# Car Stance - Front end higher than the rear



## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

Hey guys - I have a 68 GTO. Previous owner said he put in OEM style coil springs in the front.
The front end seems to be significantly higher than the rear.

What would you say a cost effective way is for me to lower the front without compromising ride quality?

Thanks,


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## Baaad65 (Aug 29, 2019)

I used UMI 1" lowering springs...the back looks good. Looks like he bought the wrong springs.


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

Big difference between OEM style (Coil), and OEM Spec'd. (Spring Rate)

With that being said, the front end was higher from the factory but not that high. Does your car have A/C? A/C springs will make the front higher if not equipped with A/C.
If you do have A/C, install non A/C springs which may drop it an inch. 
Or buy some 1" lowering springs from UMI or Global West


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

This is the stance of my car when it was about 3 or 4 years old. Just slightly high in the front.


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## Jim K (Nov 17, 2020)

wow.. That's like REALLY high in relationship to the rear.. Mine looked like that after I first put it back together, but I had shaved a few hundred pounds off the front end. Not having the springs "clocked" in the right position can cause this.. As well as springs with too high of a spring rate or too tall install height.. Factory springs (with AC) were in the 350-380 pound category. On my 71' w/AC I think they were around 365 lbs at 11" install height. I would do some research to try and find what the problem is first, before deciding on the fix. Be careful with just using "lowering" springs as the travel geometry changes since the bottom control arm actually rides a bit higher in relationship to the frame. 1" is probably okay, but any more than that I would be looking at other options, such as factory length, softer springs or a drop spindle. the Moog web sight goes into some detail around springs, installed height and rates..


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## Jim K (Nov 17, 2020)

Or inversely, maybe your rear is sitting too low?
below is the stance of mine AFTER 1" lowering springs AND 2" drop spindle in the front (this got it back to factory ride height)


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## Jim K (Nov 17, 2020)

Below is a picture of the factory assembly manual for my 71'. If you have one for your 68 it will tell you something similar.


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## Jim K (Nov 17, 2020)

Below is a picture of most of the different spring options available from the factory. There are a LOT..


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

Personally, I'd be adding a 1" spacer to the rear, for $50 and an hour of my time.


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## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

Thanks everyone.

I don’t think the rear is sitting too low. It was originally an AC car but does not currently work. Maybe that has something to do with the overall weight.

I don’t quite understand the spring rate and clocking the spring. If it helps, the car rides pretty well. 

Anyways, I think a 1” lowering spring is the way to go for me.


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## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

How do check to see if the springs are “clocked”?


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

The 68 factory service manual under Front Suspension is wrong so do not follow it. It was corrected in later year manuals

Basically the bottom end of the spring fits into a pocket in the lower control arm. The tip of the spring should be visible through the sight hole.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

There's usually a hole in the control arm that you can put a bolt through and turn the spring until it stops against the bolt. That being said I don't think that's your issue. They all set a little higher in the front. Just bear in mind that lowering the front suspension is going to be much more difficult and require new alignment specifications. I wasn't implying that the back was too low, I was implying that it's easier to raise the back to meet the front


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## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

armyadarkness said:


> There's usually a hole in the control arm that you can put a bolt through and turn the spring until it stops against the bolt. That being said I don't think that's your issue. They all set a little higher in the front. Just bear in mind that lowering the front suspension is going to be much more difficult and require new alignment specifications. I wasn't implying that the back was too low, I was implying that it's easier to raise the back to meet the front


thanks everyone for the help, and hmm, certainly something to ponder about. At least for the time being to make it look consistent with the front. Appreciate it, maybe I will go that route.


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## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

So…I did get a chance to poke around underneath the car and looks the springs are not clocked right? The spring is visible, but not nearly as visible as the picture above.

I took pictures of both sides of the car so you guys can see it. Is this something I need to correct or does this look right? I used the tip of a screw driver so you can understand how deep I need to go before getting in contact with the spring.

Lastly, one side is more visible than the other, but there is no lean that I am noticing.

Thanks guys


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

I'm not sure that Im following. The screwdriver wouldnt be a depth gauge, it would be a rotation stop.


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## Jim K (Nov 17, 2020)

It does look like your front springs are not in the correct clocking position. While not completely familiar w/68 year model, everything I have read on A bodies (and most other models of this time period) said that the end of the spring should be visible in the small hole you have your screw driver through and in 100% contact with the lower control arm. If you look close, you'll see that the spring pocket is not "level" from one side to the other but rather contoured to fit the spring. There are different types of coil springs and it would be hard to determine just exactly which type you have without removal. Some springs are variable rate, some have tighter coils on one side that the other (which determines top/bottom) and some have a conical shape on one end (usually found on rear end springs, not front end). It looks like removal and correct reinstall might be necessary. there might not be any way to determine your spring rate unless you know the manufacturer and number of the springs.


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## dvarghes92 (Aug 9, 2018)

Makes sense, thanks everyone. 
and I was just using the screw driver to show you how much I have to insert into the pocket before it makes contact with the spring


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

dvarghes92 said:


> Makes sense, thanks everyone.
> and I was just using the screw driver to show you how much I have to insert into the pocket before it makes contact with the spring


Yep, I get what you were doing. The lower control arm (looking at it from underneath) does have a low area that the coil pigtail will fit into and you rotate the coil spring into this "pocket" and it will stop when you hit the area that is raised creating a wall/stop for the end of the pigtail. Set the pigtail in this well and it should cover that hole and be flush where you inserted the screw driver into. The spring may have a "top" and "bottom" depending on how the last coil/pigtail appears and/or note the coil's spacing as some can seem wider apart than others.


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