When I embarked on installing the new components for my front suspension (the kit from PST, KYB GR-2 struts, Iroc springs, and steering brace) I didn't think that it would raise my car up so much. If anything I thought it would lower it. The new springs I put in were about one to two inches shorter than the originals. Now it looks like skyjacker got a hold of my front end. Is there anything I can do to fix this stance problem?

 

Are your springs indexed properly?

If not, they can make the car sit an inch or more higher than it's supposed to.

 

It makes me smile knowingly when I read this! RB83L69 is of course, completely correct.

When I didn't have my front springs indexed properly the car sat WAY high at the front, by at least 2-3 inches! A search will yield the appropriate info. on how to sort it out. Ebmiller posted some pics showing it exactly a while ago.

 

Here ya go! the end of the coil should sit in between these 2 holes. This pic is from ebmiller's page on a suspension rebuild.

 

As far as I know the springs are indexed correctly. That was the first thing I checked. The ends of them are in between the two holes like they should be. Is there something else that could be wrong? I just hope we didn't do something wrong. Thanks.

 

You probably don't have the top of the springs fully seated in the upper spring perch. If you don't, you'll sit higher also. You need to jack the car up and take a look up through the spring and see how it looks.

Ed

 

are you comparing old springs to new or used iroc springs?

everyone thinks their car will get lowered with iroc springs or even pro-kit 1"drop springs when the replace their worn springs. the iroc springs were just a different rating/stiffer they weren't lower then normal, this is many a mistake v6 guys make.

if you wanted the car lower or even comparable to worn springs you bought the wrong springs.

 

nice thing about springs when they get old is they start to sag.
so when you car was new you might have lets say 6 inches of clearence
but as the car ages and the springs wear your 6 inches of clearence now drops to 4 inches of clearence
you put 1" lowering springs on there and you now have 5 inches of clearence being the 1 inch drop was compared to the stock hight of 6"

 

The old springs were pretty worn. You could play them like an accordian if you were so inclined. The Iroc springs are brand new. I'm just concerned because the nose of the car is higher than my dad's '97 T/A (black w/white stripes, convertible, 6-speed). It's also higher than my buddy's stock Iroc-z. The handling is also an issue. It doesn't seem to handle as good as it should with all that new stuff on there.

 

depends on what your comparing it by. yes the iroc spring rate is nice but it can't compare to the nicer springs out there. you bought a factory replacement spring that in all purposes should work however it's going to sit higher then newer 4thgens as they did from the factory and stock or not a car that's 10 years old with lowmileage even will have springs that have sagged. sounds like you just purchased the wrong product for your expectations.

 

Well, I guess there's not much I can do about it now. I have one more question. Will 235\60R15 tires fit on the front without any modifications? Just wondering. Thanks for the help.

 

I know my back springs and shocks are completely shot. I mean I bottom out on little bitty bumps, and when I fill the gas tank up, I can feel the whole back end of the car going down. If I replace the parts, is it possible the front will even out, or at least look like it? Thanks.

 

so let me get this straight... you left your rears worn out? of course your front will sit high. gas tank full is alot of weight even with new springs. fix the rear and then ask if you have a problem.

everything should even out.

 

yeah, the top of the spring has to be seated properly in the upper perch. Mine was like that cuz i thought it was up in there right, but it was resting against the cone portion on the upper mount. It raised the car 2 inches on the left side. Just check that out and fix those rear ones.

 

Jeez....seems like almost everyone (including myself) made the same mistake when installing their springs. After installing my prokit (1" drop) springs, my car sat like my mom's '88 LeSabre (way too high).

I took everything down and made sure they were indexed correctly. I gave up and took it too the shop. $50 later, I found out they were incorrectly seated in the perches.

All the spring compressors I tried did not work for crap. Its tough to get the spring completely vertical while positioning the jackunder the a-arm. Tough one-man job.

 

drive it over some train tracks or bad bumps, the front springs might not be seated in the top perchs all the way. theyll pop right in over good bumps.

 

This seems to be a common problem when people install new springs. Most try to set the spring on the A-arm, then swing the assembly up into the frame pocket. It won't work that way.

You end up with the top of the springs sitting against the perch, rather than over it. This creates the "skyjacker" front end. Get the springs seated in the frame correctly and the car will sit properly.

 

Cool. Thanks a lot y'all. I'll hit you up when I get everything fixed. By the way, I ordered the new shocks for the rear today. They should be in tomorrow.

 

that will also help ruin handling

when you have a stiff front end and a nice loose saggy rear chances are what you are going to do is have some MASSIVE understeer problems

 

That's exactly what's been going on. But, I replaced the rear shocks and springs today, and I'm gonna get the front end aligned very soon. Also, does anyone know an easy way to make the front spring fit into the perch? Or should I just let the dude that's going to align it fix it? Thanks.

 

My car looked like a clown car (front end jacked-up) after I installed my Eibach Pro-Kit springs. The springs got cocked at the top and wouldn't seat properly. I made two attempts to correct and finally gave up and had the local Goodyear tire correct it and align the car. They had a much nicer spring compressor that fits inside the springs than the one I'd rented which grabbed them from the OD of the springs.

Lon