XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

Having an issue with my front springs, wondering if they are something wrong or am i just having a problem thinking.

here is the deal this is on the *FRONTS* only so far....

i've got a set of RK Sport front and rear lowering springs. these are used and came off a z28, so i know they fit Fbodies. also, i checked the part# printed on the spring and it matches rksports website for 93-02 Fbodies.
so i should be good to go right?

i take off the front shock assembly...take it to a shop and get them decompressed. pop the new ones on and head back home to re-assemble.
put the shock back in and heres where it starts being weird.
my rubber top "boot" with the two studs, and two pressed in nuts that fits into the upper control arm is reversed.

Ex.- on the driver side the two T-50 Torx bolts are SUPPOSED to be closer to the master clylider and the two studs come thru the shock tower and point to the front of the car.

so im trying to figure what is going on, cause the boot wont fit into the control arm reversed like this. all the parts are side specific correctly assembled.

after a few minutes i found out what is going on.
i have STOCK shocks, so that rules that out.
when i put my stock springs on the shock and they sit in the bottom cup i turn them until the end of the spring at the bottom bumps against the built in plastic bumper, and when i sit the boot on top the bolt pattern is correct to go into the control arm/shock tower.

with the new springs its perfect 180 degrees off.
i turn the spring until it bumps then when i put the boot on the bolts/nuts are on the opposite side.

the spring isnt upside down or anything either.

what is going on? i dont have an adjustable bottom cup, so i cant determine the rotation of the spring. i pop my stock springs in and it fits perfect.

spent 2 days on this and i cant figure out what im doing wrong.

thanks for any help.
taylor

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

bump ...

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

*bump* gotta get this 4x4 lowered. come on. need some help

Xsta Z 28

iTrader: (2)

Drivers and passenger side reversed? . . . . photos would help . . .

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Not to be an as***le, but are you 110% sure the springs are "right side up"? It's the "pigtail" that sits in the reliefs, and if the lower pigtail is set correctly in the shock assembly, that sets the location at the top. That's the only possible variation in the equation, especially if you're using the OE shocks.

It's been about 10 years since I did mine, but IIRC, the closer coils go toward the bottom.

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

thx for the replies. they are right side up. father coil distances are at the top hat, and the compact coils are on the bottom.

as far as i know they are not side dependant. i think i tried both as a matter of fact and the same outcome was found. i will call RK Sport and make sure.
the part number on the fronts is the same, so nothing like XXXXXD and XXXXXP, or L/R.

heres a pic, i followed this tutorial (ls1howto.com) awesome site.

the 1. circle is the top hat area where the coil end butts up against the boot. as you can see when the hat butts against the spring the two studs are facing the front. mine have it facing the rear and it then wont fit into the shock tower.

2. circle is the area where the bottom of the coil butts into the un-movable bottom bucket.



thanks for any help.

t

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

ok, got off the fone with RK Sport....

they say the top cap/rubber boot are two pieces, and kind of got fused together over time. so i should disasemble and bust them apart, then rotate the top plate with the bolt pattern to fit the new spring ending point.

only thing i see being a pain there is how do i make sure the bottom of the strut bar that bolts into the lower control arm is perfectly inline with the top plate while its off of the car? since i have to compress and bolt it all together, and it doesnt want to move once thats done.

??

thanks.
t

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I would help but I'm very confused

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

ha. so was i man.

basically what im working with is this...

i have 3 main focal points. the strut cup which is not movable, the spring, and the top plate/boot that has the studs/nuts.

when i put the spring on the strut the ending point is determined for me since i cant turn the bottom cap which in turn would rotate the spring.
and with the rksport spring. where it was ending on the top threw my top plate/cap off which messed my bolt alignment up.

now im being told i can bust apart the plate from the boot on the top part. which will let me rotate the two pieces individually and make a new bolt pattern since the starting/ending points of the spring are different from my stock spring.

that help?

t

XtremeBBQ

iTrader: (6)

anyone know if this is possible? are the boot and plate (not upper control arm) two different pieces that can be turned? i have the car put back together now so i dont know off the top of my head.

thanks.
t