Suspension Coil Compressors
Note: Allpar does not endorse and cannot take responsibility for any of these modifications.
The late, great Gus Mahon wrote:
After you jack up the wheel to compress the spring, then you take a large pair of Channel Lock pliers, and compress the 2 center coils a little more. Then they fit. After the installation, hacksaw off the protruding bolt ends.
harber wrote: You don't have to remove the tire or the spring. In the case of the front springs (at least on the last car I did) I had to compress the spring, using a floor jack to raise the car by its A-frame.
harber agreed: Those things are a piece of cake. They are essentially a U bolt with a clamp at the bottom side. The U bolt slips over the spring, then a slip-on clamp goes on the bottom spring, then you tighten two nuts to compress the spring.
Bradley Miller added: Just changing tires can make a killer effect on the car. I went from 195-60HR15 to 195-50 and got immensely different handling from my old 2.5L Duster. The tires are the biggest key to making anything work -- too much sidewall deflection, and suddenly you're squirming around on an inch of tread on the sidewall. Between that and a decent alignment, you'd be surprised what can be done.
Mike Swern wrote: For MacPherson strut suspensions, it is generally not a good idea to lower more than 0.5-1.5 inches. After that, bump steer is greatly increased. The advantage of sport springs over clamps is that the spring rate is higher on a sport spring and many sport springs are progressive rather than linear. Yes, the spring ratio is raised when you use the clamps, but you lose comfort and cushioning with the clamps. Lowered springs don't have as high a rate and can hit the bump stops under maximum load.
If you live near potholes, especially with a more aggressive wheel combination like 50 or 40 series tires, be prepared to shell out some dough for new rims if you hit your bump stops in a pothole. Also, progressive springs give a nicer ride while keeping good handling characteristics because they soak up the small bumps while hardening up for the twisties.
Bob Sheaves wrote: A spring designed for 200lb/in and a certain
length is a certain wire diameter. When you "shorten"
the spring, not changing the wire
gage diameter, the rate goes up becasue the rate is a
function of the diameter of the wire times its length (if
uncoiled).
Think of the coil
spring as a long torsion bar. Keep the diameter the
same and shorten the bar and it gets stiffer (more
resistant to twisting efforts). Keep the length the
same and increase the bar diameter and it also gets
stiffer. A coil spring is a "dual axis" torsion bar,
in rough terms-a mandrel centerline, and a wire gage centerline.
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Copyright © VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram, and Mopar are trademarks of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Note: Allpar does not endorse and cannot take responsibility for any of these modifications.
The late, great Gus Mahon wrote:
Installation of coil spring compressors
After you jack up the wheel to compress the spring, then you take a large pair of Channel Lock pliers, and compress the 2 center coils a little more. Then they fit. After the installation, hacksaw off the protruding bolt ends.
harber wrote: You don't have to remove the tire or the spring. In the case of the front springs (at least on the last car I did) I had to compress the spring, using a floor jack to raise the car by its A-frame.
harber agreed: Those things are a piece of cake. They are essentially a U bolt with a clamp at the bottom side. The U bolt slips over the spring, then a slip-on clamp goes on the bottom spring, then you tighten two nuts to compress the spring.
Bradley Miller added: Just changing tires can make a killer effect on the car. I went from 195-60HR15 to 195-50 and got immensely different handling from my old 2.5L Duster. The tires are the biggest key to making anything work -- too much sidewall deflection, and suddenly you're squirming around on an inch of tread on the sidewall. Between that and a decent alignment, you'd be surprised what can be done.
Mike Swern wrote: For MacPherson strut suspensions, it is generally not a good idea to lower more than 0.5-1.5 inches. After that, bump steer is greatly increased. The advantage of sport springs over clamps is that the spring rate is higher on a sport spring and many sport springs are progressive rather than linear. Yes, the spring ratio is raised when you use the clamps, but you lose comfort and cushioning with the clamps. Lowered springs don't have as high a rate and can hit the bump stops under maximum load.
If you live near potholes, especially with a more aggressive wheel combination like 50 or 40 series tires, be prepared to shell out some dough for new rims if you hit your bump stops in a pothole. Also, progressive springs give a nicer ride while keeping good handling characteristics because they soak up the small bumps while hardening up for the twisties.
Bob Sheaves wrote: A spring designed for 200lb/in and a certain
length is a certain wire diameter. When you "shorten"
the spring, not changing the wire
gage diameter, the rate goes up becasue the rate is a
function of the diameter of the wire times its length (if
uncoiled).
Think of the coil
spring as a long torsion bar. Keep the diameter the
same and shorten the bar and it gets stiffer (more
resistant to twisting efforts). Keep the length the
same and increase the bar diameter and it also gets
stiffer. A coil spring is a "dual axis" torsion bar,
in rough terms-a mandrel centerline, and a wire gage centerline.
Home •
Engines •
Reviews •
Chrysler 1904-2018 •
Upcoming •
Trucks •
Cars
Spread the word via <!--Tweet or--> Facebook!
We make no guarantees regarding validity or accuracy of information, predictions, or advice - .
Copyright © VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram, and Mopar are trademarks of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.