Is it time to replace my composite spring?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 14
From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX
PinBall, They should hold up unless they are cracked or damaged. They tend to hold their rate unlike the steel springs. I think your car came stock with the composite spring. Mine still has the stock spring and it still looks good. 80-82, except maybe for the 4 speeds, had composite springs. I am not 100% sure , but I think I am close.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Everyone should check their composite springs from time to time, I have had two that were replaced because they cracked.
Not even enough to make one side sag but you never know if it is going to snap right off and that would create a mess
Not even enough to make one side sag but you never know if it is going to snap right off and that would create a mess
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,666
Likes: 289
From: Spring Park MN
PinBall, They should hold up unless they are cracked or damaged. They tend to hold their rate unlike the steel springs. I think your car came stock with the composite spring. Mine still has the stock spring and it still looks good. 80-82, except maybe for the 4 speeds, had composite springs. I am not 100% sure , but I think I am close.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Spring is good until it is cracked or has significant chip(s) on an edge. A chip will be the beginning of a stress-riser, which will propogate into a crack.
P.S. If you notice a chip on it, your best option would be to get a Dremel or air grinder and grind out the rough areas of the chip (removing as little material as possible). If the chip is "smoothed out" before it cracks, it may not develop a crack and will last a lot longer.
P.S. If you notice a chip on it, your best option would be to get a Dremel or air grinder and grind out the rough areas of the chip (removing as little material as possible). If the chip is "smoothed out" before it cracks, it may not develop a crack and will last a lot longer.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
If it's not sagging, wouldn't worry much about it. An inspection for crack's is a good idea on any spring, comp or steel. GM's been using comp spring's on Vette's and other car's for year's, with little reported problem's. Biggest problem with comp spring's is when a repair shop messes up on the hoist. A buddy spent good buck's for a comp on his 71', only to later find it wore a new steel job coming back from the shop. When confronting the tech's, was all blank stare's, with no one having a clue. He's still ticked, and never went back there for work.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
If it's not sagging, wouldn't worry much about it. An inspection for crack's is a good idea on any spring, comp or steel. GM's been using comp spring's on Vette's and other car's for year's, with little reported problem's. Biggest problem with comp spring's is when a repair shop messes up on the hoist. A buddy spent good buck's for a comp on his 71', only to later find it wore a new steel job coming back from the shop. When confronting the tech's, was all blank stare's, with no one having a clue. He's still ticked, and never went back there for work.
but gotta keep the exhaust pipes down off that spring too, they get to melting that thing you got troubles also....maybe fashion a heat shield if you concerned, my pipes are about 2" below the spring in center there....with no shield, Florida weather, been there 15 years street driven....
Last edited by mrvette; Dec 15, 2010 at 12:29 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,910
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
I've been running a 420# spring for the last 15 years (first with the original C3 suspension, and now with the C4 suspension), and the ride is very acceptable. There's also enough rear roll stiffness so that I was able to remove the rear bar, and the squat during acceleration (or rise under braking) is reduced.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
I've been running a 420# spring for the last 15 years (first with the original C3 suspension, and now with the C4 suspension), and the ride is very acceptable. There's also enough rear roll stiffness so that I was able to remove the rear bar, and the squat during acceleration (or rise under braking) is reduced.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Not that it's about to happen, but on occasion they have been known to fail catastrophically with little or no warning.
As mentioned, installing a stiffer rear spring will reduce squat under acceleration while shifting balance towards "loose" (unless you reduce/remove the rear bar in compensation) from wherever it is now.
As mentioned, installing a stiffer rear spring will reduce squat under acceleration while shifting balance towards "loose" (unless you reduce/remove the rear bar in compensation) from wherever it is now.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I don't worry about heat, even from my 3 inch pipes. I wrap them with that one sided tin foil tape and then I put electrical tape around that so it all looks black.
I have measured the temp with a gun on the part that goes directly under the pipes and there was no difference in that part compared to the rest of the spring after an hour of driving in the summer
I have measured the temp with a gun on the part that goes directly under the pipes and there was no difference in that part compared to the rest of the spring after an hour of driving in the summer
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,910
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Question for you: What components determine the car's roll stiffness?