92Firebug

I was thinkin about putting in some Big Block springs in the front of my 92 bird and some El Camino springs in the rear...Any Thoughts?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Don't think Elky srear prings are the same, but I could be wrong. I could go out and look at mine if I wasn't so lazy I suppose but you can guess how far that's going.

Doesn't matter, they're dirt cheep anyway, wouldn't be much sense in putting in used ones.

THere are also no "big block springs" for these cars, except maybe from somebody that has identified some that are the right dimensions and stuff to work with that motor. The fronts in these cars are a REAL common size and shape, and some of the same ones that fit our cars, fit ALL SORTS of other ones. In fact, Elky fronts are interchangeable, although they may not be the right height and rate; but they are the right OD and have the right style ends, so they'll at least install.

Why would you do that, anyway? THe car would look like one of those hilljack 4x4s that you can walk under.

AlkyIROC

Depending what you're looking for, you can probably use third gen springs to do the same thing.

Springs hold the car up at a specific right height. They have different spring rates to handle differently. If you check the size of the spring wire between a V6, RS or IROC spring, you'll see they're all different sizes. If you want a soft Caddy ride that will float and dive then use a soft RS spring. If you want a firm ride that can handle corners with minimal body roll then use an IROC spring. If your car isn't heavy enough to compress a firm spring, you can cut coils out of it.

Technically I have BBC springs on the front of my car. I use Moroso trick springs classified as BBC springs but even with a BBC, the front of my car weighs the same as a SBC car so it sits a little higher than normal.

On the rear, it's the same thing. The springs only need to hold the car up to right height. The shocks do all the work. Too soft a spring and the rear will sag, too heavy of a spring and it will ride like a truck. It's not like you're carrying a lot of extra weight in the rear.

92Firebug

I think i would want the iroc springs, but i dont have time these days to go to a junkyard...any sites you know of that carry those kind?

ATX-Iroc

Just call the junkyard and have em pulled for you. All you have to do is go to the desk and pay but I would make sure to have them show you the iroc they pulled em out of seeing that all models had different springs.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

DON'T USE JUNK SPRINGS.

You never know what you're going to get... how many miles are on them, how many times they got overloaded, how long they went without fuctional shocks (which fatigues them). Kind of like bending a coat hanger back & forth a million times: if you have shocks that keep the springs from bending back & forth dozens of times for every little bump, they last a long time; but if your shocks/struts fail to control the movement of the suspension and your car acts like the typical Xler minivan rear end driving down the road, where the least little bounce gets the whole thing to slamming up and down to the point the wheels come up off the ground, then the springs will be in coat-hanger-bent-back-and-forth-a-million-times condition. You DON'T want those because they are TOTALLY unknown and unpredictable.

Don't outsmart yourself over "IROC", T/A, Z28, 6-cyl, or ANY OTHER used junk. Apart from that, junkyards don't "carry" specific types of parts, they only sell parts from WRECKED cars. They don't have the ability to make a phone call and say "hey I've got a shortage of IROC stuff here, somebody wreck an IROC this afternoon". That's total fantasy land.

Go get NEW springs of the right type for whatever you are using your car for.

92Firebug

ok, how do i know what shocks im currently using in front and back?

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

if you doing all this work, you should not worry about whats in the car as far as shocks, since if yoiu dont know what they are, or when they were new, its time for new ones anyway.

heavy engines and heavy springs need good shocks and struts, bilsteins or koni's probably be a good choice, but they will cost you.

92Firebug

price insnt an issue, but i only have a 305 right now but have plans for a swap...what size should i get though? and what kind of springs? http://www.summitracing.com/search/Y...A/?Ns=Rank|Asc

Guest

Moog 5664 front, and choice of 5665 or CC635 rear. CC is Cargo Carrying, progressive rate, 5665 is constant rate. No details available about which rear spring choice has higher rate at normal ride height.

92Firebug

those are just springs? what about bilsteins?

92Firebug

i cant find any 5665's and i do not want cc springs.

Guest

I typed Moog 5665 into Google, and found this: http://www.amazon.com/Moog-5665-Cons.../dp/B000C59U9U
took me all of 15 seconds.

92Firebug

well i was on summitracing.com and does it matter what shocks i get? I ALSO just checked amazon, and it said the part would NOT fit my car...

Guest

Translation: Not original on your car. Amazon isn't gonna know jack diddly about performance upgrade possibilities.

92Firebug

oh ok, now what should i do about shocks/struts? where do i start?

Guest

I hope someone gives you some good answers or links, because I have no clue. I'm probably going to use KYB GR2s to get a new baseline to work from.
But I can't stop wanting to try driving my '84 'maro with a 454, just for the experience, which is why I researched the stiffest stock springs ever offered.
I wrote down my results, which I shared with you, but I've lost my list of links, sorry.
Best of luck to ya!

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Moog springs are factory springs. You go to your local autoparts store and buy them. Moog 5660 = RS springs
5662 - IROC springs
5664 - S10 springs - very firm.

I have the 5664's and I love them. I used the CC635's on the back.

I think used KYB GR-2's in the front, and gas-a-just in the back (KYB again). These are all local parts store stuff, but work excellent without demolishing your bank account with billstein/Koni type of stuff. If you're driving this car on the street, mid level KYB's are fine. Koni and Billstein are more of an autocross grade shock. You'll see from the price...

Guest

Careful with the bad info there. First, Moog are direct replacement, but not original equipment.
Second, the 5664-spec were OE in a few of the third gens, mostly on Z convertibles with automatic and a/c. They weren't used in all that many S-10s, either. Only some 2WD extended cab 4.3 with a/c and automatic. Though they were introduced years before the ZQ8 option.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Yeesh, close enough

What I meant is that Moogs are not considered "aftermarket high performance parts". You don't buy them from Summit/Jegs generally, you just buy them at your local parts store as "springs for a Z-28", etc. Meaning you don't pay shipping, wait a week, etc, you just drive over and pick them up.

Yes, the 5664's would also have come on a Z convertible (which is a somewhat rare vehicle...), or on the 4.3L S-10 -- which I was under the impression was a more common application? Either way, most parts stores can simply look up "Moog 5662" if that's what you want to buy.

Interesting correction - thanks Ron!

92Firebug

i bought 5664's and 5665's with KYB struts/shocks.

Guest

Please update us after you drive it for a few weeks.