Problem getting rear ride height lower

[whitess]

I'm still having a problem getting the ride height lower even with new lower height springs (Global West 1.5" lower).
With the previous springs (Hotckis 3/4" lower) the rear had risen 3/4" from where it was when the springs and new GM
upper and lower control arms (w/new bushings) were first put in acouple of years ago and about 1700 miles. Before I
put in the new springs I loosened all the control arm bolts, with the wheels off the ground, installed the springs and
retightened the control arm bolts with the wheels on the ground / ride height. I thought I may have put the springs
in upside down so I called GW and they said to put them in with the small part of the coil on the bottom so I reinstalled
them. It now sits 1/4" higher than before. The only thing I can see that might be a cause is that the rear swaybar
sits right against the bottom of the diiferential housing at ride height but that being any part of the problem is just a guess on my part.
Am I missing something here? Any help would be appreciated, it's making me a little crazy and I'm already crazy enough.
One good thing with the new springs is they're linear rather than progressive like the old Hotchkis springs and with redoing the control arm bolts and new springs the ride is much improved, not so hard and choppy.
Larry.

[MrQuick]

It will take a few miles to settle.


vince

[exwestracer]

I'm still having a problem getting the ride height lower even with new lower height springs (Global West 1.5" lower).
With the previous springs (Hotckis 3/4" lower) the rear had risen 3/4" from where it was when the springs and new GM
upper and lower control arms (w/new bushings) were first put in acouple of years ago and about 1700 miles. Before I
put in the new springs I loosened all the control arm bolts, with the wheels off the ground, installed the springs and
retightened the control arm bolts with the wheels on the ground / ride height. I thought I may have put the springs
in upside down so I called GW and they said to put them in with the small part of the coil on the bottom so I reinstalled
them. It now sits 1/4" higher than before. The only thing I can see that might be a cause is that the rear swaybar
sits right against the bottom of the diiferential housing at ride height but that being any part of the problem is just a guess on my part.
Am I missing something here? Any help would be appreciated, it's making me a little crazy and I'm already crazy enough.
One good thing with the new springs is they're linear rather than progressive like the old Hotchkis springs and with redoing the control arm bolts and new springs the ride is much improved, not so hard and choppy.
Larry.

Larry, if the rear bar is loaded against the housing at ride height, then it will be adding spring rate to the rear. This will get worse as the suspension compresses. Jack the car up, unbolt the bar bushings and let the car back down. Shake or roll it to settle it and see what happens with the height. Just lowering the car shouldn't have caused it to hit, so I'd look for another issue there... BTW, if the springs have a pigtail end then they are still progressive to some extent (but I get your meaning on that).

[whitess]

Ray,
Thanks. I guess I should've mentioned that the car is an '85 Monte Carlo with rear coils. I had thought about loosening the sway bar bolts on the control arm but didn't see where it'd do much but I could be wrong.
I also should have mentioned that since the first work I described above was done the rear has, on its own somehow, rased up .5" on the left and .75" on the right. When I redid the springs this time around, when I let it down I dropped it quickly. This dropped the left side and raised the right side 1/4" each. This sounds to me like something is binding, am I right? I'm not sure that all the control arm bolts, possibly the uppers, were loosened and retightened at ride height (someone else was supposed to be doing that, I was actually just the helper ). So basically the car sits at the same height as it did with the Hotchkis springs.
Larry.



p.s. You wouldn't happen to know someone in the Longmont, CO area, if I took the car to them, that could be of help?

[exwestracer]

Ray,
Thanks. I guess I should've mentioned that the car is an '85 Monte Carlo with rear coils. I had thought about loosening the sway bar bolts on the control arm but didn't see where it'd do much but I could be wrong.
I also should have mentioned that since the first work I described above was done the rear has, on its own somehow, rased up .5" on the left and .75" on the right. When I redid the springs this time around, when I let it down I dropped it quickly. This dropped the left side and raised the right side 1/4" each. This sounds to me like something is binding, am I right? I'm not sure that all the control arm bolts, possibly the uppers, were loosened and retightened at ride height (someone else was supposed to be doing that, I was actually just the helper ). So basically the car sits at the same height as it did with the Hotchkis springs.
Larry.

p.s. You wouldn't happen to know someone in the Longmont, CO area, if I took the car to them, that could be of help?

Get the bar off there and see what happens first. You are correct in thinking that the link bolts should be tightened at ride height as well.

[whitess]

No luck there. What to try next?

[exwestracer]

Leave all the link bolts a little loose and disconnect the shocks. If it still sits too high, the springs are too long / stiff. Nothing you can do there but cut or replace them.