'67 SB Coil Springs revisited

[Mark S.]

I am rebuilding my front suspension and looking to buy a pair of coil springs for my '67 L79 327 convertible to restore the ride height. The ride height of my original springs is about 1" to 2" lower than the AIM specs.

After extensive research in the archives I came to the conclusion that Eaton Detroit Spring was the way to go. I called them to place an order for MC1400 with stock ride height and here are the specs they gave me: .656 wire dia, 13" free length and 475 lb/in spring rate. They told me they only offered a heavy duty spring for my car.

Other springs that I am considering:

LICS 49-45B, email response from them: Ours are made to the blueprints, made In USA, 12 coils free height 16.88

Zip SU-204 catalog description: Reproduction front coil springs, designed with the same spring rate, coil diameter and height as original. Will return the factory ride height to your Corvette

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank You

[Joe L.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

I am rebuilding my front suspension and looking to buy a pair of coil springs for my '67 L79 327 convertible to restore the ride height. The ride height of my original springs is about 1" to 2" lower than the AIM specs.

After extensive research in the archives I came to the conclusion that Eaton Detroit Spring was the way to go. I called them to place an order for MC1400 with stock ride height and here are the specs they gave me: .656 wire dia, 13" free length and 475 lb/in spring rate. They told me they only offered a heavy duty spring for my car.

Other springs that I am considering:

LICS 49-45B, email response from them: Ours are made to the blueprints, made In USA, 12 coils free height 16.88

Zip SU-204 catalog description: Reproduction front coil springs, designed with the same spring rate, coil diameter and height as original. Will return the factory ride height to your Corvette

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank You

Mark------


The LICS specs you provided are among the specs of the original springs.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

Mark,

Before you buy did you check the spring height per the shop manual by measuring from the lower ball joint to floor and then from lower control arm bolt to floor. Compare the difference in this measurement to the spec in the shop manual and you will get a idea of the spring condition.

Also, are the springs installed in the car correctly. There is info in the archived about this. If the springs are out of the car arre the coils together and what's the free length.

[Mark S.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

Thank you for your responses.

I took height measurements using the J dimension from the AIM which is the height from the ground to the underside of the side molding measured 30.5" from the centerline of the front axle.

My car had approx 4 gals of fuel in the tank at the time. The tires are P205/75R15 inflated to 30 psi.

My AIM specifies the J dimension for a '67 should be 8.67" less .06" for L79 and .08" for N40 (No AC) which equals 8.53".

The J dimension on my car measured 7.25" on the drivers side and 8" on the passenger side.

I removed the driver side spring and the specs are: .600 wire dia, 16.50" tall, 12 coils progressively wound. The spring is rusty and was partially rust welded to the spring pocket in the frame.

I did not measure the Z dimension before I dissassembled the suspension.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Bill M.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

I removed the driver side spring and the specs are: .600 wire dia, 16.50" tall, 12 coils progressively wound. The spring is rusty and was partially rust welded to the spring pocket in the frame.

Mark:

The spec for the 3851100 spring is 0.600 wire diameter with a free height of 16.88. The tolerance on height is about 4%, so your springs are still in spec.!

I would just re-install them, but I prefer my car to sit low.

Bill

[Timothy B.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

Mark,

I think there is some discussion in the archives about 1" rubber spacers that sometimes are used to raise ride height, I believe these are installed in the top where the spring fits into the frame pocket. You could try these with the old springs to see if the ride height looks OK.

Unlike Bill, I don't like a car that sits low in the front, I also don't like a car that sits high in the rear which is usually the look with the repro springs.

[Mark S.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

I am putting added pressure on myself to get this right the first time because changing springs is not a trivial procedure. My understanding is that I would need a special tool to split the ball joint without damaging the rubber boot.

The rubber spacer is an interesting option.....

Thank You for the responses.

[Terry M.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

Well "special tool" just depends on how many times you intend to do the job, either on your Corvette or other Long Arm, Short Arm (LASA) vehicles. I guess it depends on your fleet.

Follow the link, and don't be fooled by the Fiero designation. I have seen folks make one of these from a appropriate size National Fine (NF) grade 8 bolt and nut -- but that might be too "shade tree" for many people.

http://www.rodneydickman.com/n24.html

Edit add:
Link to a descriptive illustration:

http://craig.backfire.ca/pages/autos/boxchevy/ball-joint-separator

[Gary N.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

I got the LICS springs for my 66' and they were identical to the ones I took out which appear to be the original tapered springs. My car is an L-79 with AC. There was also a metal spacer at the bottom of each spring. They (LICS) were more expensive that other places I looked at for springs, but that's not a job that I wanted to have to repeat anytime soon.

[Mark S.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

[quote=Terry McManmon (3966);539536]Well "special tool" just depends on how many times you intend to do the job, either on your Corvette or other Long Arm, Short Arm (LASA) vehicles. I guess it depends on your fleet.

Terry: That tool is a great idea and certainly in my price range! Should I use the excuse that I am a perfectionist and want to get it right the first time? Or that I am lazy?

Gary: Thank You for the LICS endorsement.

[Terry M.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

[QUOTE=Mark Segien (46394);539622]

Well "special tool" just depends on how many times you intend to do the job, either on your Corvette or other Long Arm, Short Arm (LASA) vehicles. I guess it depends on your fleet.

Terry: That tool is a great idea and certainly in my price range! Should I use the excuse that I am a perfectionist and want to get it right the first time? Or that I am lazy?

Gary: Thank You for the LICS endorsement.

In my experience springs are a trial and error situation unless ride height doesn't matter to you. I have a stockpile for my Caprices that takes up a lot more room than I would like. There is a very good reason I know about that tool, but I do have access to the Kent Moore version.

Getting the ball studs apart the second time is a lot easier than the first time -- unless the second time is several years after the first time.

[Mark S.]

Re: '67 SB Coil Springs revisited

My car is a Sunday driver and I am looking for a smooth ride and stock ride height.