Font Coils have a little bow to them

[Knaff]

New to the forum, I have a 74 with 3.5 Duff coils on the front. I was noticing that there is a little bow to them, is this normal or should they be sitting perfectly straight? Thanks!

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey Knaff, welcome to CB.
Well, your dilemma is so common, it's almost normal.
We'll need to know some more specifics though, because it can be due to the lift, to some bent lower coil retainer cups, or some other mis-alignment somewhere.

Can you tell whether or not a trackbar lowering or raising bracket was used with the lift? It's pretty much a must-do, but many people don't install them.

With that 5.5" lift though, most likely it's due to not enough compensation with the trackbar to re-center the axle that's causing them to bow.

Got pics?

Paul

 

[broncnaz]

I'd say its normal for the most part even with straight coil buckets the taller softer springs do tend to have bows. But as dirtdonk pointed out there can be other causes that may make them bow more than normal.

 

[kobyfresh]

I have the same Duff suspension and same problem with bowing, was gonna ask the same question, thought I installed everything correctly. Notice my Toe-in is off too even with the new radius arm bushings. Will see how it rides once it's all back together and go from there.

 

[22213evl]

there gonna bow a little at 3.5 of lift but it shoudn't be exsesive a little bow is just about normal mine has a little bit (5.5 sus ) but it dosen't seem to effect ride quality.

 

[DirtDonk]

Remember too that the radius arms are no longer at their stock angles (or more than likely are not) and since the coils are clamped tight at the bottom, and the upper spring towers are stationary, the bottom is trying to bow forward.
Even though they're trying to bow forward, the fact that they're coils will likely cause them to bow in other directions as well.

So you're fighting forward tilt, side-to-side location, and any of the other issues already mentioned.

Paul

 

[Knaff]

Thanks for the responses guys. A track bar was installed (I think, will get a picture up of that and the bow). It does sound like this is a common issue, or lack there of. My fear was that I would be out wheeling and the coil would compress and then pop out of where it should be. The cups at the bottom do seem to have a slight tilt to them. There is actually a picture in my gallery labeled "Dana 44" that shows this slight bend to the outside, not very well but it is what I have for now.

It also shows what I think is the track bar. I'm very new at this so forgive me. Thanks and I can't tell you all how excited I am to finally be an EB owner!

 

[73stallion]

i just installed new coil cups on mine and the coils still bow. normal.

 

[broncnaz]

I just looked at probably 50+ broncos this past weekend At the AZ stampede and pretty much every one had the coils bowed to some extent one way or the other there were a few that were not but its hard to say on some of them as they had long arms and coil buckets were replaced. One other thing I notcied is that a lot of the passenger side springs seem to bow forward almost touching the front of the upper mount. Where the driverside spring appears to be fairly centered. I dont know if this was just a slight misalginment of the jig at the factory or what.

 

[a67and77]

Same springs and same bow;D