Did Rockauto send me wrong coil springs?! :(

I bought AcDelco 45H0286 {#19161295} Professional; Variable Rate - and this is what I got.
I can imagine that the new spring can be taller, but the lower coil of a completely different diameter ?????? What the hell?
Has anyone bought these AcDelcos? Were yours the same?

VR and CR springs with different composition (different steel, difference wire diameter) will have different length unloaded.

I tried to quickly find a spec sheet for the 45H0286 springs, showing unloaded height and compression info -- did not find it -- That said, if it was me I'd simply try mounting one and see if the assembly builds to (about) the same unloaded height as the old strut assembly. My guess is it will.

Albertj

That's the point. I don't mind different steel or wire diameter, but different shape?
This is my old springs:
/  \
l   l
\  /


And this is my new ones:
/  \
l   l
l   l

The lower part is cylindrical and the wire doesn't fit intended groove (or whatever it is called) in the rubber insulator and in the strut itself.

Ok, in fact I've already installed the springs. After initial shock  I turned on my brains and found a solution. Looking at struts I always wondered why they have three holes in the spring support plate. For some kind of spring retainers? Never seen anything like that, but in my case I really needed something to prevent the spring from sliding around. So I just bolted M8x1" bolts in those holes and drilled the rubber insulator so it can lay flat in its place. Now the springs kinda rest on those bolts and I've been able to assemble the struts with acceptable degree of certainty.

Looks like it will work Ok, but I'm not happy with this solution. No way GM designed it to be mounted like that, but I can't see how it can be done differently.

DeepFrozen wrote:

That's the point. I don't mind different steel or wire diameter, but different shape?
This is my old springs:
/  \
l   l
\  /


And this is my new ones:
/  \
l   l
l   l

The lower part is cylindrical and the wire doesn't fit intended groove (or whatever it is called) in the rubber insulator and in the strut itself.

Ok, in fact I've already installed the springs. After initial shock  I turned on my brains and found a solution. Looking at struts I always wondered why they have three holes in the spring support plate. For some kind of spring retainers? Never seen anything like that, but in my case I really needed something to prevent the spring from sliding around. So I just bolted M8x1" bolts in those holes and drilled the rubber insulator so it can lay flat in its place. Now the springs kinda rest on those bolts and I've been able to assemble the struts with acceptable degree of certainty.

Looks like it will work Ok, but I'm not happy with this solution. No way GM designed it to be mounted like that, but I can't see how it can be done differently.

Is either spring (new or old) upside down?

The new spring can't be installed upside down, if that's what you mean. Upper mount is too small.
The old spring can be installed either way, I guess. On the picture both springs are standing straight up - I mean neither of 'em is upside down.

DeepFrozen wrote:

The new spring can't be installed upside down, if that's what you mean. Upper mount is too small.
The old spring can be installed either way, I guess. On the picture both springs are standing straight up - I mean neither of 'em is upside down.

Looks like time to make some phone calls or ask a dealer parts desk or mechanic if you're friends with any. I do not know offhand how to make this scenario work.