My front springs were not seated in the pockets correctly so I rented a spring compressor and was able to twist them into place so that the end of the bottom coil sits in the pocket on the lower control arm. However, the passenger side seems more compressed so that the end of the coil is touching the coil above it. On the driver's side it's not. Will this settle after hitting some bumps or did I do something wrong? My 69 service manual says the end has to be visable in the hole on the lower control arm - EXCEPT for Firebirds and then gives no other info.

The speed nuts for the shocks to mount to lower control arm were missing on one side. The other side were rusty so I've gone to NAPA and hardware stores, but can't find any that are short enough. (The shock won't fit through and bolt up because the speed nuts stick out too much). Anyone know where I can get the correct one's?

Thanks!

On the firebirds the alignment hole for the spring, and the spring pocket, are on the frame. The upper part of the spring is what needs to be lined up in the frame pocket, not in the arm.

If you still have coil clash when they are both lined up in the frame, you will need new coils.

The speed nuts might be available thru a catalog... I thought the bolt just screwed into the arm on these though? Anyway, when I run across a car with a stripped arm or broken speed nut, I just use a regular bolt/nut/ lockwasher combo. If not doing a 'correct' restore, it works.
If it has to be 'correct' you might need to heli-coil the arm, get a new arm... or find a speed nut through a catalog.

I dont remember speed nuts for the shocks on my Firebird, but I could be wrong.

Just saw that Ames has the correct lower control arm shock nuts for $2 a piece. Their notes says these are very hard to find. No wonder.

I don't have to have it correct, but it was a major pain in the a** to remove the nuts on the side without the clips because they both were just spinning. Was thinking in future if I want new shocks.

So on the springs, how do I align the top of the spring to the frame if I can't even see it? The springs are new from Espo which I have had good experience from in the past so I don't think they are the wrong one's. Man I'm burnt on this. Thought I was done. What now? How does one line them up properly???

If you look at the top of the frame where the shock goes in, you can see the shape of the spring pocket. The upper arm is kinda in the way, but you can still see it.

At the end of the spring pocket will be a hole about 1/4" diameter. You might need to clean it out with a pocket screwdriver or something.

Line the spring up so you can see the end through the hole.

I'll look for a good pic of one. I know I saw one somewhere...

The dealer should have those nuts. Most RWD cars did them that way. Like from maybe a 1987 Cutlass Supreme, or a 1995 Caprice/Impala.

here's a clear pic of the spring pocket and hole. This has the bracket cut away:
http://www.x1nova.com/images/mount_removed.jpg

Here is what you will be looking at with the bracket in the way:
http://www.x1nova.com/images/Fixture3.jpg


Those pics are from a site where a guy is doing a suspension mod to his Nova. Same frame as ours.

I just did my springs. I couldn't figure out how to see through the upper pocket holes. I was thinking the only way to get the top lined up was to stick a nail or heavy wire in the hole and rotate the spring until it hits it.

I ended up doing what you did 69fbconv and worried about the bottom pocket. On my springs the coil ends are at about the same clock position. But the spring pocket ends in the frame and the lower control arm are staggered about 45 deg. So if you had the spring oriented with the top spring end at the peep hole in the frame, the bottom would be way off. It seemed to me to make more sense to line up the bottom. Am I hosed? I haven't put the weight back down yet.

I got the Ames shock bolts and nuts which worked fine.

If you think your situation is a pain, you should have experienced mine!

The tubular lower control arms I got from Global West JUST HAVE HOLES (no threads) for the lower shock mounting. The metal is much too thick for j-nuts.

I ended up putting long bolts up from the bottom (fighting gravity) and reached through the spring coils to start a nut. I then tried reaching the upper nuts through the frame and coils with 1) a long extension and u-joint (not), 2) crows foot wrench from below (close) and finally, 3) an open ended wrench suspended into the middle of the spring coil with a string and then held in place with Vise Grips slipped between a spring coil that was wedged open with a block of wood.

Those new Edelbrock IAS shocks better be fantastic because they are NEVER going to be replaced!

