Stiffer Springs Done Cheap

[SuperDave]

OK, first, let's just get this out of the way: Everyone repeat after me. "If you don't want to spend the money, you have no business racing."

Right.

I don't want to spend four figures on suspension if I can avoid it. I'd like to find a way to get springs in the 400-350 pound range and stay with the stock struts and mounts.

By playing with the spring rate calculator at http://www.proshocks.com/calcs/coilsprate.htm, it seems that I only need slightly thicker springs. 0.637" in the front would give me 400# and 0.618 in the rear would give me 350#. Compare that to the stock spring thicknesses of about 0.417" and 0.448"

Great. Actually, if you got springs of about the same length as the Zed and with 10 coils, you might want to start with just 0.605" in the front and 0.588" in the rear and cut two coils off to lower the car.

Now, where to find these springs? I read somewhere that the Jeep Grand Cherokee uses 4.5" springs like the Zed, but I haven't been able to verify that. And, of course, I have no idea what the rates are going to be for that vehicle.

Any ideas? (Other than putting $1500 on the credit card for coilovers and one of the admittedly nice kits.)

[zguitar71]

There are companies out there that will make any coil spring to your specs. I searched once and found some through google, I do not remember their names though. You will need to have exact measurements too like wire thickness, number of coils, free length, ect..., that you need the springs to be manufactured with. The cherokee springs are probably very long in their free length, so when they are cut to give you the right ride height they will be too stiff. The first coil off does not do much in stiffening but the rate grows exponentially as you cut more.

Call or email www.arizonazcar.com , When I bought my springs Dave mentioned tring different combinations on his spring specs with his manufacturer. Mabey he can order a custome set of springs for you car through his manufacturer.

[=Enigma=]

If you don't want to spend the money, you have no business racing.

[SuperDave]

There are companies out there that will make any coil spring to your specs.

Thanks, but remember I'm trying to do this cheap. I'm trying to find something in a junk yard that approximates my needs. I'm assuming that getting custom springs made will cost just as much as the coil-over kits.

[SuperDave]

If you don't want to spend the money, you have no business racing.

There's one in every bunch. Ever heard of the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 challenge?

[zguitar71]

I do not think they would cost as much as coilovers, but more than a junk yard spring. Are you doing the $2006 challenge?

[tube80z]

Thanks, but remember I'm trying to do this cheap. I'm trying to find something in a junk yard that approximates my needs. I'm assuming that getting custom springs made will cost just as much as the coil-over kits.

Are you intending to race or run the $2006 challenge? If you're intending to race you really need to get quality springs so you can do a proper setup. If you want to do things on the cheap you'll need to be able to make a lot of parts. You can come up with some cheap coilover solutions if you want to.

I personally wouldn't run JY springs on a car I intended to race. You may end up chasing the setup for $50 in springs. At the end of the day racing costs. Just driving around the track will use up tires. Building a proper suspension and developing it can actually pay you back in reduced tire costs. That's the biggest part of my yearly budget.

Cary

[olderthanme]

I just bought the stoff for my coilover conversion (no camber plates yet) and it cost about $280 for the sleeves, adjusting nut both from A1racing.com, and coils from summitracing.com . you can get any spring rate in coils from summit for really cheap..like $38 each...and free shipping!!!

[TomoHawk]

This is a little of-topic, but if you had a shop do the shocks & springs on all four corners, do you thin they could also have the struts themselves blasted clean & painted?

thx

[=Enigma=]

There's one in every bunch. Ever heard of the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 challenge?

Hey now.....I was just following your instructions.

[TomoHawk]

I thought the $2006 challenge was for the ENTIRE car?

Here is where you can find the rules: http://grmotorsports.com/news/category/2006-challenge/

There is a 1959 Z-Car???

[speedyblue]

Find a car where the springs are midway along the control arm, instead of at the hub like on the Z. The lever effect means the actual spring rate may be about 300lb/in but the rate at the hub is only 150lb/in.

Find one that is the right size, might be hard finding one with long enough springs though.