Springs revisited (again)

[Schaible, David]

I am still working on this issue, as another NY er who spends a lot of
time in NH & VT I would not willingfully lower my avant.  My avant with
300K miles has a horrible SRH.  I wound up picking up another avant
(thanks MDT) which the rear end is noticeably higher.  I personally
believe a fatigued spring will change spring rate, I can put the same
cargo in the same place in each avant and the 130k avant with stock
springs and bilstein HD shocks (I was told, haven't checked yet) in the
rear, and the 300K avant sags visibly and dramatically while the one
with 130k doesn't sag at all.

 

I now have a set of new H&R springs, a set of S4/6 springs (I think,
from peter Schultz via mike dt).  My plan is to pull the rear struts
from the 300k avant and test the spring rate on the 3 different sets on
my carver press with nist calibrated pressure gauges.  And hopefully be
able to compare to published spring rate for the avants stock springs.  

 

I plan to do this after I: replace the heads in my dump truck (ford 460
steel heads), put a new motor in my boat, (gm 4 banger, with sealed
coolant system mod), pull the 3b from the old avant and put in my urq.
So it may be a few days b4 I get to it.

 

If you need to do this now, I would recommend putting in the h&r with mr
gasket rubber spring shims, this can be done for less than $300 vs. $600
from the stealer for stock springs. I believe the h&r lower ~1.5" and
the mr gasket shim is 1" you can check on the net, I have all these
parts but don't have time as the snow is melting skiing is my priority.

 

I actually got stuck in the catskills in the 2/14 storm (26") in about a
foot of snow because of some snowmobilers on the road.  I had to slow
down so the car got floated and I got stuck.  I did get going again with
the assistance of some boys from jersey in a big truck.  I ran it out at
~50 mph sliding like a pro rally (ok, amateur) driver around every turn
and in some straights.  I only tagged one snow bank which did no damage
to the rear.  Clearance is so key for a small amount of time so I bought
another avant and saved the monthly payments on an allroad. (which noone
I ever talked to says is better than the 20v, except for clearance)

 

Good luck let me know what you do eric,

 

David, in new paltz

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Benz [mailto:b.benz at charter.net] 
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 11:14 AM
To: Eric Huppert
Cc: 200q20V mailing list
Subject: Re: Springs revisited (again)

 

 

On Mar 29, 2007, at 7:20 AM, Eric Huppert wrote:

 

> Okay Gents, this is always a hot topic, yet I haven't really  

> figured out a

> solution!

> 

> Want to get springs for my 200 20V that DON'T lower it. Living in  

> upstate

> NY, (not in suburbia) I really want to keep my ground clearance for  

> the

> occasional snow storms (2 times 2 footers this year). Springs I  

> have are

> somewhat beat, little wishy washy in road dips etc, and don't  

> believe it's

> the struts. Going to be installing a tower brace, tires, and  

> alignment, so

> figure it's now, or way later. Would obviously do struts if replacing

> springs

Eric, Springs don't "get beat" with useage. The spring rate does not  

change, unless they break. Only the SRH changes because of time and  

load related stress relieving. This SRH reduction can easily be  

compensated for by shimming, adding rubber washers to the original  

shim. Struts do wear out, the rebound damping being the critical  

factor. An underdamped  rebound system will overshoot  the return to  

SRH, with tires tending to bounce off the pavement.  So, change the  

springs only if you wish to move to a different spring rate. Do  

change your shocks but they 2must match to the spring rate, over  

damped is not good either.

 

Bernie

> 

> Jim Rose had suggested possibly using S6 springs. Anyone have specs  

> for 200

> 20v vs. S6 springs? Have surfed quite a bit, haven't found anything  

> on stock

> or aftermarket spring specs. Would like a little stiffer, same  

> height, or

> close to it. Could possibly trim springs down without affecting  

> tempering

> (cut-off wheel, lots of cool water) if needed?

> 

> Saw a set of S6 H&R's on the MP, maybe wouldn't drop 200 as much  

> due to

> weight difference?

> 

> Thoughts? (okay, flame away!)

> 

> Eric

> 

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