ive done my research, but all the posts are a little old. who has installed these, and for those that did it a while ago, how do you like your spring rates? my plan is to get the tall shims and cut them down an inch. i want the front low, but still have the ability to go up and down. currently the car rides on cut springs and i have to lift the bumper slightly to get a regular height jack under the front crossmember (215/60/15). this is the lowest i would ever want to go, but i want to be able to at least start there. i was going to do drop spindles, but i dont like what i have read thus far.

i would like a sporty feel, but i still want the wife and future kids to be comfortable. im thinking around 700, but my minds not set. what is stock?

how did you install? some posts said to weld, others said to just leave them as is.

also, who has used them for the rear. i read about rattling due to the 5" socket and 5.5" spring. what is a good fix? what about a small piece of 5" .188 wall welded to the socket?

thanks, Tim

Tim,
I installed spring shims on all four corners of my wagon.
Using Derek's recommendation...tall shims with 5" dia, 9 1/2" 575 lb springs up front; short shims with 5 1/2" dia, 11" 200 lb on rear.
Works great...the car sits perfectly the way I wanted and rides great with out of the box Bilstein shocks. No rattles and not welded in either.
Remember...the above are installed in a '66 BB wagon and your application may differ.

do the trucoil springs have pigtails on one end? from the pics it looks like they fit a 5" seat. i found the 5.5" hypercos that have a pigtail on one end. are these the ones that are being used?

how did you get the flat spacer to fit in the rear seat? did you grind away the original seat? id like the rear to sit ~2" below stock, so the tall spacer with 3" shorter springs probably would not work. if i used the flat spacer, i think it would.

thanks, Tim

i found the 5.5" hypercos that have a pigtail on one end. are these the ones that are being used?
Tim...Yes, those are the springs I used...
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/5878,154_Hyperco-Street-Stock-Rear-Coil-Springs-5-1and2andquot;-x-11andquot;.html
Installed in a '66, the lower (pigtail) end actually bolts to the differential's spring seat the same as the originals.

how did you get the flat spacer to fit in the rear seat? did you grind away the original seat? id like the rear to sit ~2" below stock, so the tall spacer with 3" shorter springs probably would not work. if i used the flat spacer, i think it would.

No grinding needed.
With the shim and spring installed (shim on upper end of coil spring), the spring compresses (of course), squares up with and makes sufficient contact with the uppermost spring coil to keep all in place. The spring pocket on the frame is flat enough to hold the shim's other end square.

thanks for the replies. i think maybe the 70 socket is different than your 66. mine has a inner lip that the spring sits around. unless the flat shim is hollow in the middle, it wont fit right. how much did your rear lower with the shim and spings. im looking for a 2" drop, but i want that in the middle of the adjustablity (so i can still go up or down). it says that the adjuster goes from 0-2.5" and the spring will be 3" shorter, so i assume with both being equal, im starting with a .5" drop and i still have 2.5" to go. does that sound about right?

how do you like your 575lb fronts and 200 rears? would you have gone more or less on either?

does anybody know what stock is for a sb car? what are the hotchkis and eibach's?

thanks, Tim

For a smallblock, stock rates are in the 325/120 range, Eibach and Hotchkis are in the 550/150 range.

Bill needed 200# rears because it's a wagon, a coupe would need around a 150# spring in the rear with 575# fronts.

The '67-72 rear upper spring pockets actually work better with the short adjuster than the early cars... that little "cup" that sticks down for an upper pigtail spring fits right inside the hole in the middle of the adjuster and holds it in place very well.

I run 700/175 rates in my SB '69 Malibu and am very happy with the choice (not so happy with my shock-choice, but that's another matter :o ) The trouble once you start getting into this range or higher with springs is that you need specialized or adjustable shocks to properly dampen them. With a lower rate (such as 575/150) you can run a Hotchkis re-valved Bilstein with great results for much less than adjustable shocks, and without the guess-work of picking the right racing shocks (which I apparently am bad at :clonk: ).

