Technical Rear Springs on 60 BelAir

I want to put my 1960 BelAir 4dr sedan at STOCK height.The front looks correct.THe back is high.Rear coil spring installed is a moog 661.After installing it looks terrible.What is the correct height coil?Part#?

 

http://www.xframechevy.com/ ... you gotta dig but this site will give you all the specs for that 60.

 

Might want to ask on chevytalk.com - lots of knowledge there and you'll find your answer quickly

 

That 661 is 1.8 inches taller than the stock spring 16.84 vs 15.03.

I'll see if I can find the right spring.

The best thing to do is cut that spring 1.6 inches from where it is now. Put a yardstick beside it and find the top with the spring vertical. It should be 16.8, cut it 1.6 inches in height with a cut off disk. It will be just a tad softer.

 

Is the front spring height correct? It looks lowered. If you trim a 1/2 wrap from each end of the present rear coil will be 1" lower and still ride fine.

 

Give these guys a call - would not buy springs anywhere else....

http://www.eatondetroitspring.com/

 

Good eye ...front spring(658A) might be wrong for the car but it looks ok.At least I like the ride now.Just frustrating that even with all of the knowledge that we have today to cross reference;that I still received the wrong part.Sure,sure it fit....

 

1.81" taller. How do I read that on my measuring tape? It reads in 1/8ths so 1.8 is what?? on tape to mark&cut?

 

1 13/16"

Sent via Western Union Express

 

The back looks fine and the front looks lowered about 3.5. Buy a set of stock springs from Eckler's. It will set you back about $200 for all four.

Why are you posting this in "Traditional Customs", clearly you are making it a stock car?

Kelvin

 

Here are the possible stock springs. If you take 1 inch from the 661 it will be close to the D spring. The B spring is similar height to the 661, but very soft so it compresses a lot.

Trim the spring 1 inch and see how it looks, should be close. Here are the specs.

 

I didn't realize it was a 6 cylinder, it would use the D spring.

Here is a comparison of the stock springs, the 661 and the 661 cut either 1 or 1.5 inches. The compare height is an imaginary ride height measurement. It shows the effect of each spring on ride height with the same load. I used 1075 as the weight on each rear which would me somewhat loaded, say 4 passengers.

 

Adding the front;

 

So I would just be cutting off an inch...I can do that

 

Yes an inch in height, stand up a yardstick next to the spring, this is an example, I don't think you have square ends so the spring won't stand up easily. You will need to support it.

 

Hoop,
U say 1" but 16.84minus15.03 is 1.81 which is about 1 13/16" ;which is one mark past 1 3/4"--so what would 2"look like?

 

Guess I could start by cutting 1" then sticking coils back in place then lower the car...that calculation earlier seems closer to what I might be aiming for(1 13/16")-->
LEVEL <---
But how do I get there from where it sits......

startin to think "there is some trial&error" gittin ready to happen

 

now where is that cutoff wheel hiding....

 

I would try one inch first

 

I agree;can always cutoff more But cant put back

 

Just want 2 THANK all who have given me advice

 

The chevy springs are not flat on either end. I just replaced mine on all four corners. I am about 95% sure there is a seat where the end of the spring goes on the rear springs -I am positive about this on the front. What I am getting at is, you will want to take one turn of the spring out if possible -this will be pretty close to 1 in.

Kelvin

 

I still think your car looks low in the front, I just measured mine. It is 24in from the floor to the bottom of the wheel opening, and I have 2in dropped spindles and 1.5in shorter springs.

Kelvin

 

In the rear there is a pocket/recess top and bottom for the spring end to seat. Take a half a wrap from both ends and you shall receive a 1"+ drop. A FULL wrap of coil removed will drop it around 2".

 

The springs are tangential on both ends,



A one inch cut will drop the car about 1.4 inches because of the spring motion ratio.

 

start by cutting one coil & see if its better

 

Since there are ten coils total that would be 1.6 inch per coil. So 2/3 coil would be closer to one inch.

 

Ok,here is what I got.cut 1 coils' worth
Think maybe half a coil more...

 

go drive it to be sure the spring settles

 

Park on a level surface. Measure the fender to ground on all 4 corners, write it down. And get UP on that car for the pix, your stalker distance is killing the look.