C2 Front Coil Springs

[Philip Whitaker Member# 2024]

I removed the original 3851100 springs from my 64 several months ago. Both still had ledgable remnants of the original green tags listing the part # and ED. I wasn't paying close enough attention because I didn't notice that one of the springs is slightly different than the other. I noticed this diference after reinstalling the springs yesterday. One of the springs did not come to the stop in the spring pocket in the lower control arm. I thought that some how I had goofed up on the installation. So after checking everything that I had done to be double sure that I had them in right side up and that they were in the upper spring pockets and .38 inches from the stop, I removed them from the car to see what was wrong.

Here's what I found. Each spring measures the same wire diameter, each spring is the same hieght, each spring has the same number of coils, and those coils are the same diameter. But if you lay the springs on thier side next to each other for comparison, one spring appears to coil 2.3" further than the other. So I measure the length of wire used to make each spring by wrapping a ribbon around the spring wire for the entire length of the coil. This is what's wrong; one of the springs, the one that fits both upper and lower spring pockets correctly, is made from a length of wire that is 2.3" longer than the length of wire that was used to make the spring that won't fit all the way up to the stop in the lower control arm. Niether spring apears to have been cut off.

The cars ride hieght was OK prior to removing the springs. I just wasn't paying attention as to the fit of the springs prior to removal.

The AIM says to locate the upper portion of the spring .38 inches from the stop in the frame pocket.

Here are my questions; has anyone else experienced this problem? Is this just poor quality from the supplier? Should I install the spring as stated in the AIM or should I "fudge" it back away from the upper stop to attain a better fit in the lower control arm?

Being that both springs are the same length, and the fact that the ride hieght was OK before removing the springs, I think the springs will be OK to use. I don't want to have to remove and replace these again later.

Thanks, Phil

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Phil:

Did you look for the notch on the outside of the coil near the end? As you probably know, these are progressive rate springs, where the coils are wound tighter on one end, and become more widely spaced on the other. The notch on the end of the spring is there to insure that both springs are installed with the correct orientation. These notches are not mentioned in the AIM, nor the Shop Manual; however, the AIM does state to "assemble the front spring with close spaced coils toward frame spring tower" (up).

Joe

[Philip Whitaker Member# 2024]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Joe,

Yes, I did. The notch at the end of the spring is on the large end of the coils, or stated otherwise, where the coils are spaced further apart. I have that end of the spring in the lower control arm. The delema is that one spring seems to have been manufactured out of a wire that was cut too short when it was produced, so it doesn't come close to both spring stops when installed. In my opinion it's probably just poor quality control. I've already reinstalled both springs and simply "fudged" (rotated) the spring back from it's upper stop, to aquire a better fit in the lower control arm. I'm not sure why the AIM calls for the spring to be located in the upper (frame) spring pocket .38 " +/- .12" from the stop. Those sound like semi-critical measurements. Anyway, the spring came out of the car and the spring is back in the car. It's cost me a day of lost time wondering and worring if I have it in there properly, but I doubt if the guy who put it in at the plant ever gave it a second thought, and it's been fine for forty years, so I'm probably making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Thanks for responding, Phil

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Phil:

Didn't want to state the obvious, but your post looked awful lonely with no response. Seriously, in rereading your original post, I now understand its meaning. Yes, that seems like a very uncommon problem, but as we all know, quality control was not exactly top priority back in the day.
As you know, the 3851100 units were GM discontinued about 2 years ago (I know this because I was lucky enough to purchase mine about a month before they were taken out). I would have put the shorter one on the passenger side-- I suppose you did this.

Joe

[Philip Whitaker Member# 2024]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Joe,

Yes, I put the one made from the shorter wire on the passenger side. If on completion of the frame off I'm displeased with the results, I can always redo the redo. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do a job 3 times to get it right. LOL

Thanks, Phil

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Phil-----

The only way that the spring with the "longer tail" end could cause a problem would be if it caused the spring to "overlap" the spring stop (in either the frame or lower control arm). It seems pretty clear that this didn't happen since the spring had been previously installed with no problems noted in performance. So, that pretty much means that the "shorter tailed" spring is the "aberrant" one. I can't see much of a problem that this will create under any circumstances.

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Front Coil Springs

Phil:

Allright! You should be just fine so long as you don't gain more than 2.3" worth of weight.
If the car sat straight before, then it should be fine after. FWIW: My '65 with the new coils sits 1/2" higher on the driver's side, and this is not noticeable. I am sure that there is plenty of variation in frame tolerances, which will cause this. I think that the max side to side tolerance in ride height is in the order of 1/2" to 3/4". I don't remember whether I saw that in the AIM, or in the Performance Verification Guide.
Bottom line is not to condemn the spring(s) if the ride height is slightly off--it could be due to something else, including the rear leaf.

Joe