Upside down rear coils?

[Lawrence]

Hi guys. I have a friend who recently had an OME lift kit installed on his GQ. He found out afterwards that the rear coils were installed wrong way up. He checked mine and said he thought they also were installed wrongly. I had an accident last year and had to replace the rear and front diffs. Do rear coils have a right side up and would it make a difference in ride? After he had his corrected, his vehicle rode much better on bad roads, whereas my ride has worsened since the replacement.

[PeeBee]

I believe the ends of the coils are finished differently 'top to bottom'. The bottom of the coil is usually ground off flat so it sits nice and square on the spring seat, and the top of the coil is finished off with the bare wire diameter , but not flat. I would think it would be very obvious if the coils were initially installed upside down as they would not even stay vertical when you start to lower the vehicle onto them. There is usually a rubber washer fitted to the top of the coil to reduce metal on metal contact and this has a definite divot profile to suit the way the coil is finished.

Regards spring rate I don't think you would see a difference in how the spring compresses as the load into the coil would be the same and the stresses into the coil would manifest the same , ie, the deflection will be based on the wire diameter, and angle of deflection - this should not affect the compression rate - might compress at a different height in the coil but the deflection overall would be the same.

[Clunk]

This is from a spare set of Kings rear springs I have waiting for me to fit....... I can only presume that the top is where the coils are tighter together, and I'm also going by the writing....... But I could be wrong




http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2017/04/165.jpghttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2017/04/166.jpg

[GQtdauto]

I will be buggered if I can see any difference between top and bottom except the writing .

[Winnie]

I will be buggered if I can see any difference between top and bottom except the writing .

The coil spacings are closer together at the top in Clunks pictures.
I don't think all springs are progressive like that though?

[PeeBee]

The coil spacings are closer together at the top in Clunks pictures.
I don't think all springs are progressive like that though?

Whether the coils are tighter at the top or bottom does not matter. The bottom of the coils, even those in the photo have the round bar configured so the coil will stand upright. If you turned the coil upside down it will likely fall over or lean over more pronounced as the end config of the wire is not rolled and finished flat. I think its simply a configuration thing with the manufacturing. I seem to recall a set of ARB coils back in the day had a ground off base, but these don't have that same finish. I also think the spring seat on top of the axle is flat, or dished a bit to contain the coils, whereas, its compensated for with the contoured rubber washer. In fact, the coils on mine are fitted with a flat rubber washer on the bottom and a contoured rubber washer on the top. I guess you could tip the coil and washers upside down and it would probably work ok as the actual mount pads top and bottom are flat, but you would need the washers to match the end profile . Anyway, thats what i think.

[GQtdauto]

The coil spacings are closer together at the top in Clunks pictures.
I don't think all springs are progressive like that though?

Aaahhhh now I see it , I know when I did my 2" lift there was an indentation for the spring to sit in but can't remember if it was top or bottom or both .

[Clunk]

The coil spacings are closer together at the top in Clunks pictures.
I don't think all springs are progressive like that though?

good spotting Pooh, forgot that these ones were progressive.