I installed new front springs on a stock 1971 Maverick front end (Melvins Part # CS8304 for a V-8). After 302 engine install, I saw absolutely no compression. The upper arms are still bottomed out on the frame and it's stiff as #$@#. I can't even get shocks in, as if I even need them! Anyone have any valuable experience on new front springs with a 302?
You will need to cut a few coils off. This is fairly typical when buying new springs, even though usually the fit is a bit closer than THAT. But I have had some that were pretty close to yours in the picture, and I cut them down and they worked great for me for many years. Cut them with a cut-off wheel or sawzall, not a torch!
Your ride height is set by those springs. So cut a coil at a time on both, and reinstall and repeat until you get close to the height you want. Then cut just a little (1/4 coil) until you get pretty much what height you want. You may encounter a little settling over the next few months, so maybe leave an extra 1/2" of height. You can always cut a little more off a little later if you want to go lower.
You really need to wait until you get the entire car assembled.....but I think you will find you need to take ONE coil off. I had to on mine with springs from Eaton Detroit Springs.
Are those the correct springs for a Mav? They appear to be to long. I don't recall my springs being bent like that when we installed them, or removed them earlier this year to replace uca bushing. I also think at least 1 coil will have to be cut to make it work.
These are mine when I first installed them. Those tires are 255/60r15...my REAR tires on the front. Before and after. The gasser look!!! After one coil cut... And then after I cut off a bit more and put the front tires back on. I think those are 195/60r15s.
That tastes familiar... Since reassembly with alum headed 5.0, my Comet has exact same stance on orig springs... I lucked into a new set of TRW 6cyl springs today, I'll be trying those...
By the looks of it, I doubt that 1 coil will be enough. I'm surprised you even got 'em compressed enough to get 'em in there. I agree with others that they look like the wrong springs.
A thin cutting wheel in a 4 inch electric grinder will do the trick - I don't think a sawzall will touch the hardened coils
I used a cut-off wheel on a pneumatic die grinder. Didn't have a sawzall at the time or I would have tried that. Still took SEVERAL minutes per cut to get through the coils. And I ended up cutting three times before I found the right height. On my springs I ended up doing one coil, then half, then a 1/4 before I found the right ride height. The ones at the beginning of this thread will likely need more cuts than that...
I gave a set of springs to a friend of mine, He has the same problem as you... I put a set of the one inch drop springs in my car and it worked well... If you keep these you'll have to cut them down some...
Did you check the uninstalled height? As per MOOG 8304 specs via RockAuto, the uninstalled height should be 16.38 inches. The installed height should be 10.50. And yes, the 8043 is what Rock Auto lists for a 71 Maverick V8 with A/C. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=200870&cc=1132119
