I Installed dropzone springs one week ago to my 91 Z28 Convertable and now my car sits weird. The front is jacked and the back is slammed. And the height at all wheels is different. I wish the whole car would sit like the rear passenger side. Any ideas at why the front is jacked?

 

did you install the springs with isolator attached to the spring and are you sure that you didn't put them in upside down?

 

I had them installed since I had trouble getting the compressor on the front springs. I'm pretty sure the isolator was reused since I think you are supposed to reuse it, but my mechanic said that it would settle because his S-10 did in 2 weeks but it has been a week and I have measured the height ever day and it has not moved even the slightest bit. And, I didn't think they could be installed upside down. Both sides looked the same to me. How would that mess it up?

 

It's the spring isolator. Also, make sure the springs are properly indexed in the a-arm between the drain bolts.
If your rubber isolator is off, dat **** ain't gonna settle.

Not to worry, your dropzones will weaken big-time over the next few years. You'll have to do it again anyways at which time, you'll make a better choice and go with Eibach or something more reputable.

The dropzones are known to get weak and sag within the import scene - can you imagine what our 3800ibs cars will do to that steel?

I'm in the powerdercoating business and I've done many sets of springs. Dropzones are the only ones that can't take the heat for some reason. After being reinstalled, most customers complain of harshness, etc...even after I bake them at lower temperatures.

just my 0.02.

Best of luck to you.

 

Thanks, but I don't plan on having the car for more than a couple of years and I want my car to settle now. The only reason I bought these was because I found them on Ebay for $50. Should I reinstall them?

 

Do the fronts again. Make sure to tape the isolator to the spring top when installing into the upper perch.

 

Also make sure you get the bottom end of the spring indexed right in the A-arm. If you don't it will cause the front to sit way too high. Pics of indexing are in the link in my sig.

HTH...Ed

 

Thanks, guys, I guess I'll try that. You were both a big help. I'm gonna rip those springs out tomorrow and do it myself. I'm never going to that mechanic again....

 

Just think well ahead before you loosen something. Suspension work must be taken very seriously. I personally hate working on suspension. The tension on that spring is enough to sever body parts with ease..

 

Yeah, I know. That's the reason I took it to a mechanic. I couldn't get the compressor around the spring because of the plastic surrounding it. I checked it out, though. It seems like it sits fione on the a-arm. Maybe it is the isolator like you said. I'm going to stick a pipe under the control arm into the spring incase it shoots out when I do it. If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself, I guess.....

 

dont worry dude its a common mistake,,,,,my mec. did the same thing,,,,the first time i seen them the car was actually higher on the front then the stock ones are.
so I jacked up the car and looked up thru the middle of the spring to see the isolater was binding the spring and not letting it go up into the tower properly. Plus look about halfway up your spring I bet its binding on the car in the inside of the spring on a metal part of your car,,,,garrentted youll see red paint scrapiing on it!!!!
I took mine back and said they arnt seated right. so we tookem out and reinstaled them with a like grease on the isolator (thats taped to the spring) and it seated perfectly...and was the proper heght. Even if one spring is binding it will keep the hole front end up cause of your stabalizer bar.

Go back to your meac. tel him there not siting up in there right. ask him if he taped the isolator to the spring...i bet he didnt. Make them remove them and tape them so they cant slip off to the side and bind on the spring. Cause you didnt pay money to get lowering springs put in that are not in corectly and make it sit higher then stock.

People say there springs sag alot right after puting them in that is the biggest load of garbage Ive ever heard. Mine didnt move at all and Ive had mine in for 2months now. The only movment they are geting is them slowly seating properly because they werent seated right from the get go,,,,,,,,they dont sag they seat.

maybe the dropzones are a cheaper spring and they may sag but not for a long time,,,and you cant go by how the imports are going cause they are a totaly didfferent size of spring.

Just dont get too discuraged there dude cause I love mine,,, and I was pissed at first too,,,,but after they get seated right youll be happyer. I love the feel of my ride. Im glad i got mine!

 

oh youll know when they are seated right because your back and front gap will be the same size.
I wanted my front a tid bit lower so I took off a 1/2 coil off my fronts ,but without cuting them in no way should your front be higher then your back. The meac. should so it for free cause he messed up. and i found cause the springs are made from a thicker guage metal then stock they tend to bind. Heres a pic of mine:

p.s. Wishmaster has DZ too (w/ no cutting) and his car is level.

 

Thanks. I'm going to print this out and take it to my machanic. He said his S-10 took 2 weeks to settle so he won't believe me. I'll post what happened when I get back. Thanks!

 

By the way, here's a pic...

 

another....

 

yet another...I can't get the damn sizes right, so bear with me.....

 

wow thats a beautiful car! yea i'd have to agree with my original post as others have supported it as well and say its the isolators, take it back to the mechanic and have him do it. Good Luck

 

Thanks for the compliment! I put my heart and sould into this bad boy so you can see why I'm upset. I'm going in for an alignment friday, so I'll show him the print out of this post and I'll tell you guys what happened. Oh, and here's the stock ride height....

 

Sorry, forgot the pic.....

 

what hood and rims do you have on that car? once again looks great, hopefully what my vert will look like in the future

 

untill they are seated right DONT get it alined.......cause the only reason you should need an ilingment is cause its sitting lower and needs to be adjusted,,,so make sure you get the springs seated real good before you align it up.

yep I just looked at your after pics and your car looks exacly the way mine did after my meac. put mine in wrong.....
its hard to see but get him to look up thru the spring and he should see...there not going all the way up like they should.

Dont worry man your car is going to come down once there in right. Also make sure he indexed them properly but I bet he did that fine.

 

Thanks again, I love the compliments. My car looked just like yours 2 years ago so yours will look good to if your like me and spend every dime on it. I have a Harwood bolt on hood and 17 inch Edelbrock 409s. And, I'm going into the garage now to jack up my car and look in there. I'll tell you what I find

 

Anyway, the moral of the story is...
I looked up inside the spring through the bottom of the control arm and saw that the spring sat incorrectly in the pocket on the drivers side on top. It's fixed. Case closed. Thanks for the help!

 

get new pics! and what other mods do you have on your car

 

yah got any pics,,,I love how your car looks man.....its level now right???

 

Heh, yeah, I can get a bunch of pics later today. How can I post them on here? The car sits fine now, but the next step is a roll bar. I had one priced, since convertables need a custom made one, at $1,000. Screw that! I;m on Long Island if anyone happens to know anyone that will work for cheaper.

 

I was just reading the posts and mine leans to the driver side. The pass and driver are about an inch off. Do you think I put them in wrong? I taped the isolator to it. Should I reinstall them?

 

The tape may have ripped and might just be a little off. Get a drop-light and jack up the car on the side that sits higher. Get under the car and look through the hole in the bottom of the A-arm. You will be able to see clearly up through the inside of the spring. You will easliyl be able to tell if everything is sitting correctly or not. I thought springs were a simple upgrade, but I have found that there are alot of really strange problems. Let me know what happens!

 

yah that seems like alot on one side.... also cheack halfway up the spring and make sure one of the coils isint bound up on the cars frame on the inside side of the spring.