Custom springs?

[Mathius]

How can you figure out what size you need for custom springs? I have a '76 Malibu. They don't make a lot of parts for this car. I can get stock replacement springs. But I want to go a bit higher in the rear. Not much. 1" to 1.5".

I don't know the height, or weight specs on the stock springs. Measuring my old springs is a waste of time. They're probably as old as the car, and have obviously sagged with age.

I'm open to someone who just knows the answer, but if someone knows a way I can figure it out, that's great as well.



As near as I can tell, my only option is to go with a set of custom springs selected by weight and height from like QA4 or Competition Engineering or whoever. I know one of them has like a ton of sizes listed in Summit's catalog. I'm sure there are other manufacturers as well offering custom sizes.

I suppose I could stuff a block of wood in there or something to hold up the car and simulate the height, but that doesn't tell me what weight ratings I need, or account for sag.

Mathius

[MrQuick]

How about a rear coil over kit? OR

Choose the right spring and run a jack screw set up.

[Mathius]

How about a rear coil over kit? OR

Choose the right spring and run a jack screw set up.

I do not believe there is a "kit" available for the generation 3 chevelles. They don't have quite the following as the earlier models.

I don't know what a jack screw setup is, I guess I'll have to do a search, but the point of my post was I'm not certain how to choose "the right spring" ?

I don't have any specs on the stock spring, so I cannot make any educated guesses on which spring to buy to achieve what I want.

I was hoping someone either knew the specs of a 76 chevelle 2-door, or there was some formula to measure your desired ride hide, and check the weight of your vehicle, and then determine what size spring you need.

Now that I think on it, you'd probably need the weight at each corner to determine that, and a setup to determine that isn't cheap from what I recall.

Maybe there's no help for me here. I could try the G3 forum at Chevy Talk, although I'm not on good terms with that group and haven't posted in about 2 years.

Mathius

[Lowend]

If you look in the back of the TRW spring catalog you can get the specs on the stockers and work forward from there.

You can cut your stock springs, on most GM's 1/2 a coil = 1" of drop

[Mathius]

If you look in the back of the TRW spring catalog you can get the specs on the stockers and work forward from there.

You can cut your stock springs, on most GM's 1/2 a coil = 1" of drop

Do you know where I can get one? Their web site is one of those corporate types where they basically just answer a bunch of company directives, and then refer you to a dealer. The link to the North American web site had something to do with trucks.

Mathius

[Lowend]

An old school parts shop should have one... they aren't uncommon

[Yelcamino]

Call Coil Spring Specialties... (785) 437-2025
http://www.coilsprings.com/

Ask for Kevin, he'll hook you up with the right springs for whatever you're trying to accomplish.