My Spring Comparison
09-18-2011, 10:44 AM
#2
Re: My Spring Comparison
Not to be difficult, but what you wrote seems to contradict itself- the material that they're made of is not likely to make a significant difference in spring rate, so if they are a similar design, but the summit ones started with half a coil more and the same free height then they should have had a slightly lower rate and should have sat lower to start with. With one coil cut off (fewer free coils than the eibachs) then they should have been both stiffer and have a lower ride height then the eibachs.
As far as the rear springs go if they're the same design then the height and stiffness should be the same.
They could have a slightly thinner wire diameter which would make them have a lower rate with the same design, but then again, they would sit lower when installed if they had the same free height.
That all being the case, either or some combination of:
- your perception of their spring rates/ride quality is off
- your measurements of the springs are off
- your measurement of the ride height is off
- you made other changes at the same time that affected your end result
Normally I would just go "oh well, something isn't adding up" and leave it alone, but you're trying to post helpful info for someone trying to make a choice and I suspect that someone might either draw the wrong conclusion from what you wrote or not get useful information out of it.
As far as the rear springs go if they're the same design then the height and stiffness should be the same.
They could have a slightly thinner wire diameter which would make them have a lower rate with the same design, but then again, they would sit lower when installed if they had the same free height.
That all being the case, either or some combination of:
- your perception of their spring rates/ride quality is off
- your measurements of the springs are off
- your measurement of the ride height is off
- you made other changes at the same time that affected your end result
Normally I would just go "oh well, something isn't adding up" and leave it alone, but you're trying to post helpful info for someone trying to make a choice and I suspect that someone might either draw the wrong conclusion from what you wrote or not get useful information out of it.
09-18-2011, 03:18 PM
#4
Re: My Spring Comparison
OK, A picture says a thousand words so...... First picture is the Pro-Kit springs right out of the box. Second picture is after I messed around cutting front coils and adding the rubber to the rear coils, not to bad ride height.
09-21-2011, 01:45 PM
#6
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Car: '91 Camaro Z28, '85 Camaro Z28
Engine: LB9, LB9
Transmission: T5, 700r4
Axle/Gears: Eaton 3.73 Posi, 3.23 Posi
Re: My Spring Comparison
Hmm, don't take this the wrong way but did you properly index the springs or tighten the sway bar end links with the car on the ground?
09-21-2011, 07:56 PM
#7
Re: My Spring Comparison
I thank you for your thoughts, but really just wanted to pass the results I got (which I to thought were odd enough to remove the springs three times that day to verify that everything was correctly installed) on to anyone trying to save a buck on cheap springs. I am a very qualified mechanic and will keep my findings to myself. Thank you
Last edited by 85Z28NOS; 09-21-2011 at 08:26 PM. Reason: to old and to tired
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09-21-2011, 08:29 PM
#8
Re: My Spring Comparison
I guess I should have been more clear. The rear summit springs were to soft and the front summit springs were to tall when new. The eibach rear springs are the same free height as the rear summit but the number of progressive coils differs causing them to be stiffer than the summit. The half a coil taller front summit spring in combination with the softer rear spring made my car sit high in the front and bottom out easy in the rear. I also compounded this issue after removing a bunch of weight from the front of my car and had to cut one coil in order for it to sit level again. The front springs are very close to being the same except for the half a coil taller at free height difference. Its the rear springs that made this set not work well together and was the reason I opted to change springs again so soon. I had even added a half round of rubber in the rear spring right were the coils changed into the progressive to try and stiffen them and the eibach's were still stiffer right out of the box. Hope this clarifies what I was trying to pass on. Still cant complain about the price of the summit springs, just didnt think they worked as set
That actually helps a lot.
I like the eibach pro kit springs in the front, but hate the progressive rears, generally prefer stock WS6 springs for the rear cut 1 coil and with the isolators removed. That being the case, sounds like the summit spring is a cheaper way to get a good spring combination if you're not going to use the rear springs anyway, or cut the rears to stiffen them some and then use a thicker urethane isolator from a 4th gen to get the height correct
09-23-2011, 05:33 AM
#10
Re: My Spring Comparison
Are you serious!!?? I fully understand what the suspension does when you first let it down, I also commented that I had pulled it back apart THREE times to check why it was so high. This happen to be the only picture I had before I cut the front coils to get it to set right. I actually drove the car for two days hoping it would settle down a bit more but it didnt. I thank all the novice people for there obvious remarks and bid you good day.
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