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Front coil springs


Mark Haymond

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Any one use the CC850 spring as a replacement of the stock one.  Seems like most folks are cutting the Moog for a 'proper stance'....... whatever that is.  I would like to know if it will maintain stock hight, raise it or what.

Edited by ptwothree
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I just got off the phone to Eaton Springs Detroit. The height of a new coil spring for a '54 Plymouth is just shy of 16". My coils are 13.5". My shock is 10" compressed. My rubber bushings are ply able, no cracking, and tight. Eaton guessed that this suspension "may" have been rebuilt just before it was parked. Sure hate to fix it if it ain't broke. H,m,m,m?

Edited by pflaming
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  • 4 weeks later...

I am going to give you my experiences with the Aerostar springs, which I just completed over the weekend. But first a background on my car.

52 Plymouth bus coupe. 15 x7 cop rims, 215 70 15 tires. No front sway bar, Monroe gas shocks all around.

I started messing with the suspension by installing new ESPO 8 leaf springs. Originals were 7 leaf. I opted to leave the 8th leaf in place to see what the result would be. After install the rear sat a little higher than the front, maybe 1-2 inches. Car sat level before the new leaf springs. Upon test driving the front end became even more prone to sway and so on than before - I imagine the stiffer rear was putting more downforce on the front springs.

Next step was to do the aerostar springs on the front. I have no experience with swapping coil springs. Every car I've messed with are 60 or 70's mopars with torsion bar front ends. So this was a little bit of a concern on my part as to what to expect. Well, I have to say swapping coil springs was one of the easiest things I've done so far on this car. Literally took 30 minutes to get a spring out. I chose to remove the lower control arm for cleaning and repainting. Just keep the the pivot bar in its original orientation if u do this. So as a result my swap instead of being a 2 hour job was 8 hours..but now I have nice clean front end parts !

After install the test drive exhibited a great improvement in ride, and handling. The car does not dive and sway is greatly reduced. As to ride height, the front end is now about 1 inch higher than it was after the new leaf springs were installed. Overall the car is back sitting dead level but maybe 1-1.5 inches taller than it was originally.

Bottom line - for those of you considering the stock OEM style springs - Forget it. Buy the Aerostar springs, be happy, enjoy the vastly improved ride/handling, and put the 150-200 bucks you saved towards something else.

Next, I plan on installing a sway bar. But that won't happen for a month or so. Relocating the upper front shock mount is on the list too.

Now for a question - as I said, I have no experience with coil springs. I have heard that coil springs will "settle" meaning the front will drop a little after install. Can anyone tell me if that is a true statement, and if so, how much do they drop ? Is the settling something that is affected by driving or can it happen just by sitting still ?

Edited by Dartgame
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i'm with you on this, Dartgame.

 

the Aerostar springs are working great and they're a steal, even if you have to ship them overseas, like me.

i got stock riding height when i put them in, little higher, but as you heard, they settle a little (about 1" max) and then you should have factory height.

that happens no matter you ride it or not, from my experience.

i cut mine a little afterwards, but that's a decision everyone should make for himself

(my car's lowered nearly 8" in the back and drags tail, surly not everyone's cup of tea).

 

relocating the shock mounts and buying the Moogs were the best things i could do to my front end, it's amazing how it changed the car.

it's much more streetable now and a lot safer in traffic, but without loosing that classic feeling (especially on 16x6.00 bias plys :) )

Edited by Cpt.Fred
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Hey all...I'm going to bring this thread back from the dead with a stupid tech question.  I started to swap my springs last night using the Aerostar conversion.  I however did not read here first so I seperated my spindle from the top bolt not the bottom...My question is actually related to the re-assembly.  This is my first time doing a job like this on a car without ball joints.  I'm trying to find some type of torque spec for the upper "spindle bolt"  (I'm betting there is a better term but that's what I'm calling it for now).  I will try to attach pictures.  My concern is over torquing the bolt side being that it threads through the upper control arm.  Anyone out there have some helpful suggestions?attachicon.gif2015-05-12 08_27_02-Microsoft Office 2010.jpgattachicon.gif2015-05-12 08_27_52-Microsoft Office 2010.jpg

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-Nate

Please tell me you have jack stands under there somewhere.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Has anyone been able to find a coil-over set up for the front end on these?  I would opt to do that on my '50 Deluxe fastback if it's an option.  If not, I'm assuming the Aerostar/8 leaf ESPO set up will work on my car?  Anyone know what the proper stock ride height is on these?  Thanks all.

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  • 1 year later...

I just looked up that part number 52039056 that you originally put in your car, those are 1994 Dodge 2 wheel drive 1500 pickup front Springs, I'm actually looking to raise the front end of my 39 Business Coupe a little, to give it a Gasser stance without putting an I-beam on the front, I'm going to try those Springs and see what happens

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28 minutes ago, thebelvedereman said:

I just looked up that part number 52039056 that you originally put in your car, those are 1994 Dodge 2 wheel drive 1500 pickup front Springs, I'm actually looking to raise the front end of my 39 Business Coupe a little, to give it a Gasser stance without putting an I-beam on the front, I'm going to try those Springs and see what happens

 

think......upper A-arm bolted to the inside fixed position.....lower A-arm bolted to the inside fixed position...outer ends of A-arms fixed position by way of strut..spring in between...while there is some variance for height...I cannot see enough to get a gasser look without coil binding and not tracking right due to altered dimensions....factory only had a 1.5 inch variance built in.

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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Well maybe not Gasser look per say, but maybe 60s Mopar with the torsion bars cranked up LOL, I don't want it crazy high anyway I just wanted up a little bit, he actually said that the 94 Ram Springs where the same height is as the original ones, but the car sat 2 inches higher because they didn't sag like the old ones

Edited by thebelvedereman
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