we installed are giving it some height not originally planned. I do think I'll end up cutting them to get below the 29 in. spec, but not until I get the rest of the car put together and running for the BPG Nats. If I finish that up and it's running and driving and I still have time, then and only then will I consider popping those springs out and cutting them.
Jason- Once I put the replacement rears in, the cars stance looked pretty much normal (stock), although still high overall. The rear springs were shot, so when i replaced them it took that "ridiculous" look away from the car. The front is slightly higher than the back, which I think is normal for these cars in stock form. I haven't measured since the car went to Ohio and back, but I suspect it's pretty much the same. I haven't decided, but I might lower the front a bit and change the rake of the car so that it's level to slightly lower in the front than back. Are you planning to change springs? I have heard a lot of good reviews of ESPO.com. They might be the way to go to get you closer to stock height out of the box.
I have not had good luck replacing springs over the years in my Rivs. you can buy a supposedly direct replacement but they always sit too high. Somewhere the specs had to have been screwed up because I've tried different brands with no real luck. On a couple different occasions I ended up putting the originals back in I was so disgusted. Don't expect new springs to "settle" a noticeable amount. Springs are changed many times needlessly based on the assumption they must be bad because they are old. No one checks the height spec until the new ones are installed and it looks like a 4x4. I'd rather have an original spring that is a wee bit low vs an incorrect spring that is too high. Rivs do not look good when they are too high. Trial and Error swapping rears to get the right height is easy but not something you want to have to do twice on the front. In most cases I tell people to use their original springs unless there is obvious weakness.
