Shattered Rear Spring
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Shattered Rear Spring
Just driving down the street today, hear a sound like a branch snapping, and the rear end of the car drops like a rock. Crawl under it and look, and the rear spring is splintered all to hell. Completely confused as to why this would have happened. The car only has 60K on it, and has never been abused/raced. It has FE1 base suspension.
I've got a line on a ZR1 rear spring in good condition. Seller says the spring code on the ZR1 spring is RHY. If I get this spring, is it going to jack with the front suspension, since the spring rates are going to be different??
Also, is there anything else under the car I should be paying attention to/looking at, that might have been a contributing factor to this mishap? As stated previously, this car has never been abused in any way shape or form. This makes no sense to me.
Thank you very much in advance.
I've got a line on a ZR1 rear spring in good condition. Seller says the spring code on the ZR1 spring is RHY. If I get this spring, is it going to jack with the front suspension, since the spring rates are going to be different??
Also, is there anything else under the car I should be paying attention to/looking at, that might have been a contributing factor to this mishap? As stated previously, this car has never been abused in any way shape or form. This makes no sense to me.
Thank you very much in advance.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
A couple of things can cause spring damage. If an exhaust pipe is routed too close to the spring, it can cause damage. Also if someone put a jack or jackstand under the spring, it could damage it too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
the original spring in my 96 looked like a mad porcupine.
I replaced it with one from Vette Brakes and Products. They cook their own springs and can make anything from limp noodle soft to way too stiff. Just let them know what you need. one nice thing is that the VB&P spring mounts up more simply without re-using the OEM shims and rubber insulators .
I also put some insulation on the exhaust pipe where it runs in the vicinity of the rear spring.
on the outer end of the spring are rubber pads that can be upgraded to urethane at little cost.
another nice upgrade are the outer bolts which go through the ends of the spring, Aftermarket bolts are longer than the stock ones which have two advantages: (one) they allow adjusting (lowering) of the rear of the car; and (two) since they are longer, the springs can be installed without having to be compressed, eliminating the need for a spring compressor and makes the whole operation easier and safer.
I replaced it with one from Vette Brakes and Products. They cook their own springs and can make anything from limp noodle soft to way too stiff. Just let them know what you need. one nice thing is that the VB&P spring mounts up more simply without re-using the OEM shims and rubber insulators .
I also put some insulation on the exhaust pipe where it runs in the vicinity of the rear spring.
on the outer end of the spring are rubber pads that can be upgraded to urethane at little cost.
another nice upgrade are the outer bolts which go through the ends of the spring, Aftermarket bolts are longer than the stock ones which have two advantages: (one) they allow adjusting (lowering) of the rear of the car; and (two) since they are longer, the springs can be installed without having to be compressed, eliminating the need for a spring compressor and makes the whole operation easier and safer.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 1
From: Oklahoma City OK
Cruise-In III Veteran
Suspension overload 
It happens...
You drive on the crappy roads around here and wonder why?............
