I'm wondering how long stock coil springs last? I haven't been able to find a definitive answer on this. I'm planning on doing a V8 swap this winter and its already on a very tight budget since I have to share funds between my camaro and my wife's project car now. I found a complete set of OEM Z28 springs for $10. The problem is that they have roughly 100K miles on them. I was going to wait till next winter to do a full suspension upgrade but I need V8 springs now for the front at least so my question is, how shot are these springs going to be? Will they work for a year or so? Normally I would pass on them, but the price is so right.

 

if you just want springs to "work for a year", yeah they'll work, poorly, and they are probably sagging, but they will "work", i would just do it right the first time, but your budget wont allow it so its up to you, but swapping springs twice, not for me. on a side note, wife with a project car? that's awesome

 

Is there any way to measure the free height to determine if they would sag once in the car?

That's exactly where I'm at. I'm not sure what to do with it. I don't really want to do it twice, but I can't put the V8 in with the old V6 springs still in the car. I have to go over a major bump in the road no matter what direction I leave my house and I don't want to be scraping. But at the same time, I don't want to have old springs in after I do a complete suspension and steering rebuild. The $100 or so I would save would greatly help in the V8 swap. Maybe I'll put it off for another year and do the steering and suspension this year.

As far as the whole "wife with a project car" thing, yeah, its great. She's even wanting to help with as much as time allows(I have more free time than she does), but it's not a Thirdgen. It's a 74 Beetle that needs a complete restoration and she wants to customize it as well. Suicide doors, shaved handles, "blinking" headlights and a tie-dye paint job to list a few of the major mods.

 

for $10 they will work. its hopefully better than just leaving your v6 springs in. do it for now, but plan on replacing them later. just to keep the project going, ya know?

 

I have a set of front V8 springs that come on a project car I bought awhile back. The previous owner passed along the receipt for them and it was dated about three months before I bought the car. I took them out soon after so they have very little use if any, they look very good. Just sitting around taking up space, I would let them go for $10 plus shipping. If I recall correctly they are the MOOG 5662 high rate IROC springs that many here use as a stock replacement that don't want a lowered ride height, not looking at the receipt, but will confirm if interested.

 

^^^^ good deal right there, its great to see fellow third gen'ers helping each other out

 

TransAM Joe - If you still have those, I'd definitely be interested in them if they are the 5662's. I'm not looking for any more scraping that I have to put up with now. The deal fell through for other reasons. Can you take Paypal? How much would shipping be to 15963?

 

My 87 GTA still rides great, still when it needs to be, handles great, no sagging, 170,000 miles & from what I've measured from stock measurements, I've only lost 1/2" in 20 years.

How they have been used, IMHO, has more to do with their life, than just time.

 

Routine maintenance plays a huge role in how well springs hold up. Blown out shocks are probably the number one killer of springs. Proper dampners are going to prevent springs from unneeded oscillations meaning longer life.

 

I'm replacing my suspension right now and when I removed the shocks/struts every single one of them dropped closed on their own. I should put the original springs next to the new ones and see if there is much difference.

 

I would definitely be interested in knowing how much of a difference there is in the free heights of the old vs new springs. I had the front struts do the same thing to me when I changed them on my camaro. I haven't changed the rear shocks yet, but I bet they will be just as bad.