Very high front end issue

[CaliWagon83]

TBH, I’d rather have a little bit of a “farm truck” rake with a lower front and higher rear. That way, with a little bit of weight in the rear, it’ll level out.

 

[69hurstolds]

Pic of my stock 86. The ride height is just under factory spec as measured at the front frame reference point.View attachment 100719

Almost exactly how my 86 sat and it was new at the time. Seems more level than the 87s. Wonder why? I doubt they'd used different springs.

 

[87monteSSMN]

The front end on my '80 Malibu was sitting high as well. I thought that maybe the rear springs were weak, or that the front springs had been replaced at some time in the past. When I took the car apart, I found that both front springs were broken. The very bottom coil had broken off. I couldn't believe that the front of the car would have sat so high with 2 broken springs. A friend explained it to me this way. When the springs are intact (not broken), the lower pigtail of the spring sits in a "pocket" in the lower control arm, which is made for the lower end of the spring. When the bottom coil of the spring breaks off, there is now a new bottom pigtail of the spring, which exerts pressure on a "higher" spot on the lower control arm (not the pocket, where it should be), trying to support the weight of the front of the car. In most cases, this will make the front of the car sit a bit higher (depending on exactly where the bottom coil of the spring breaks off). I always thought that broken springs would make a car sit lower, but I saw for myself that this isn't always the case. My suggestion would be to inspect the front springs in your Monte carefully, and make sure that they're not damaged or broken. Just a thought.

You sir are the winner. Bottom of both coils were broken off. My God what a nightmare getting control arms back in with new coils. Did drop 1.4 inch though. I'm almost hesitant to put in tubular control arms with how much a pain it was with angle. Is there an easier way to do this? Whole car had to be chained down so it didn't move, and jack kept moving. I think it would be nearly impossible to do if no engine was in the car.

 

[spidereyes455]

How exactly did you do the springs that it was so difficult? Did you take it apart at the ball joint? If so thats the hard way and requires you compress the hell out of the spring while putting a curve in it.

 

[clean8485]

I've installed 2 new sets of springs in my Malibu. The first set made the front of the car sit too low. When I installed the first set of springs, I took the springs to a spring shop and had them compressed, then the shop installed steel bands (similiar to those used on shipping pallets), on the springs, to hold them in the compressed position until I installed them, and they were securely in place with the control arms bolted up. Then I cut the bands off with a sawzall and removed the bands. Please remember to make sure that the lower control arms are bolted to both the frame and ball joint BEFORE you cut the bands-safety first.
The second set of springs that I installed, I purchased and used an internal spring compressor to install them. I had a friend helping me. You have to be very careful as you compress the springs, to make sure that they're securely held by the spring compressor. When we were compressing the springs, we found that the hooked ends on the compressor, that hold the spring coils tended to slip on the coils when you tightened them, which made it harder to compress the springs as much as we needed to. We finally got them installed though.
Of the 2 methods, I personally preferred getting the springs banded. Once the springs were banded, installing them was a 1 person job, and I was less nervous about any safety issues.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Thanks for letting us know what the outcome was. Too many guys don't post results. FWIW I prefer using half an internal spring compressor. I thread the bolt up through the shock mount hole, add several washers and the nut up top. Then I use the lower fingers to pull the spring up into the cavity. As soon as the lower control arm is free I can change it out, cut the spring, or whatever the mission is. Always chain the spring to something!

 

[turbogeezer]

For some reason the 87 Monte Carlo SS all looked like they were four wheel drive. I put a set of drop spindles and the front end is still to high. Looks like I"ll be doing a 1 inch drop spring as well .

 

[spidereyes455]

I have always done it without a spring compressor at all. If you leave the balljoint connected and remove the lower control arm bolts from the frame with a floor jack under it you can lower it down and the spring comes right out . I then put it back in the same way no compressor required , I just put new springs in the front of my 442 over the summer and they went right in and I used moog 5610's and their just over 15 inches tall uncompressed. In fact I have factory shop manuals for both 81 and 86 Pontiacs and thats how it is described in there though there was a special attachment to cradle the lower bushings but I haven't really found it nessicary.

 

[87monteSSMN]

Didn't undo the ball joints - I saw how that would be near impossible. Did 1" drop belltech springs with hotchkiss adjustable shocks, see how it would be sketchy any lower pulling up to curbs, etc.

 

[olds307 and 403]

So you can put a BBC in it and not have to change the springs😉

I was going to suggest this as well🙂. My 88 Cutlass has the opposite problem, no ground clearance. My 70S also has that issue, common to them as well. A 205/70R14 in front and 225/70R14 in back evened it out but does leave some gap. I will have to pay attention to my Bosses 88 SS when he brings it in the spring to work.