I once found a website of a company who would custom make coil and leaf springs for your vehicle. You just gave them the amount of drop and they made them. That way you could get the drop you want and still have SOME ride quality. I cannot find the company. Anybody know who it might be, or someone else who will do the same thing? Thanks
For coil springs, I just measure what I have then use a spec book to figure out what I want. IE: same ride quality, spring diameter, but 1-1/2" lower. I use NAPA and this has worked well for me in the past. If you don't have one to measure to start, the books also show what the orig spec should be, then you can make a choice from there. For leaf springs, we are fortunate enough to have SuperSpring here in Hartford. They make springs, re-arch springs, reverse the eyes etc... They also still do some repair work such as kingpins, susp. etc...
no but I know plenty of places that can do springs off the shelf, given the length and the required rate in lbs per inch. I can't see how anyone could supply a spring to give a drop of 'X' with out first knowing what load you have on the axle. I usually have a fairly good idea of how much what I am building weighs, but only once have I got the spring rate spot on first time, usually I have to go back and exchange springs for a lower rate because I want the ride to be just so, no big deal since I tend to use 2 1/4 ID springs which are comman and hence cheap. I guess this is more of a deal if one is talking cart springs, I have some horrible recollection of having to mess around with adding/subtracting leaves plus having to get them put in an oven to change the arch. There are even places which make cart springs out of composites, that is very neat, and unlike steel springs they never rust or lose their arch, and you sure as hell can't break them, great idea, oddly enough the stock color is a rusty brown so they like steel, I first found some fitted to a largish panel van and could not quite believe it. But I am sure they would still need the required rate before they could do anything.
i used st. louis spring co. i ordered a front spring for the a im building and it was a custom application. ordered it on tuesday, had it in my hand friday of the same week.real nice guys, and great parts. 314-533-2132 to talk to Jim or Nick,