composite vs steel rear spring
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville Georgia
composite vs steel rear spring
I need to replace my rear spring. The composite spring I have now is cracked.
Composite springs never lose their tension, but can be damaged from road objects. Steel springs wont damage, but lose tension over time. A steel one is almost half the price of composite.
Any opinions on what is best way to go?
thanks
Composite springs never lose their tension, but can be damaged from road objects. Steel springs wont damage, but lose tension over time. A steel one is almost half the price of composite.
Any opinions on what is best way to go?
thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 12
From: Pleasant Grove AL
Originally Posted by cj7tenn
I need to replace my rear spring. The composite spring I have now is cracked.
Composite springs never lose their tension, but can be damaged from road objects. Steel springs wont damage, but lose tension over time. A steel one is almost half the price of composite.
Any opinions on what is best way to go?
thanks
Composite springs never lose their tension, but can be damaged from road objects. Steel springs wont damage, but lose tension over time. A steel one is almost half the price of composite.
Any opinions on what is best way to go?
thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,166
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa Ok
If you want a softer ride, go with composite. If you want durability, go steel. I replaced my stock 9 leaf with the stock replacement but still needed a 9 inch bolt to retaiin stock ride height. I'll soon be replacing my stock rear end cover with a Muskegon HD unit and expect issues to arise.
Aftermarket parts are rarely identical to OEM, so expect some tweaking no matter which way you go.
Aftermarket parts are rarely identical to OEM, so expect some tweaking no matter which way you go.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
I just rebuilt the entire rear suspension on my '79. My original 9 leaf rear spring still provides proper ride height so I stayed with it. If I were going to stiffen the suspension I would go with 550 pound front coils and a 7 leaf rear spring. I know the composites provide a very smooth ride but have heard too much about their cracking to use them. Just me.
Bernie
Bernie
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Steel springs can also break. I snapped one before... I have used composite springs ever since! I also prefer the ride with the composite spring..
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From: Royal Oak MI
I just finished replacing everything from the doors back, I went with the Muskegon HD rear cover and their stock steel spring. The ride height seems to be OK, I just moved it back and forth in the drive last night and the ride height seems to be at around 28.25" right now, I think it will settle a little after the alignment today and driving a while. This is all with the stock 6" bolts as well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 816
Likes: 1
From: Finland
Originally Posted by isosceles
what about exhaust heat? Olivier's running sidepipes. How about Ganey and Gordon? How close are your pipes to the spring?
is less than 1/3 inch...)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
i've got the TRW spring w/ HD cover and bilstiens shocks. it rides great. i've had the spring for 12 yrs and no signs of cracks and i've put on a lot of miles. as for ride height i guess i'm wierd, i like the raked look and showing off my rear view
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Originally Posted by isosceles
what about exhaust heat? Olivier's running sidepipes. How about Ganey and Gordon? How close are your pipes to the spring?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 1
From: Atascadero CA
I'm using a 7-leaf steel spring from Guldstrand Engineering. When talking to Dick, he recommened the 7-leaf steel with Bilstein sports over the composite spring. The spring from Guldstrand is also a little shorter and rounded off, so the spring ends don't interfere with wider wheels. So far I'm VERY happy with his recommendation.
-Mark
BTW.....Welcome to the Forum, Zimo!!
-Mark
BTW.....Welcome to the Forum, Zimo!!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 1
From: East China MI
Originally Posted by isosceles
what about exhaust heat? Olivier's running sidepipes. How about Ganey and Gordon? How close are your pipes to the spring?
I've never used anything but composite and never had a problem.
rosslato, man that's cleaner than my living room!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1
From: Shore NJ
Went from the TRW composite 315 spring to the VB & P composite 340 spring, solved the height issue. Rides great with Bilstien shocks also. The steel spring weighs in at 45+_ lbs., the VB & P spring weighs in at 7.8 lbs. ....lots of unsprung weight removed......
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Originally Posted by jpatrick636
A good fabricator can run the pipes with proper clearance and as theandies said, header wrap works good.
I've never used anything but composite and never had a problem.
rosslato, man that's cleaner than my living room!
I've never used anything but composite and never had a problem.
rosslato, man that's cleaner than my living room!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 33
From: Folsom Ca
From what I understand the Composite Spring weights only 8Lbs compared to the Steel Spring`s 44Lbs.I will probably do this mod in the near future.
I want to go with the 330Lbs spring but I have pretty stiff coils in the front with a huge anitsway bar.Will they work together well or will the car not ride correctly with the softer rear spring and competition in the front?
I want to go with the 330Lbs spring but I have pretty stiff coils in the front with a huge anitsway bar.Will they work together well or will the car not ride correctly with the softer rear spring and competition in the front?
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 826
Likes: 0
From: Pearl MS
rosslato, that is awesummmm.Mikey likes it.
I am in the process of a rear rebuild and just ordered a steel spring from VB&P. Ride height and all will come later as long as it doesnt change. I went with the steel for the durability problems that I had heard about, dont know if they are true but I figured why take a chance.