Spring height, weight jacks, shims, etc..

[dennis68]

Help from the experts again. I am getting ready to replace the WHOLE front suspension on the Elco, my problem is springs. I know what spring rate I want and the height I want the car to sit at when completed. My problem is that it has cut down coils in it now and I did it so long ago I don’t even remember what they were originally out of (a lot of experimenting with different springs for a while), so I don’t know how much of a drop to order. My thought after reading the Speedway catalog for way to long is to use a set of WC springs (9.5”) and a pair of adjustable shims (3”). Has anyone ever run these, do they work or is this a temporary fix? I was thinking of using weight jacks but that requires relocating the front shocks I gather from looking at them, I don’t want to do that. They also had a threaded adjustable version (similar to weight jack except more difficult to adjust), I worried that it could “adjust” on it’s own over time. Any thoughts on any of this?

[yody]

landrum spring adjuster or coilover, or the good ol fashion way, cutt them till you like it. I don't know anything about all that other stuff mentioned. Im gonna catch up with you suspension guru wannabes on the next car! so is the car painted yet?

[Steve Chryssos]

Dennis,
If you know your car's corner weight, you can remove your coil springs, set the car at ride height with a floor jack and measure the spring pocket's gap. That is your installed height. Given the installed height, the spring rate (pounds per inch), the springs free length and the front corner weight, you can call up any of the good spring manufacturers and order up the perfect spring. That's the right way to do it.

example:
10" spring free height with 500lb/in rate installed in an 8" pocket (at ride height) will support 1000lb corner weight because the spring is compressed 2".

If you don't have a roundy-round racer buddy with corner scales, you can usually rent them from your local roundy-round speed shop. Or you can put the word out on some forums to find someone with corner scales (i.e. Intercomp, Longacre, Rebco) in your area.
Hope that helps
/Steevo

[dennis68]

Putting the word out---anybody in the bay area with corner scales that wants to help me out with corner weights?????

Thanks Steve

Still interested in the adjustable shims if anybody has experience with them.

No Yodi-no paint yet.

[Norwoodx55]

Denny, I recently used Afco springs and adjustable coil spacers on my Camaro. It took about 4 attempts to get the ride height I wanted exact, but it really wasn't all that difficult. I'm not too concerned about the adjustment changing, I think there is too much pressure on the threads for them to move. I only have a couple hundred miles on the set-up so far. No problems yet. I would do it this way again, barring any future problems, I have already been through the "D***n-it, I cut too much off my springs and now they are useless" routine.
Brett

[dennis68]

Thanks Brett, that is what I wanted to hear.

[David Pozzi]

Here's how to install the adjusters.
http://www.geocities.com/casanoc