Suspension and Chassis Questions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?

Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

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Old Dec 3, 2012 | 12:47 PM
  #1  
IROCtheThird's Avatar
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Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Ok in short I'm building an auto-x car. I was going to use a set of the Moog 5664's but my concern is ride height. Pretty much the only thing going back in my engine bay is the motor(SBC/aluminum top end/electric wp) I also have tubular K-member/A-arms and fiberglass hood. What am I'm getting at is the front end is going to be light. I want to get a set of AFCO 800lb/in springs. They have them in 12" and 11" and I know the moogs are 14" but less rate. Any input on how it will alter my height? Thanks in advance.
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Old Dec 3, 2012 | 11:26 PM
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Engine: 350 ZZ4
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Well,the increased spring rate, and the lower amount of weight acting upon it means that the spring will obviously compress less than the Moogs. So the 12'' will probalby be slightly less than a 2'' drop, and the 11'' slightly less than a 3'' drop. The 12'' might be the way to go. I dont have any experience with the Afco's but maybe someone else does and will chime in. Good luck

Last edited by rlewi771; Dec 3, 2012 at 11:41 PM.
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Old Dec 4, 2012 | 08:05 AM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

I'm hoping its no more than a 1" drop. I really want to stay around the stock height for clearance reasons. This makes me really wish I had kept track of everything I pulled off the front end, I know I've taken out at the very least 200lbs.
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Old Dec 6, 2012 | 11:13 AM
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Anybody else have some input?
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Old Dec 6, 2012 | 04:11 PM
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From: Bethlehem, CT
Car: 1983 Firebird SE
Engine: C5 LS1
Transmission: 6 speed
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Greetings from NW CT.
My car sat real high with LS1 instead of SBC, PLUS no interior! It has settled some, now that rugs and Hushmats are in. Have coil overs on front, but had to go to Eibach Sportlines and thin spring isolators to get the rear down- this with the weight off the front.

SO- nothing to compare to your setup, except taking weight off puts you up in the air. My take is the 12" springs MIGHT be too high.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 03:25 PM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

I might just get tthe 11s, I can always space them if there to short. I've taken alot of weight off of this car. I couldn't even begin to list it all. Its pretty much a race car at this point.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 04:23 PM
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Car: 86 Trans Am
Engine: 408 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser full floater m9, 3:70 trutrac
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Have you considered adjustable spring perches, weight jacks?
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 04:55 PM
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

I did there just so much money, I don't ever see changing the ride height at all.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 07:15 PM
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Car: GTA
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Axle/Gears: Aussie 9-bolt/3.27 posi
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

The benefit of Weight Jacks is not for the repeated adjustability of them. It is so that YOU can choose the ride height you want AND choose the spring rate. Which is unlike all the other springs that you buy which determine both aspects for you, regardless of what you want your car to be at.

And if you ever decide that you need stiffer/softer springs? The are only $55 away (each) and you still get to have the ride height where you want it, not where some manufacturer tells you your car is going to be.

I played with cut springs & lowering springs over many different 3rd gens & finally went with Ground Control Weight Jacks. Wish I had gone that route the first time & not wasted my money on all the other setups.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 07:18 PM
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From: Bethlehem, CT
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

That take on 11s sounds good.
Drove my car around for a while with no rugs or sound deadener. Also, not much interior. Lots of road noise, but oh the light feel. Racy!
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 08:23 PM
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Originally Posted by BlackenedBird
The benefit of Weight Jacks is not for the repeated adjustability of them. It is so that YOU can choose the ride height you want AND choose the spring rate. Which is unlike all the other springs that you buy which determine both aspects for you, regardless of what you want your car to be at.

And if you ever decide that you need stiffer/softer springs? The are only $55 away (each) and you still get to have the ride height where you want it, not where some manufacturer tells you your car is going to be.

I played with cut springs & lowering springs over many different 3rd gens & finally went with Ground Control Weight Jacks. Wish I had gone that route the first time & not wasted my money on all the other setups.

exactly my thoughts. not to mention, the Ground Controls service is great, they really stand behind their product
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 10:32 PM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

So I spent a few minutes looking at the picture of ground controls front set up and it wont work with the aftermarket k-member.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 10:53 PM
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From: Central Texas
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Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.

Originally Posted by IrocZ30589
So I spent a few minutes looking at the picture of ground controls front set up and it wont work with the aftermarket k-member.
Unless it uses a 4th gen style coil over spring setup? I don't see why not. Why do you think it won't?
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Old Dec 8, 2012 | 12:55 AM
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Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Need some quick spring/ride height advice.




Look at my upper perches they wont mount right.
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