One coil spring longer than the other ??

[FRED Z]

I just had the front springs on my 1955 Pontiac Safari replaced. With the new springs the car now sits 1" lower on driver's side than the passenger side. I am measuring from the floor to the center inside of the front wheel well on each side.

In checking the old springs found that the driver's side spring had 8 coils and the passenger side had 7 coils. While the car previously sat about 1" lower than with the new springs, it previously sat level. Car is parked on level cement in my garage at home and I checked my two other antique cars and both measure the same either side. Any reason why more coils on driver's side?

I think I read somewhere that the factory often inserted spacers on one side or the other to level the car at time of manufacuture, but I have no first hand knowledge of this.

Thanks, Fred

[keiser31]

I don't know about coils, but a lot of Chrysler product muscle cars came with more leaf springs on the passenger side rear to make up for torque on takeoff. They were always level.

[FRED Z]

I took a lot of photos and am going to send info to Eaton Spring Company, who specializes in things such as this. I checked the car this morning and am wondering if the weight of the battery, power brake system and steering column could cause the car to sit 1" lower on that side? (driver's side).

Also the coil springs I previously described (one longer than the other) were not factory springs, but were installed by the previous owner, evidently in an attempt to get the car to sit level. While the car did sit level, it was sitting too low, and that was the reason that I had the front springs replaced (never dreaming that the coils that were removed would be two different lengths).

Hopefully Eaton Spring can come up with some ideas or a solution. Thanks,

Fred

[Guest Bob Call]

Fred

I have checked my Hollander interchange and the springs should be identical. There is one part number for cars with AC and Hydramatic (heavy duty) and another part number for cars w/o A/C and/or Hydramatic (standard duty).

I would post under the Pontiac thread and ask where a source of of 50's Pontiac parts can be found.

[jrbartlett]

I wonder if the rear springs are unequal, and the discrephancy showed up at the front, causing the previous owner to put in unequal-length springs? You might also check the frame alignment, presence or absense of spacers under and over the front springs, any apparent differences in the other front suspension components, etc.

[Guest Bob Call]

James

Pontiac's thru 57 have rear leaf springs. I am suspecting the someone mixed a regular standard and a heavy duty or a convertible spring. Convertible springs are different tan those for other models. If is doesn't set level there is probably a problem with the A arms or the frame.

[FRED Z]

Thanks everyone for your input and ideas. I sent an email to Eaton Springs, but no answer yet. They were at the Goodguys Show in Columbus last weekend, so may be backed up. I intend to call them and if possible, send them the two springs just removed from my '55 Pontiac Safari 2-dr. wagon. These springs are the ones that were unequal in length.

Next week, want to get the car on a lift and take a good look at the front-end of the car, which has a modified front end (Fatman) with Mustang II rack and pinion steering. It is possible that someone got off on the measurements when installing this modification in the past. A friend told me that since the Mustang II was much lighter than my Pontiac (weighs 3940 pounds), it is very possible that the springs installed at time of modified front end installation were too light in the first place and then someone started tinkering around with different springs. I am in hopes that there is a way to rectify this without taking the whole car apart.

I have another 1955 Pontiac Safari (original) that sits level, but it has the original Pontiac factory suspension. Pictures are attached of each car.

Fred

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Beautiful.

[FRED Z]

Beautiful.

Which one?