When I was doing a lot of shocks I ran across a lot of broken crap. Holding a nut on top was too difficult, so I would drop a bolt down from the inside using some curved needlenose or finger finesse, and then put a lockwasher and nut on the bottom, holding the top of the bolt still with a finger. O'course, air tools makes everything easier

The last time I did my springs, I had the bushing side of the lower arm loose, and I was able to spin the spring until it fit into place in the top. I could see the hole from the top, but it didn't look fun. That nail sounds like a good idea.

It has to be lined up in the top, not the bottom, or it will not sit right. Most other GM cars line up at the bottom, and the top pocket is not shaped like ours.

On other cars, the control arm is formed to fit the spring exactly. On ours, the frame is, and the lower arm just has a general pocket, with no sharp formation.

Well, I went to put the shocks back in and the driver's side went in perfectly - right up the middle of the spring. I was happy. Then I went to passenger side and the shock was rubbing against the spring. Arrrrrrggggg. I'm just going to freggin put everything back and drop the front end a couple of times off the jack. This, after having the whole front end suspension rebuilt and 2 different shops try to install the new springs . Both failed and the car was sitting too high. Then I figured I'd give it a shot. You would not belive the cursing coming out of my garage!!! What is the major malfunction with the front springs on these f'in cars!!!!!! There is one other shop in my area called Palmer Springs which supposedly has been in business since the horse and buggy days and they actually make and fabricate springs on the spot for each application. If they can't figure it out the car will be posted for sale Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!.

Yeah, the nut inside sux. I didn't have them when I did mine, but I now have a set of swivel ratchet wrenches. I don't know if they would help make the job easier--maybe not. Then again, maybe if you put a little dum-dum on the nut, or jam the nut in the wrench, wedged in with a peice of paper.

Most of the Camaro catalogs are listing "correct" mounting kits for the front shocks. Includes 4 "correct markings" bolts and j-nuts. I think under $15 for the set.

Tom

So you guys are saying I have to turn my springs? There is a spring end bulge in the lower control arm.

I didn't realize they sat too tall.
Been there.
Most of the springs listed for both the Firebird and Camaro will have them sit too tall by 3-4" unless you have them made custom.

You could use a CS6308
It is a 380lb spring and will put you at the correct ride height. They are also easier to install because they are shorter than the wrong ones that it seems everyone carries.

It's available for order locally for about $70 and is listed as a Heavy Duty or With A/C spring for a Nova 4.1L

I have them in my 6cy4bbl car and they seem more than enough to support a pontiac v8. Most of the OE v8 springs were rated about 350lb i think.

Something to think about.

Bob, Yes.
There is also one at the top. The top one needs to be lined up. The bottom will be fine as long as the top is lined up.

With the upper control arm in place and spring already in, how can you see the pocket to lign it up with on the top? The hole in the frame is not visable I guess unless the spring is out? This job is up there along with unarmored road side escorts in Mosul, Iraq. The engine/ tranny removal and rebuild and front clip re-assembly were a piece of cake compared to this. Getting that spring compressor up there and lined up right is no easy task...

You can see the hole under the arm/bracket if it is not plugged up with dirt. Try shining a light up from the bottom to make the hole easier to see from the top. It is still hard to see.

I really cant say the best way, just the way i did it. if i was to do it again, I would stick a nail thru the hole, and spin the spring until it stops on the nail. The last few times I did it, I did have the spring out, and I lined it up by looking up from the bottom and feeling the spring into the pocket. I was doing it without a compressor and with the lower arm loose from the bushing side.

I needed help with the 6312 springs, but I did the 6308s and chopped springs by myself.
The taller 6312 springs needed 2 people on the front of the car to make it heavy enough to compress the spring, and then the car sat with the shocks almost topped out.

I have really good pictures of where this alignment hole is located. I also have really good pictures of the alignment "pocket" in the subframe. I currently have the subframe off the car so taking pictures of everything is pretty easy. I plan to have this subframe in the car by Monday so if you need more pictures let me know. I trick you could use is to paint the top of the coil (that end that goes into subframe pocket) white for the first 2" of the coil. This will allow you to see it really easy through the alignment hole.