OK....I just installed an Eibach pro kit (1- 1.5 in drop) as well as new gas struts and shocks and polyurethane sway bar end links. After finally figuring out how to get the front springs out and installing the Eibachs....my car appears to ride HIGHER than before with the stock springs.

It totally does not look right....I think I have the springs seated ok. And they are right side up (can read the print on the spring).

I guess the stock springs could have been sagging alot, but if anything, the height between the old nd new springs would prb ballance out, right?

And the front is a couple inches higher than the rear.

Any opinions? Have I done something obvious which is incorrect?

 

I think i may have figured out my own prob her. I referenced tarmiller72's photo album at yahoo and I don't think I have the coils seated at the proper index.

Here we go again

 

Nevermind...I rotated the coils in the control arm to where they are supposed to be and my fender gap is still about 5 inches higher than with the stock springs.

Somebody please help

 

That's my site you looked at.

There's 2 sides to the springs: one is "flat" and the other is not. You should be able to tell them apart. The flat side MUST go up. You said you have the springs indexed so I won't talk about that.

Did you tighten up your bushings and control arms before you put the car on it's wheels? If you did, that's part of the problem.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Ed

 

I'm absolutely positive that the flat end went up. I'm not so positive about tightening the control arms. I remember what a pain in the butt it was to get the screws back through the control arm bushings. I screwed the nuts on while the car was on jack stands but did not tighten them. I don't think I really tightened them after the wheels were on the ground because I was not sure if I was finished or not. Should they be tightened when the wheels are in the air??

 

thanks for posting all those pics about your suspension work by the way. It was lots of help. The only thing I had problems with on the install part was getting the old springs out. I tried 3 times to detach the strut and lower the control arm that way; this did not work. I found it easier to jack the inner portion of the control arm and pull the pivot bolts and lower it (with the strut still attached). The spring popped out. I reattached the pivot bolts and then undid the strut, lowered the outer part of the control arm and put the new spring in from that side.

 

I have the Eibach Pro-Kit Springs in my RS.
I ended up cutting 3/4 coil off the fronts to get them where I wanted.
-Rich-

 

Rich...this is quite bizarre. Funny that you had to do that; and actually I think I will have to also. Tell me; what did your car look like fresh after you put the ProKit in? Did your fender gap increase about 5 inches? I don't understand how lowering springs could do this (unless I entirely botched the job).

After you cut 3/4 coil, did the front level out to the stance at the rear, or did you have to cut the rears also?

 

Matthew, you have to wait to get it all tight until the car is on e the wheels and the suspension is fully loaded; otherwise, the bushings will be placed under a pre-load condition.

You're welcome on the pics.

I just find it very hard to picture that you have 5 inches of fender gap. After my install, this is what my fender gap looks like:

 

Rich, you had to actually cut a coil? My RS sits just as low as my Iroc does and it's stock.



And if you had to cut a coil, why didn't you just get the Sportlines which are lower anyway?

Ed

 

I threaded the bolts on but don't think I tightened them. I'll have to raise it up and loosen them up and set it back down to see if there is a difference.

The box I got from Eibach said "ProKit" on it......and they don't make anything but lowering springs right??

If its not those pivot bolts, what else could it be? I did not replace the pivot bolt bushings....Is there any stupid chance it could be related to the struts?

And just to be sure...are the index holes the two close together on the inner aspect of the control arm? I looked at all the helpful pics you put up and think I got that right.

 

As far as the 5 in measure goes...it was an estimate. I could literally hold 5 fingers from my left hand and one finger from my right between the fender and the wheel

 

First of all, I didn't get another set of springs (after finding the pro-kit's seemed tall) because I got the set of four for $45 at the Summit outlet store in Sparks, NV and they were an open-box (non-returnable).
Also, I've cut springs before, and I wasn't intimidated by having to cut them to get the ride height I wanted.Before you could get "lowering springs" lowering was done by either heating a coil (bad) or cutting a coil (good), so I was used to the somewhat painful procedure of cutting, putting it back together, setting it down, and doing it over until it was right.
When I first put them in, it seemed to sit about 1/2" higher than it did with the stock (sagging) springs. First, I took out the isolators. That helped a little, but I like it low, so I took a 1/4 coil at a time, until I got it where it is now. It's probably 2-1/2" lower than stock. At first even that didn't seem like enough, but I was running 45 series tires (245-45ZR-16). Now that I've gone back to 50's it seems just right.
The rears didn't need as much cutting, but I'm running 255's in the back.
Why didn't the "lowering springs" lower it more?
I Don't know. I checked the part# and I know the springs were for 82-92 Camaro/Firebird in the Eibach Catalog.
I wish I had something more enlightening to tell you, but that's how it sat after installing them and I dealt with it by cutting them.
-Rich-

 

its OFFICIAL......I am retarded

I just got a call from the mechanic. I was having my trans checked out as well. I did not use a coil compressor to get them in side. Just held them in place while I jacked the control arm underneathe.

Guess what?? They weren't correctly fitted inside the hole they slide up into. But hey..at least the index was correct!!

Strange thing is.....I installed and reinstalled them....so two times in a row, they were not in place, on both sides. Odd...So if anyone ever asks, tell them they can save $140 labor by using a coil compressor to get them back inside.

Thanks for you patience and your help.:hail:

 

Rich...check out my last post. You are a bastard for having a summit outlet store close to you. Down here in Texas...I'd never heard of them before I logged on here.

Good luck to you rich..

 

That would do it. Gotta get them sitting right up there, too. I really didn't think of that during this whole thing. "Huh.. I never made the connection. Thanks Mr. Obvious, you're a lifesaver."


Rich, I hear ya. I'd have done the same thing. $45 for Eibachs? Where do I sign up?

Personally, I don't like to ride that low but I know a lot of you guys do. I thought about cutting my Iroc springs too but then decided to go with the Eibachs. No flaming intended.

Ed

 

Hey Rich or Ebmiller,

Did either of you get a chance or could you measure from the wheel well lip to the ground? I have a post about this and just need a measurement to shoot for. I am trying to not have to cut, reinstall, check, repeat.

Thanks!

Eric

 

Sure. I have to reinstall my air dam tomorrow so I'll do it then.

These things sure do heat up quick with no air dam!!

Ed

 

I'll measure the heighth at lunch today.

I grew up in the Reno area (Sparks, Actually) so every year I go visit my parents and see the big car show/swap meet/drag race (Hot August Nights)
http://www.hotaugustnights.net/
and usually spend a couple hours in the Summit warehouse.
They've got a couple big racks in there full of returns and open-box stuff for sale cheap. I always dig through that stuff, and usually find at least a couple things I can use.

-Rich-

 

Heighth at fender lip is 25" Front and 25.75" Rear, with 245-50/16's Front and 255-50/16's Rear.
-Rich-

 

Front: 25 1/2"
Rear: 28"...EEK!!

245/50-16s all 4 corners.

I think those new rear coil spring isolators are a bit thick!!

Ed, in the jacked up car.

 

At 25 1/2" in the front my airdam is about 6 inches off the pavement.
I hope to end up at about 26 1/2 in the front. I'm going to have to find a stocker to measure. I know someone on the V6 tech board who has prokits and ended up cutting 1/2 coil off her car to get it where she wanted it.

Ed, maybe the 70's will come back and the jacked up look will be in again!

Eric