need help finding coil springs

[83grocerygetter]

I bought a set of front and rear HOTCHKIS springs about 6 months ago and finally got around to putting them on. After putting them on I realized there was a problem, the top three coils were touching. I called summit to make sure I had the right springs for my car 1983 malibu wagon. They told me to call HOTCHKIS because they could not find the part number for my car. So, I went to their website to find out for the springs I have to run airbags that go inside the springs on the rear. I emailed them to see if they made springs for the rear of the car without that option , they said no. So, my question is where can i find springs for my car that do not require bags? are there any made? or am I SOL??

 

[t5montecarlo]

standard rear wagon springs should be available at any parts store.

 

[tiedyemike8]

^^ What he said. Also, you can use F body rear springs. They only have one pigtail, the other end is open, so you can trim coils for ride height. But you have to get an F body rubber isolator, available at napa.

 

[t5montecarlo]

The rear of a wagon is too heavy to work with an F body spring. Always do the math. The back of the spring book provides all of the specs where you can calculate the compressed height of the spring. Remember F=kx, where F is the force (or weight) on the spring, k is the spring constant, and x is the the amount the spring is compressed due to F.

Using the specs for a stock spring, you can calculate F and then determine the compressed height when using another spring.

 

[malibu795]

I calculated out that my rear axle has about 1400lb of sprung weight
I run 2.5" coil springs 14" tall @ 175lb per inch of compression. From full droop to ride hieght is ~4" of travel that's 175 x2x4= 1400lb
That's 10" ride hieght on the spring or roughly stock hieght a 14x150 will be ~.5" lower @ same weight.
I went heavier cause I know I have and will put up to 800lb in the back of it.
At 35 bucks a coil imo its cheaper

 

[tiedyemike8]

^Nice info, T5. I came up with a moog 5377 as a stock wagon rear spring, just off an internet search. Moog says its got a rate of 123, free length of 15.8", compressed lenght of 9" with a load of 838. When doing the math with a 5661 (don't know the application), off of the chart on this site, with a rate of 162, free length of 14", I get nearly the same compressed length. So maybe you could use that spring with the isolator, and be able to trim coils. I don't have a moog book, so I can't browse springs, but just after a short search that 5661 looks promising.

 

[t5montecarlo]

When I replaced my rear springs, the Moog PN was 5391. It was the only spring available for the rear of a wagon.

I don't have the specs.

People were telling me to use MCSS rear springs, but then I would have had a lowrider after doing the math.

 

[83grocerygetter]

thanks guys ill look into this although me and math = epic failure

 

[83grocerygetter]

weight would weight of rear end correct? so whats is the spring constant?

 

[malibu795]

weight would weight of rear end correct? so whats is the spring constant?

Yes that is sprung weight everything minus wheel to wheel which mine with steel 15x7rims 245/60 tires is ~500lb is the weight of just the rear axle