[colegaddor]

Hello. I just installed a new shock tower, upper control arm and spring perch. After I put the coil spring in, I attempted to put the coil spring cover on but it was rubbing or very close to rubbing against the coil. I put the shock in to see how centered it looked, and it definitely looked like it was in a different plane than the spring. Anyone have any ideas? I used the same shims behind the upper control arm bolts that I took off.

 

[Woodchuck]

Did you seat the coil spring properly in the perch? Did you replace the upper insulator and is the spring seated in the underside of the tower? Sometimes it takes a couple good "bounces" of the front suspension to put everything back into place. LOL.

 

[colegaddor]

Did you seat the coil spring properly in the perch? Did you replace the upper insulator and is the spring seated in the underside of the tower? Sometimes it takes a couple good "bounces" of the front suspension to put everything back into place. LOL.

I seated it the same way I had them seated before. I put a thicker insulator in, which I thought was causing the problem so I tried it without the new insulator and it still did the same thing.

 

[colegaddor]

I seated it the same way I had them seated before. I put a thicker insulator in, which I thought was causing the problem so I tried it without the new insulator and it still did the same thing.

When I say I seated it the same way as before, it was the correct way and exactly how it was before (bottom end pinned against the stop, top centered on the hub thing at the top of the shock tower)

 

[colegaddor]

The way it’s sitting now I don’t think I can use the spring cover because the spring might hit it

 

[awhtx]

Is the car sitting on the ground with the engine installed or is the suspension hanging free?

 

[jasonwthompson]

Is the spring perch installed correctly with the spring tab on the perch facing inboard towards the engine?

 

[colegaddor]

Is the car sitting on the ground with the engine installed or is the suspension hanging free?

the suspension is free hanging with no engine installed.

 

[colegaddor]

Is the spring perch installed correctly with the spring tab on the perch facing inboard towards the engine?

yes the perch tab side is closer the engine bay

 

[awhtx]

the suspension is free hanging with no engine installed.

That's the most likely reason your spring is "bowed" outwards.

 

[colegaddor]

That's the most likely reason your spring is "bowed" outwards.

how come the other side isn’t doing it too? I didn’t replace any of the parts on the other side

 

[colegaddor]

That's the most likely reason your spring is "bowed" outwards.

It just seems weird I’m only having this issue after doing all that work. I’ve replaced springs before and didn’t have the issue, the other side looks fine.

I did keep the spring compressed out of the car for quite a long time, could it maybe have bent?

im just trying to confirm it can’t be something I did wrong installing those other parts. The only thing I can think of there is the hub at the top of the shock tower not being in the correct spot on the new shock tower, but visually it looks okay.

 

[colegaddor]

That's the most likely reason your spring is "bowed" outwards.

This is the only thing stopping me from putting the car back on the ground after over a year! Getting ready for a 302 install soon

 

[colegaddor]

I’m considering putting the spring back in and putting the car on the ground to see if that straightens the spring out. I just don’t want it to pop out without the spring cover on. The 1” insulators are a little sketchy because the only thing around the top hub is the insulator, the spring just rests up against it (there’s a thin rubber extension off the insulator that goes inside the spring but I doubt it would hold the spring in place much at all). The spring tension is obviously enough to keep the spring in place normally, but with it bowed out I don’t know what it will do.

 

[colegaddor]

I’m considering putting the spring back in and putting the car on the ground to see if that straightens the spring out. I just don’t want it to pop out without the spring cover on. The 1” insulators are a little sketchy because the only thing around the top hub is the insulator, the spring just rests up against it (there’s a thin rubber extension off the insulator that goes inside the spring but I doubt it would hold the spring in place much at all). The spring tension is obviously enough to keep the spring in place normally, but with it bowed out I don’t know what it will do.

 

[colegaddor]

I’m considering putting the spring back in and putting the car on the ground to see if that straightens the spring out. I just don’t want it to pop out without the spring cover on. The 1” insulators are a little sketchy because the only thing around the top hub is the insulator, the spring just rests up against it (there’s a thin rubber extension off the insulator that goes inside the spring but I doubt it would hold the spring in place much at all). The spring tension is obviously enough to keep the spring in place normally, but with it bowed out I don’t know what it will do.

 

[colegaddor]

I’m considering putting the spring back in and putting the car on the ground to see if that straightens the spring out. I just don’t want it to pop out without the spring cover on. The 1” insulators are a little sketchy because the only thing around the top hub is the insulator, the spring just rests up against it (there’s a thin rubber extension off the insulator that goes inside the spring but I doubt it would hold the spring in place much at all). The spring tension is obviously enough to keep the spring in place normally, but with it bowed out I don’t know what it will do.

 

[Rufus68]

I know it is extra work, but you could swap the springs side to side. If the issue follows the spring, then the spring is suspect. If the issue remains on the same side, look at the other suspension components.

 

[colegaddor]

I know it is extra work, but you could swap the springs side to side. If the issue follows the spring, then the spring is suspect. If the issue remains on the same side, look at the other suspension components.

I could try that, it’s not too much extra work

 

[colegaddor]

I know it is extra work, but you could swap the springs side to side. If the issue follows the spring, then the spring is suspect. If the issue remains on the same side, look at the other suspension components.

If it isn’t the spring, you have any ideas what it could be?