[wakesupremo]

I have noticed that since i have fitted tubular control arms to my '69 'bird that I have a horrible suspension 'squeak' . I have found that the drivers side coil spring is touching the inner side of the 'tower' right at the bottom of the tower. I took off all of the hub assembly etc and released the pressure from the spring, it is sitting in the cups properly so cannot be moved out any. Any suggestions please?

[chrisp]

Get the grinder out & remove some material

[kyle_blake]

I heard the squeak can go away after some driving time? its the top of qa1 shock where the rubber grommets go, that make the noise ?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by wakesupremo

I have noticed that since i have fitted tubular control arms to my '69 'bird that I have a horrible suspension 'squeak' . I have found that the drivers side coil spring is touching the inner side of the 'tower' right at the bottom of the tower. I took off all of the hub assembly etc and released the pressure from the spring, it is sitting in the cups properly so cannot be moved out any. Any suggestions please?

Are the springs "stock" or aftermarket? Have the frame/control arm brackets been checked-out to look for collision damage/bending/sagging?

WHO supplied/manufactured the control arms? (Cheap Chinese???) What are their recommendations?

[wakesupremo]

Thanks for the replys. The noise is because the spring is actually rubbing on the inside bottom of the spring tower. The springs are Moog 2" lowered. Passenger side misses by 1/2" driver side is touching.. There is no 'crash ' damage at all. I can't remeber the make of the tubular control arms.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by wakesupremo

Thanks for the replys. The noise is because the spring is actually rubbing on the inside bottom of the spring tower. The springs are Moog 2" lowered. Passenger side misses by 1/2" driver side is touching.. There is no 'crash ' damage at all. I can't remeber the make of the tubular control arms.

The suspension should be symmetrical. If it isn't, crash damage or improperly-made control arms are the first things that come to mind assuming the springs are installed properly.

[ZeGermanHam]

That's a pretty big difference if one side is touching and the other side has 1/2" of clearance. For that reason alone, I'd not recommend grinding off any material from your frame to make it fit. Something is obviously wrong somewhere given the variation from one side to the other.

I'm sure it's not the problem but just I have to ask anyway, are you certain the control arms are installed on the correct side of the car?

[wakesupremo]

Thanks again. I'm certain that the control arms are the correct way round but, even if theyre not, there shouldn't be a difference between the 2 sides. I have measured everything to the best of my ability and they both seem identical but mirrored. Admittedly, the issue wasn't there before the tubular control; arms were fitted..I have noticed that the spring on the driver side doesn't fit into the 'worm' moulding in the top of the tower but Its in the bottom moulding on the control arm

[Sirrotica]

The spring has to be seated on the flange in the upper spring mount, or you'll have it off center in the spring pocket, and it usually sits higher on the side that isn't seated properly. It effectively makes one spring longer, and puts a twist in it so it will most likely rub the frame.

If you look up into the inside of the spring with the shock removed you should see a raised flange that centers the spring. If it's off center that would be why it's rubbing. The flange locates it so it stays in the center of the pocket.

It's not hard at all to miss that raised section, and end up with the situation you describe. The remedy is to lower the control arm, and reposition the spring, probably not what you wanted to hear, but necessary.

[wakesupremo]

Thanks Sirrotica. Yes thats exactly what I have done. The spring is over the raised section properly but doesn't locate in the "coil shaped pressed moulding' that is in the top of the tower. I will take it apart again to check but im certain that it is over the centreing flange. Thats what I checked over the last weekend.