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Front-end height |
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CamJam 
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Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
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 Topic: Front-end heightPosted: Jun/01/2017 at 4:31pm |
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I bought this '72 Javelin yesterday and spent some time this morning underneath the car to see if I missed anything during my pre-purchase inspection. I must be blessed in that there is zero rust. This car came from just about the driest part of Arizona (60 miles south of Las Vegas) and it shows. It does look to me though that someone has lowered the front end a bit. I think you can see it in the photo and the car just sits an inch or so off the rubber bump stops in front. The front tires look in danger of rubbing during turns, though I can't say whether they do or not because I can't drive the car yet for lack of brakes.  Perhaps the springs have just gotten tired, but I'm wondering if a PO did lower the front would they have just shortened the springs, or is there something else I should be looking for, like an upper control arm mod perhaps? It does appear to be a little lower on the right side than the left, and the front wheels have a bit of negative camber. The control arms look normal, but I'd need to have another one along side to compare to really be sure. Seems like shortening the springs would be the cheap and dirty way to do it, and would probably result in the negative camber I am seeing. Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Edited by CamJam - Jun/02/2017 at 12:56pm |
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD  |
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304-dude
AMC Addicted 
Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082 |
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Posted: Jun/01/2017 at 4:45pm |
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Count the number of coils or, you can remove a front wheel and post a picture of how things look.
Yes, camber will happen when too much drop and no adjustment. Either worn out springs or cut coils. Though the front would feel very stiff if cut springs. I dumped my original springs long ago, even though they were perfectly fine. Just wanted the HD ones to start with. Th |
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71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
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Mopar_guy
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Joined: Jun/07/2009 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 4837 |
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Posted: Jun/01/2017 at 4:46pm |
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If you look closely at the springs you usually can see if they've been cut. The other common way is lowering plates which are easy to spot. My guess it that they're sagged out.
Inspect the control arm bushings (uppers in particular) and you'll probably find the rubber is about gone. Same goes for the spring pivot. There are people that have found the body is cracked where the adjustment cam bolts are. Upper control arms have been found cracked as well. Depending upon the level of dirt buildup, I'd suggest putting it on jack stands, pulling the front wheels and clean it with a pressure washer so you can get a good visual inspection when it dries - which is about 30 seconds out your way.  |
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CamJam
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Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
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Posted: Jun/01/2017 at 5:07pm |
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Yeah, the upper control arm bushings look like they've seen better days for sure. I count six turns on the springs... don't see any evidence of cutting on the spring. It's a nice, clean sawed-off end. I have all hands on deck now getting my other car ready for Gettysburg, so I'll wait until I get back to tackle this. I'll post up some photos once I dig into it. Is a coil spring compressor needed on the 71-74? Otherwise, sure looks to be a whole lot easier to change a spring than on the trunnion cars. Edited by CamJam - Jun/02/2017 at 8:30am |
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD |
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White70JavelinSST
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Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4866 |
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Posted: Jun/02/2017 at 12:30pm |
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I made a spring compressor from 1/2 inch all thread rod, nuts, washers, some bolts and steel plates/strap.
It lays across the top of the spring tower with the shock mount removed and bolts into the lower mount for the shock absorber. There's several other versions that others have made. I made mine from stuff laying around my shop. There's a number of posts on the forum and pics as well. |
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70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972
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CamJam
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Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
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Posted: Jul/05/2017 at 10:49am |
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I'm rebuilding the front-end now and thinking about ordering new springs. I contacted http://www.springsnthings.com/. My car is a V8 with A/C,which I thought used a HD spring, but they claim that all V8s use the same spring A/C or no. Is this right?
They do have a heavier spring as well, but if it's not the same as the factory spring I'm afraid I'll raise the nose too high. Just in case anyone wants to know, their springs are $90 a pair.
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD |
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401MATCOUPE
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Joined: May/20/2010 Location: Salisbury, MD Status: Offline Points: 5367 |
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Posted: Jul/05/2017 at 10:58am |
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Cameron....just my opinion, I would not buy from those guys, I had to play with a set of front springs on a 74 AMX to get the front end down on a 401 air car. Buy from one of the AMC vendors or Eaton Detroit....I know APD has different springs for cars with air and without air. FYI, I had to cut near a full coil out of the spring from the vendor you mentioned to get close to level....the gauge of the coil is very important to the spring rate and theirs was about .080 bigger then the ones I removed.
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Ross K. Peterson
68X,GoPac,343,AT,52A(1stCar) 68X,GoPac,390,4sp,52A 69X,GoPac,390,4sp,64A 70X,GoPac,390,4sp,87A,8 70X,GoPac,390,4sp,BBO,8 70 Jav SST,390,AT,BSO 74MatX,401,AT,Prototype 74MatX,401,AT |
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304-dude
AMC Addicted
Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082 |
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Posted: Jul/05/2017 at 11:25am |
You probably already know this, but for some that may not know who are following. New springs are high before they settled in. One is if you use new spring donuts, and after a bit of driving to get the springs working.. you can be 1 Inch higher than normal until properly settled and seated in. As for HD springs... I got old stocked Napa HD springs for Hornet 70 and 71 Hornet. They are the same as 71 AMX from what I gather. It's been over 0 years now, but some parts books or computers put things inclusive at times, narrowing what fits down to the most common car on the road. Edited by 304-dude - Jul/05/2017 at 11:30am |
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71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
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CamJam
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Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
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Posted: Jul/05/2017 at 12:18pm |
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Ok, thanks guys... good to know. The present springs are sagging so much that the rubber bump stops have put dents in the lower control arms where they have been bottoming out. I see Galvins and Kennedy both have them for $89 a pair, not a bad price, so I ordered a set from Kennedy for me to pick up in Kenosha. To keep me busy in the meantime I'm doing just the lower control arm bushings, lower ball joints and strut rod bushings and will do the upper control arms, springs etc when I get back from Kenosha with the AMX.
Edited by CamJam - Jul/05/2017 at 11:17pm |
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD |
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401MATCOUPE wrote: