Spring Suggestions

Over the weekend was Wagonfest 2017. On Friday, Shammoo went to the Glen.
On sunday after the Picnic, The Finger Lakes Chapter of the SCCA had Auto cross over at the Xerox Parking lot just a few miles away.

Yes, Shammoo went Autocrossing, and I had a ball. I was told by many after I drove the course afew times, and watching my son drive the course, that the nose dive was incredible.

While I know that A big heavy wagon will never handle like a nimble little sports car, I'd still want to kill off some of that nose dive with stiffer spring rates. The car already has 2" inch drop spindles that have been there for over twenty years. I anticipate that the age of the springs is equal to the spindles (or greater)

I am looking for specific suggestions for high performance springs for the front end, that will add stiffness without raising the vehicle.

Thoughts please?

Dave

Look at globalwest.net. They may be able to find a spring rate and height that will give you the same stance, and be stiffer. Sometimes using a shorter stiffer lowering spring with a spacer under it will accomplish the desired height and rate combination. A spacer from Global West is designed to be under the spring, and it will raise the car about double the thickness of the spacer.

I have a set of 2 inch lowering springs on the front, with a 1/2 inch spacer, and an in-coil rubber spacer. Between the two, and 2 inch drop spindles, I get about a 3 inch drop. The in-coil spacer stiffens the spring, and lifts it a little. The spacer under the spring lifts it about 1 inch. It is a "rigged" way of doing it, but it was what I did to adjust the ride height. GW makes the spacers in different heights so you can customize your ride height. They are aluminum, and relatively easy to install. The cost is about $35 per pair.

The rubber one has a groove on both sides to fit around the spring coils, and is worked in from the top. It raises the car a little, and makes the spring act like it is shorter, and therefore stiffer. I think they are about $40 per pair.

did they mean the nose dive from braking, or just when turning ?

I think Fred is on the right track. You might look at some of the commercially available front shocks for the SS (eibach, etc) that drop the SS over 1"

what kind of shocks are you running ? Swaybar(s) ? A set of swaybars like jay is selling would also help if you stay with a reasonable spring rate.

Which Jay is selling swaybars? The nose dive was braking. Rolling was in the corners.

Check the parts for sale section.

lakeffect wrote:

Which Jay is selling swaybars?  The nose dive was braking. Rolling was in the corners.

the tall one.

not sure what shocks you`re running but that would help too. The drum brakes don't really help with the braking nose-dive.

The shocks should not affect dive/roll. Spring rate for dive, and anti-roll bar size increase for roll will make a difference. For excessive roll, an anti-roll bar at the rear would also help. The bigger the bar is, the less roll. You may also need some reinforcing of the frame at some levels.

There is a little bit of anti-dive geometry built into the front suspension, but it is not sufficient to stop the front from diving in high brake application situations. Anti-dive is achieved by angling the upper control arm mounts up in the front. The higher the angle, the more anti-dive. There is a point where the anti-dive can cause binding of the suspension. The late 50s Chrysler full size cars had anti-dive geometry built into the front suspension, and they advertised it by hanging a china cup from the front bumper, and slamming the brakes. The cup started out only a half inch or an inch from the ground, and never hit.

Im seeing a whole new path for Shamoo...

Parking Lot Seagull Decapitator.