Eibach lowering springs-Cutlass

[conVerted]

Okay, whats the deal? I put eibach lowering springs on the car. Tire size is 245 60 15. Are the tires too big, front end too low, or should I wait till I get the rest of the stuff in the car?? None of the interior is installed, but neither is ths A/C, pulleys or radiator...

theres enough clearance for the tires, but Im afraid if I hit a big bump while turning they could hit the lip of the fender.

Anyone been down this road?

[GBodyGMachine]

Front end does look a tad low compaired to the front. I would get the car to full weight before making a final decision.
Jeff

[PT Goat]

My opinion, the Eibach A-body springs are junk. I have them on my GTO and even with 2 3/8" of spacers (ie almost 5" of lift) the car is still about 1" on the low side.

In fairness to Eibach, ride height is affected by many things besides the springs. However, based on my measurements, the Eibach springs' free height was at least 1" shorter than the installed height that I needed for 4.5" at the crossmember. When I first installed them and set the car on the ground, the headpipes were holding the car up.

I think you're either going to need adjustable spring spacers or just go with a different brand spring.

[conVerted]

They are way too low, I figure I have another 400lbs to strap on the engine compartment and it aint gonna be pretty. I read in the yearone catalog that the cutlass shold use big block springs due to the weight of the olds motor. Mine is a SB olds 350. You would think that they would account for this when the say the springs are for my specific application.

Any recommendations for springs? What brands deliver what they promise?

Getting lower....

[EagleEye]

Front end does look a tad low compaired to the front. I would get the car to full weight before making a final decision.
Jeff

i agree.

would a 1" spacer do the trick on the front?
instead of buying a new spring.

[oestek]

They are way too low, I figure I have another 400lbs to strap on the engine compartment and it aint gonna be pretty. I read in the yearone catalog that the cutlass shold use big block springs due to the weight of the olds motor. Mine is a SB olds 350. You would think that they would account for this when the say the springs are for my specific application.

Any recommendations for springs? What brands deliver what they promise?

Getting lower....

I'll tell you a personal story.. I called Mike Eaton at Eaton Spring for some 2" lowering springs for a project about 10 years ago. They wanted to the engine combo, if it had aftermarket aluminum parts, air, steering, etc. It had rear leaf and front coil springs, and they nailed it exactly.

[Marcus SC&C]

It`s really hard to nail ride heights without having an actual front end weight for the car. Even then when springs are sold according to "drop" it`s almost impossible. Drop compared to what? What it was stock 30 years ago? What is is now with 35 year old sagged spring or what it is now with Repro springs that are 2" too tall? Once you have a baseline height with the new springs it`s easy to adj. with some accuracy though. You can trim the springs to go down more and use a set of spring height shims to increase their installed height to go up. We carry aluminum ones in 1/8" increments from 3/8"-1". Don`t shim anything until the car is 100% together though. Mark SC&C

[GoldHawg]

Many years ago I bought the HO Racing suspension for my 71 Cutlass convertible (w/smallblock springs). The rear springs actually raised the ride height, reversing years of factory sag. The fronts lowered the car about 2 in. While it gave a nice ride, I didn't like the look myself--it was too low. So I finally swapped in a set of Global West 1" lowering springs a couple of years ago--aaahhh--just right.

So that's my recommendation.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[conVerted]

Thanks, I wont change anything until all the weight is on the car. Only problem is what do I weigh the front end with if I want some custom made...

I guess the other option is to get a set of OEM springs and cut them, but I cant imagine the performance would be very good.

I'll also look at the global west ones. Ride height is everything with the look of a car and Im Sooooooooooooooo dissappointed

[HWYSTR]

I hear so many people struggling with ride height and springs, just blows me away that a lot of these places even still are in biz!! If it's not a Chevy, be careful, and go to someone who KNOWS the make you're working with.

Eibach, never had any luck with them, or Hotchkis for that matter. I did speak to Mike Eaton about 6 -7 years ago when doing springs for my 2nd gen 'bird, and supposedly he went by 'factory blue prints', not even close. The blueprints are WRONG. They grouped many apps together to simplify the replacement parts. TRWs and auto parts springs? Don't waste your time.

I did have luck with H-O springs in the 'day', when 'Strong-Arm' stuff was out. The only other I've had any luck with is Global West. Call them, tell them your config, they will nail it. Just did ATS spindles on the 71 A-Body, s-canned the Hotchkis springs that always bottomed, went to GWs, day/night improvement, nailed the stance first try. Leafs too. I just went to all GW stuff on my 2nd gen, replacing a mix of stuff I struggled with over the years lately. About to order springs for the 442 clone, which by the way is an Olds 350.

If you really do your homework, you can source the springs from the same people GW does, and other custom shops. (Afco, Landrum, Hyperco, MW, and the likes). With some experimentation you can nail it. Time and money though, and it's easier to get some that someone else has done the homework on.

Did Olds make 'small-block' 350s? I was under the impression they are like Buick & Pontiac, where the 350s were big blocks....

[oestek]

Yeah, the Olds 350 is a small block, the 425s and 455s are big blocks. And Buick 350s are different motors than 400s and 455s... only the Poncho is basically the same.

[724tim]

those are the springs that I have no problems

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/09/2h5qhjr-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/09/mi293p-1.jpg

[conVerted]

those are the springs that I have no problems


Which springs? Global West?

[724tim]

Which springs? Global West?

eibach lowering springs part # Eibach 3856-140
hotchkis sway bars
bilstein shocks
front wheels 17 x 8 bs 4.5" tire size 245-45-17
rear wheels 17 x 10 bs 4.75" tire size 275-40-17

[conVerted]

eibach lowering springs part # Eibach 3856-140
hotchkis sway bars
bilstein shocks
front wheels 17 x 8 bs 4.5" tire size 245-45-17
rear wheels 17 x 10 bs 4.75" tire size 275-40-17

I have the same springs, a mcuch different result though...Thanks

[Marcus SC&C]

Most of the time ride height issues **with quality performance springs** aren`t caused by the springs,they`re caused by the car. It should be noted that the same is not always true of cheap Chicom springs from the parts store or resto catalogs. Many of these run tall,sometimes way tall.
At any rate the manufacturer makes one,maybe two set of springs for each model of car. Then sometimes have to suit the guy with a stripped down car,glass hood, aluminum headed small block and the guy with the car loaded with options,all steel,AC and an iron big block.
What`s more the whole concept of "drop" is flawed. Drop compared to what??? Your car or the guy down the street or in another state? When the car was new? With 40 year old stock springs, too tall resto springs or springs some previous owner heated with a torch in 1987? That`s one reason we have several pages of client car photos on our site. When people call and ask about ride height we can point out a car with a similar combination and give them a realistic idea of how their car will actually sit. Once the car is put together you find out the true ride height which hopefully will be spot on. If not you have a solid baseline and you just tweak it from there with trimming or spacers to get it exactly where you want it. No big deal,just a little time and common sense. Mark SC&C