Shocks too short with AFX + SPC arms and spring pocket spacers?

[64Chevelle]

Hi,

Car: 64 Chevelle.

I tried installing the front suspension yesterday but ran into a little problem. I have the AFX tall spindle, SPC uca + lca from SC&C and a matched kit of Eibach springs + Edelbrock IAS shocks with 1" drop. Since my car was low already before the AFX spindles 7/8" drop, I didn't want to go any lower and installed the spring pocket 1/2" alu spacers in the lca as well as at the top of the springs.

I mounted the shocks last by sliding it through the lca/spring and mounting the top end first. That's when I realized I could not mount the bottom of the shock to the lca because the shock was too short, even when I jacked the lca all the way up to support the full weight of the car. There was about 1/2" (maybe a little more) left before the shock would touch the lca.

Options:
- I can only use one alu spring spacer (it might be enough)
- I can shim the top shock mount up (might not be a good idea)
- Try using coil spring compressors to allow the lca to move higher
- It's an excellent excuse to buy new adjustable coilovers :)

Any ideas/suggestions are highly appreciated.

[PT Goat]

I'd be curious to know where your ride height is at the crossmember without the shocks installed. And can you measure the distance from the LCA to the frame for your spring installed-height? How about the free height of your Eibachs?

I'm diagnosing a similar issue.

[64Chevelle]

I'll try to get some measurements tomorrow. Crossmember and ride height will be impossible to measure at the moment since the car is jacket up at the moment and does not have a rear end installed.

[chicane67]

There are new springs ?? I am not at all surprised by what you have stated... you basically havent compressed the suspension enough to get it all together. It's that simple.

The spindle and UCA have nothing to do with this, as they have no effect on the suspension droop, with the exception of that when you have it together... the UCA bumper will limit droop travel.

You will need to compress the suspension more to get it together and from there you will need to let the springs settle. Once this is accomplished... it may... change it enough that it might not give you any problems in the future for disassembly/re-assembly.

[64Chevelle]

There are new springs ?? I am not at all surprised by what you have stated... you basically havent compressed the suspension enough to get it all together. It's that simple.

The spindle and UCA have nothing to do with this, as they have no effect on the suspension droop, with the exception of that when you have it together... the UCA bumper will limit droop travel.

You will need to compress the suspension more to get it together and from there you will need to let the springs settle. Once this is accomplished... it may... change it enough that it might not give you any problems in the future for disassembly/re-assembly.

Unless I can compress the springs with a compressor tool it won't be possible to compress it more than it already is since I lifted the whole car off the jackstand when I was jacking up the LCA. The springs are just a few years old, 5000 miles at the most. When I installed them with the stock LCA's it was no problem. I just jacked the LCA's up until the car started lifting and I could mount the shock.

I suspect that I'm not supposed to use the spring spacers on both the LCA and the frame side since that adds too much height to the spring.

[chicane67]

Was / is the engine in the car ??

I have had to get a few of the boys climb a fender just to get it to go back to gether... even with OEM stock parts.

Just a thought.

[killer69]

my guess
the shock is the correct length if your using the springs alone. then you added the aluminum spacers effectively "lengthening" the spring so now the shock is too short, and is topped out you could try some moroso shock extensions. not really the best way or get some stock length shocks.
just a thought

[64Chevelle]

Was / is the engine in the car ??

I have had to get a few of the boys climb a fender just to get it to go back to gether... even with OEM stock parts.

Just a thought.

The engine is in the car, but the hood and front bumper is off. That might contribute quite a bit.

[64Chevelle]

my guess
the shock is the correct length if your using the springs alone. then you added the aluminum spacers effectively "lengthening" the spring so now the shock is too short, and is topped out you could try some moroso shock extensions. not really the best way or get some stock length shocks.
just a thought

I guess I'll have to try with just one of the spring spacers and pray it doesn't get too low. Low is cool to a certain extent only and quickly becomes impractical for street driving.

Hopefully I'll get around to it tonight...

[79T/Aman]

I would not put on both spacers remember that the distance at the spring roughly doubles at the wheel, the other questin is when you use a jack to lift the control arm, where is the jack? under the spring? if so you are not putting enough leverage on the spring.

[T-CHRGD]

when you use a jack to lift the control arm, where is the jack? under the spring? if so you are not putting enough leverage on the spring.

My thoughts too :)

[64Chevelle]

My thoughts too :)

x2 that :) It occured to me when I was thinking about it at work today. When jacking at the ball joint I could actually get the shock mount all the way up but the spring seemed to be too much compress that way so I decided to try with only one spacer. It worked out just fine, I only hope that I will not get too much running on the front wheelwells and/or a too low ride. Guess we'll see in a couple of months when the car is back on the ground :)

Btw, having a friend stand on the frame at the shock mount helped too :)

[kimberr]

If you wanted a more tunable suspension with adjustable ride height without using coil overs,for about the same price as Eibach springs you can get shorter racing springs like Tru Coil or Black Magic and get the adjustable spring cup shim from Speedway Motors that allows you to adjust ride height.

[64Chevelle]

If you wanted a more tunable suspension with adjustable ride height without using coil overs,for about the same price as Eibach springs you can get shorter racing springs like Tru Coil or Black Magic and get the adjustable spring cup shim from Speedway Motors that allows you to adjust ride height.

Good idea, I'll check it out