Rear Spring Search

[Hoonbash]

Well the Vega is holding together after the rear-end issues I experienced & now I need your gents assistance again.The car runs 11:70 with a 1.62-1.70, 60 foot,it`s pulling the drivers wheel about 8 inches off the ground.

Tonight it did a bunny-hop(usually goes straight),spun,pulled the wheel & roared off.When I got back to the pits it was leaning to drivers side,the spring was dislodged from the upper perch.

The 12 bolt rear consists of air-shocks(needed to clear big tires)& air bags on both sides,it is a rough riding S.O.B. & hard as hell,no give


What part number rear spring will fit a 75 Vega upper body perch & a 12 bolt lower spring mount.Any suggestions on where to start as I don`t have a clue on springs

Thanks

[72 SS PNL]

from what ive read the 3rd gen camaro rear springs , im assuming you are using the stock H-body springs , which means the camaro's would still fit

as for which spring from there im not sure , but use something to ditch the air shocks

also if your pulling only the drives side tire , id run the sway bar front and rear if your not already , on the front , keep the endlinks tight enough to have a little tension on the bushings , on the D bushings you want to sand the inside of them so that you can move the bar freely in normal suspension movement up and down , but not have the bar loose so that it flops around in the bushing , larger bar in the rear the better , as well as more pressure in the pass side bag than drivers

[73astregt]

have you tried running more air in the right side air bag, softer on the left? ive seen other members post doing that to tune out the left wheel lift and help the car launch straighter. jegs has the air bag kits on sale right now for 79.99 i saw.

[speedphreake]

I'm running 92 camaro rear springs. Gives about 1" of lift over stock springs. You can also try rubber spacers for the springs to get more lift. How big of tire and rim are you running? Deffinately look into atleast a rear anti roll bar or sway bar, that will help alot in the car launching with out the twist.

[Hoonbash]

Not sure what the springs are but they're probably stock.I want to get away from the air-shocks & possibly run the spring bags.

I have no sway bars but I looked into that kit that helps your launch,can't think of it,it welds between the frame rails on a normal car,might be able to fab up something to work.

I did let the air way down on the drivers bag,actually both trying to soften the rear,probably why the spring flew out?

I'm running M/T streets 27x10.50 -15's with 12-14 lbs.,wonder how much body/tire seperation the camaro springs will give me?

[speedphreake]

Camaro springs, good shocks, good control arms set up right will help wonders. I think what your referring to as welding between the frame is an anti-roll bar. I would get everything set up first, if it still twists, then put the anti-roll bar in. I have a stock rear sway bar and the car seemed to launch pretty straight.

[chevyart]

i would start with no sway bars (not needed for going straight) , secondly i would get the 82-92 camaro springs(they are variable rate spring and will raise you about an inch(if you want to raise the rear, thirdly i would definitely do what astre gt suggested and us the air bags(if you use them to pre load the rear coils) and most importantly as 72 ss saisd is to get rid of the air shocks. they are no good and will not work for you for drag racing (good for towing). be sure to change your springs first(if you are raising rear above stock height and get your ride height set, and then buy your new shocks. there are lots of good aftermarket adjustable shocks, but you need to know the ride height to get the correct working kength shock. if you have trouble finding one the right length with the right ends to fit the h-bodies, then get one with the right length and the right bottom or top installing end and fab an adapter for the other end (no big deal chevy art

[1972vega]

For the rear springs I used the MOOG "cargo coils" part # CC635 - listed for the 3rd gen 1982 to 98 Camaro. They raised the body approximately 1" from my old original factory sagging coils. I also added the AirLift 60897 air bags designed for the same Camaro's. I am running 10lbs in the driver side and 30lbs in the passenger side for my car. These changes together made a big difference in the cars ability to launch and dropped the sixty foot times from 1.90s to high 1.60s. Hope the part numbers help any of you guys trying to find the parts locally (or they can both be ordered thru Summit Racing).

[chevyart]

72 vega think you meant to say 3rd gen camaro 82-92(not 98)everything else is ok thanks for the info chevy art

[Sunula66]

Sorry for the late reply, I picked up a set of rears from a late 80's Iroq last friday and saw that the one was missing a part of the top ring. Since I was at the wreckin' yard anyway, I decided to wander and found a good pair of, are you ready? ford windstar van rear springs! They are the same diameter and a little taller than the Camaro ones and if they are too tall, I can easily cut part of a coil off till the desired height is achieved [to fit my Sunbird stock system] I have a set of Extra load coils available to me through NAPA but these used "Dorf" coils were less than half the price and just as strong. Thought this may be of some help,..Ron..

[chevyart]

cutting any coil spring is a bad idea. last time i did it was on my 65 impala.. the so called experts at classic chevy parts dealer and their so called 65 expert said to cut them down( a brand new set i bought from them. they lasted in my car for 1 day and then went in the junk pile. car height was all wrong and car rode like a 1800s stagecoach. get the right ones and be done with it chevy art

[Sunula66]

Thankyou chevyart! I'll return them tomorow and pick up the new extra load coils that are at the local NAPA dealer. I thought about cutting down the DORF ones and your right! Sometimes the wallet squeeks but I don't think it through enough. For 125.00 bucks I'm buying the last set available to me and they are for H -body in X-tra load so they are the Right application, and no retro B.S.

[Sunula66]

Hey Hoonbash! Did you put the coil bags to the test yet? I took Chevy Arts advice and put New coils on about an hour ago, Part number NCP 277-2092 from NAPA here in Ontario! They're a little more than an inch taller than the originals I took out[probably 30 years old] ..I did put the Ford Windstar van coils to the test but they were too tall even with 3/4 of the top coil cut off but this might work for you and they are stiffer but I think if you cut too much off the first time your hooped! These cars are pretty light so a pair of the used van coils for 40 bucks was a good fix but like Chevyart said he tried that on the big full size chev and they were'nt worth a sh-t, and were junk after and they were new ones to boot. I'm thinking of keeping them anyway and if I was to cut a little more say, another inch or so more off that they would be as good as the extra load ones. By the way, the price on the new ones was :list 104.60 but my "garage" price was only 70.15 plus 6.26 for the gov't. Just food for thought , the "coil-bags" sound pretty sweet but I'm not "draggin" my car ..regards,Ron..