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Thread: Looking for spring rates

  1. #1
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Looking for spring rates

    I want to build a comprehensive database of all factory spring rates on all 78-95 fwd Mopars. If you have any verified or reliably sourced spring rates, please post them here.
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  2. #2
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    I saw some info on allpar. I am pretty sure that cars with the sport or firmer suspensions had 200lb front and 130Lb rear springs....if I recall correctly.

  3. #3
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Pulled this from my disk drive for LBody Chargers:

    From Mopar 2.2/FWD speed secrets & racing modifications for Chrysler FWD
    cars book.
    Front Springs:
    85 spring standard,
    120 lb.in.heavy duty and firm feel,
    145 lb.in. Shelby
    180 lb. in. MP Autocross and Rallying.
    195-200 lb. in. LRE (FWDPerformance states 220)

    Rear Springs:
    90 lb.in. standard,
    110 lb.in.HD,
    135 lb.in. Shelby
    145 lb.in. MP Autocross and Rallying.
    185 lb.in. LRE

    Which I now see is identical to the other thread!
    Last edited by DevoBuzz; 12-02-2010 at 07:49 PM.

  4. #4
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Quote Originally Posted by DevoBuzz View Post
    Pulled this from my disk drive for LBody Chargers:

    From Mopar 2.2/FWD speed secrets & racing modifications for Chrysler FWD
    cars book.
    Front Springs:
    85 spring standard,
    120 lb.in.heavy duty and firm feel,
    145 lb.in. Shelby
    180 lb. in. MP Autocross and Rallying.
    195-200 lb. in. LRE (FWDPerformance states 220)

    Rear Springs:
    90 lb.in. standard,
    110 lb.in.HD,
    135 lb.in. Shelby
    145 lb.in. MP Autocross and Rallying.
    185 lb.in. LRE

    Which I now see is identical to the other thread!
    Yeah bumping that thread and thinking about what to do on my Shelby Z is what got me going on this thread
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  5. #5
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    hey everybody, when a company or a manual quote the rear spring rate for a g body or any k car variant with the non l body beam axle are they measuring the spring rate with the actual spring itself or are they measuring the spring rate acting at the wheels. with the coils being forward of the center of the wheel and closer to the pivot of the suspension then the wheel has a mechanical advantage over the coil and id be curious to know how the rear rate is measured.

  6. #6
    turbo addict
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    I would bet its on a machine that measures the rate....not on the car.
    Great stuff for great cars! Poly engine mounts and bushings at: http://www.polybushings.com

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    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Bump...
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  8. #8
    See me ride out of the sunset... Turbo Mopar Staff BadAssPerformance's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    I started an article on this a while ago. I have measured a few of the springs and have rate graphs. Just need to dig it up, and measure more, LOL. Good info for a KC article

    JT
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    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    That's the idea I'd like to have the info for every body style and trim level (base, ES, Shelby etc), should be a helpful guide to people when deciding what coil-over springs to go with, or when swapping springs from one body to another (ie Daytona to Dynasty).
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  10. #10
    See me ride out of the sunset... Turbo Mopar Staff BadAssPerformance's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Awesome

    JT
    SDAC Director
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    JOIN SDAC and your local Chapter TODAY! - SUPPORT the CLUB that supports YOUR HOBBY!
    87 Shelby Z - 10.50@141.66mph
    87 CSX #751 Clone - 12.88@102.88mph

    www.badassperformance.com
    Check out Turbo-Mopar Times!
    Submit your 1/4 mile times HERE!!

    Support SDAC! Join Today!
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  11. #11
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    (ie Daytona to Dynasty).
    Anything ending with "to Dynasty" i can probly help with.

    Obviously the springs swap. Here's a pic of some cut VNT tona springs on my 3.0 dynasty.

    Dont push the red button.You hear me?

  12. #12
    turbo addict
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    I also would like to know what the spring rates were for the ...
    shadow
    spirit
    lancer
    daytona
    Shelby versions
    etc.
    Great stuff for great cars! Poly engine mounts and bushings at: http://www.polybushings.com

  13. #13
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Quote Originally Posted by Vigo View Post
    Anything ending with "to Dynasty" i can probly help with.

    Obviously the springs swap. Here's a pic of some cut VNT tona springs on my 3.0 dynasty.
    I know they swap, that's not the point here. I just want to know spring rates for each body. I've heard for years that this car or that car had stiffer springs, but nobody really has proof. It's just assumed that heavier cars always have stiffer springs. However this is not always the case, and I would like to build an accurate list of all the original factory spring rates of each body style.

    For instance, I have some '93 Shadow ES front struts I'm going to swap into my Shelby Z as the originals are done. Everybody always just say "oh don't do that, Shadows are lighter w/ softer springs". Do they really know this for a fact? No, it's just assumed that if I put them in, it will perform worse.
    Last edited by Force Fed Mopar; 12-10-2010 at 12:00 PM.
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  14. #14
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Looks like '91-up have different spring rates than the older cars. Apparently it went along w/ the suspension revamping.

    I don't suppose anyone have a machine to check them on do they? That'd be nice I wonder if there's a way I can use my floor-mount spring compressor to do that?
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

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    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Quote Originally Posted by Force Fed Mopar View Post
    For instance, I have some '93 Shadow ES front struts I'm going to swap into my Shelby Z as the originals are done. Everybody always just say "oh don't do that, Shadows are lighter w/ softer springs". Do they really know this for a fact? No, it's just assumed that if I put them in, it will perform worse.
    I have a pair of those also (just the springs, struts were flat) so let me know how it goes. I can say comparing the 2dr 4cyl ES automatic trans springs to my original low line 4 cyl 4dr manual trans springs they look a little beefier and a thicker coil wire.

  16. #16
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Will do.

    You what the funny thing is? Looking on carfolio, my '87 Shelby Z actually shows a lower curb weight than an '89 Shelby CSX
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  17. #17
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    If anyone has access to one of those shop press's that has a pressure gauge on it you could check the springs in one of those.

    Or ----... ANY shop press with a sturdy bathroom scale under the spring. lol. Would only have the capacity to tell you the rate of the first inch or two so it wouldnt be a good setup for aftermarket progressive springs.

    Dont push the red button.You hear me?

  18. #18
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Well it really only needs to travel a few inches, as the suspension never really travels more than maybe 3 inches, unless maybe in extreme driving conditions like rally racing, or if you like to hop railroad tracks or something
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

  19. #19
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Vigo's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Well if you think about how most stock car springs are in the 100-200 lb/in range.. even at only 2" compression you could be at 400lb which is beyond a lot of cheap scales. But, if it is a linear-rate normal spring and not progressive, i guess you really only need to compress it 1" to get a ballpark lb/in rate using a cheap scale.

    Dont push the red button.You hear me?

  20. #20
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Force Fed Mopar's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for spring rates

    Well yeah, I didn't really think I could use bathroom scales or anything Something like a corner weighting scale would work though probably.
    Rob M.
    '89 Turbo GTC

    2.5 TIII stroker, 568 w/ OBX and 3.77 FD

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