Aside from matching your spring/shock rates, you also need to figure out a good sway-bar combo to work with them. With 575/150 and a smallblock, you will need a 1-1/8" front sta-bar and 7/8 or 1" rear sta-bar. With 700/175 you'd be looking at a 15/16" front bar and no rear bar. If you get really serious with something like 950/175 rates, you'd want a small front bar (64-68 chevelles had one ~3/4") and no rear bar.

Derek
what length rear shocks are you running. I also bought the 150 lb hypercos, I love the stance, but havent measured for the shock length.:noway:

Stock length shocks, I'm using a very-simple spring retainer made from 2 washers and a bolt to keep the springs in place. :) ...stick a 2" OD washer in the bottom of the spring pad, and a 3" OD washer on top of the spring pigtail, then stick a bolt through them... simple as that. :cool:

im running 1 1/4 front and 1" rear bars now. like i said, id like that sporty firm feel, but this is not a race car. current springs make it ride like a caddy, whereas id like it a little closer to, but firmer than my 03' silverado (not sporty, but you get the picture). ive got header issues so id like to not rub on every bump.

what about 600/175. ive read that stiffening the rear helps with the understeer issue. is this true? ive rode in cars with the hotchkis package and i like the feel. my brotherinlaw got the full kit for free when he worked for opg (they needed a test car) and his 69 felt great.

also, im running cheapo kyb shocks for now. im doing a full frame off so money has been finding lots of places to go. i plan on replacing everything minus the a arms, and im in the process of getting new kyb's on a warranty swap out. the rear is the umi setup with adj uppers and poly tubular lowers. if i have an issue, ill swap to either rubber or solid bushings.

thanks, Tim

Now, there's some GOOD info in this thread!!

Imho...........

pdq67

what about 600/175. ive read that stiffening the rear helps with the understeer issue. is this true? ive rode in cars with the hotchkis package and i like the feel. my brotherinlaw got the full kit for free when he worked for opg (they needed a test car) and his 69 felt great.The right way to correct the understeer problems would be to correct the camber-curve first and foremost. Anything else is just a band-aid to cover up the real problem. Yes, stiffening the rear will help, but it's lipstick on a pig. ;)

The most cost-effective way to correct the camber curve is with the SC&C Stage II+ kit, ( www.scandc.com ) which uses SPC adjustable upper A-arms and Howe Precision tall balljoints.

Hotchkis, Global West, and a few others use 77-96 B-body or 70-81 F-body spindles, which are tall enough to correct the camber curve, but the steer arm which is cast to the spindle, is too long and low, which doubles factory bumpsteer, slows turning ratio, widens turning radius, and worsens the Ackermann angle. The "tall" balljoints from SC&C change the effective height of the factory A-body spindle... by using stock spindles & steer arms, the turning radius, turning ratio, and Ackermann are not effected... also by effectively raising the spindle and steer arm assembly with the extended lower balljoint, it eliminates about 85% of the factory bumpsteer.

The most cost-effective way to correct the camber curve is with the SC&C Stage II+ kit, ( www.scandc.com ) which uses SPC adjustable upper A-arms and Howe Precision tall balljoints.

I might mention...
I also installed the above Stage II+ kit along with the spring/shim setup previously noted in my '66 wagon.
Great stuff...handles and rides awesome! :thumbsup: Got a smile on my face everytime I drive her...
Now I've gotta make some changes to the '70 to keep up. :clonk:

Tim...Yes, those are the springs I used...
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/5878,154_Hyperco-Street-Stock-Rear-Coil-Springs-5-1and2andquot;-x-11andquot;.html
Installed in a '66, the lower (pigtail) end actually bolts to the differential's spring seat the same as the originals.



No grinding needed.
With the shim and spring installed (shim on upper end of coil spring), the spring compresses (of course), squares up with and makes sufficient contact with the uppermost spring coil to keep all in place. The spring pocket on the frame is flat enough to hold the shim's other end square.

How much do the 11" rear Hyperco springs drop the rear over stock?