This is in regards to the '89 IROC in the sig...

It looks like I'm going to be dropping the gas tank on my IROC this weekend, and I'm toying with the idea of replacing the rear springs. Not necessairly because I think they need to be replaced, but because I'm going to have them out anyway.

I'm not 100% positive, but I would expect that I have the original springs all the way around (the car has ~117K miles). If there's nothing wrong with the springs I have now, I'd rather save the money and reuse what I've got. Is there any way to tell whether I need new springs or not?

Also, if I did need new springs, would there be anything wrong with having new springs on the back but not on the front?

Lastly, what would I be looking at in cost for a pair of new springs?

Sorry if any of these are "rookie" questions, but I'm not much of a suspension guru--I'm just trying to avoid neglecting the suspension completely.

Thanks

 

Well if it was me, I would just get a whole set of springs not just the rears, like some Eibachs. You could always put in the rears and when you are ready, install the fronts later. I suppose if you are really 'cheap' you could get some a pair of rear moog coil springs, i think they are about $40-$60. But seriously how long does it take to change your rear springs if you wanted to, 15mins at the most. You should really just leave them in till you have money for a whole set, then do it.

 

Is the car sagging in anyway? Do you feel the car is mushy ? You may not need springs now but maybe some shocks and struts. Get on the corner of your car and push down on it hard several time and if the car bounces more that once or it feel spring'e you probably need shocks and not springs.. Good luck and go with your gut feeling..

By the way do you have SFC's ? If not do yourself a favor and place then high on your "to do list" for your car.. A must for Fbodies..

 

If the springs are stock, they are sagging some. Save up and replace all 4 at once to keep the handling correct. Like he said above rear spring replacment is jacking the rear up, removing the lower shock bolts and replacing them. Very easy indeed.

 

Okay, you guys are saying pretty much what I really wanted to do--get them all at once. I didn't realize that the rear springs were that easy to replace (thought I needed to pull the whole rearend completely out to do it). Shows what I know.

Good, less money to spend right now...

Tony90RS: I just ordered my Spohn SFCs this Monday! Unfortunately, I don't know when I'm going to be able to get them installed as I don't know who can install them over here or how much installation will cost. Hopefully I don't run out of money fixing my damn fuel tank.

 

I'm thinking about what I need to get once I am ready to put new springs in...

Like I said, I'm not a suspension guy, so I figured that I'd just keep it simple and look for stock replacement all around. By that, I mean that I would like to have *exactly* the same spring rate for all of the springs that would have been installed on an '89 IROC. I could upgrade, but I assume that the stock IROC suspension wasn't that bad to begin with, was it?

So, when it comes time to get the new springs, what would I be looking for in the front and in the back? I'm not going to be picky about brands--I'm more interested in matching stock spec. So whoever carries that at the lowest price (and with reasonable quality) will be the brand I go with.

Also, I want to retain/restore the original ride height; no lowering kits or anything (I bottom out enough as it is ).

Thanks again

 

I got the same situation- With my 84Z28. I need new springs but I really like the height its at now. I think if I put in new stock spec springs (Moog cc635 $44.26, Discount Auto) it will lift it up too much. What is stock height at the rear and where do you measure from?

 

You bottom out becuase your stock springs are SHOT. When I installec my Jamex lowering springs, my car bottemed out LESS than it did with the stock springs, even though the car was lowered.

 

Okay, well then mabye I used the wrong term. By "bottom out" I mean that my front end drags on moderately steep inclines due to how low to the ground the car is. For example, pulling into residential driveways and entering roads that are domed upwards for rainwater drainage (i.e. like the ones downtown where I work), I always drag my front end on these inclines. That's why I don't want to be riding any lower.

Unless you're saying that my springs are so shot that I'm riding lower with my shot, stock springs than I would be with a new lowering springs...

 

That could be possible. Mine are 1.5 drop springs and the front stayed the same, the rear dropped just a little bit. As far as scraping, it's just part of life around here. What helps is keeping the car level(not jacking the rear up higher than the front. If you want stock height, get the stock replacement springs--too high IMHO. If you don't want to scrape, buy a pickup