spring measurement

[AsphaltRacer]

I tryed front springs from a 95ish Sunfire 2.4 dohc. They fit on my beretta no problem. The springs are shorter than a beretta spring so the car wouldn't make ride height with the track hoosier tire. If you used a tall enough street tire you would be ok depending on your ride height rule. As for the rear... I haven't tryed anything yet.

You should have brought that car over to Mountain Speedway to run the enduros in the snow. It was a lot of fun.

[enduroberetta]

AR, what year is your Beretta?

He ran the last Halloween race at Mountain with the full size 8-cyls, shredded the right front from the middle out- thats why I figured I'd try to come up with something better for a front spring.

The company that I contacted to do custom springs needed a 4 week turnaround time which cuts it sorta close for us right now. I started thinking Eibachs but with their noticibly progressive design I didnt think they would pass tech. Just ordered a set of stock 642's which are 150 lbs, we'll run them for now.

[Barry]

Strip the paint of the eibachs and let them rust a little that may work?

[enduroberetta]

Barry, I could be wrong but I remember seeing a pic of the Eibachs and the top coils were spaced together really tight and then the rest looked like a stock spring- they'd spot that right away

[AsphaltRacer]

My car is a 93 gtz.

What are those 642s you said you got. Thats about the rate i was looking for in the front. Where did you get them?
Thanks.

[enduroberetta]

AR, good talking w/ you the other day but I'll answer this here for anyone else interested-

642 is a Moog part #, its actually CC642, its the highest spring rate they make for Berettas. Replacement for '92 up w/ the 3.1 and a/c

Note that in their catalog on all listings it says "except GTZ", so I'm guessing maybe those springs were even rated higher but they dont make them

[dhenderz]

well, I found in the suspension archives here back in 2001 that Eibachs are only rated at 230 lbs. I cant understand how a 3000 lb car can use such light spring rates. Another friend of mine races SCCA w/ a fwd Mazda, his car only weighs 2600 lbs and he runs 500 lbs in the front and 600 in the rear.

I believe you are confusing total load capacity with spring rate. Springs are generally measured by their 'rate'. Back in the day it was generally pounds/inch of compression. The figure you list (230lbs) sound about right for the rear of our L-cars (230lbs/in).


I have the OE spring rate selector charts for 87-92 L-cars. It is from the original parts catalog. It does not indicates the rate (in absolute terms), but it does list the spring codes and their relation to higher or lower overall rate v. the other springs installed in the same year. Can be very handy for people swapping powertrains or looking to change the ride height or handling of their cars. Let me know if any of you are interested. I can scan and post.


I may have a copy of the original GM drawings for these springs in storage. These would give the rate (and all other specs). I know I have them for my old X-body and the N-body. I think I may have the L-car, just not sure.