Bad front spring? Is this possible?

[htschek]

Hi All,
I have been doing front suspension work on my 98 V70 XC. It has 200000 miles and the strut tops were blown. I am doing more or less all of the major wear parts. It has been a big job with lots of knuckle busting, stuck bolts, new tools (yay!), and I never would have even attempted it without this site. Many thanks.

I am compressing the spring (which is the old spring, not replaced, figuring what could go wrong with that spring) and installing it onto the strut. The other one went smooth and easy. But this one, when I decompress the spring the spring bows to one side and in the direction that would cause it to rub the wheel well. I know that springs don't always sit right until the strut is installed and sway bar link is attached, so I installed it all the way and it rubs. I tried to install it with a spring compressor stabilizing it and it didn't work either.

I have checked that it is right side up and that both ends of the spring are set properly in their seats. I figure either the spring itself is screwed up or the upper spring seat (new) is defective and doesn't hold things in place properly.
Any help would be greatly appreciate.
Thanks,
Henry

[htschek]

Hi All,
Quick update. I stabilized the spring a little differently and it seems to have gone in just fine. I really don't know for sure what the variable was that made the difference, but it clearly is in right now.
Henry