Front and Rear suspension update questions....

[svwilbur]

My right rear spring got sprung (I guess) as the passenger side rides about an inch or so lower than the drivers side.

I was looking at Dean's site and see there are at least 3 options.

1.) Rear Early Stock Rate/height Leaf Spring Sets - US Made 158 LBS and performance as the originals
2.) Rear Lowering & Competition Leaf Spring Set US Made 158 LBS."Lowered competition look" Same
3.) Rear Lowering & Competition Leaf Spring Set US Made 185 LBS. (The 2nd spring rate is slightly higher at 185 LBS and offers the same ride height with better performance for track applications.)

So knowing all that I AM STILL NOT QUITE SURE WHAT MIGHT BE BEST FOR MY NEEDS!
I am looking for keeping it stock looking (currently keeping the stock wheels) but I want it a bit lower.

A.) I weigh about 250lbs and my passengers are about 200-225. So knowing that would it be better to go with a higher rate heavier spring in the rear (the 185LBS)??

B.) If I go with lowering Comp springs in the front is it better to go with comp lowering springs in the rear?
Or do the stock ones have a more level (no rate) stance?
Are stock or comp better for making it lowered but still level front to back?

I am also planning on going to a Comp spring in the front at the same time to lower the front a bit, at the same time as the rear spring replacement.

C.) I have also not decided to go with the Comp spring Dean sells or the one that Mike Young sells.
Does anyone have a preference for one over the other?
It looks like Deans has more coils (is that good or bad?)
I think Mike's is more correct to the original comp springs?

Also I assume I should get a "Differential & Leaf Spring U-Bolt Kit" set as the originals are original and may not be in good shape after removing them.
And I should get 2 correct upper bump stops for lowered vehicles for the front.

[msampsel]

Ladydriver switched from Super Comps from Dean to Michael Young springs which she claimed provided a smoother ride.
I ordered springs from Michael Young, I should have the car on the road the first time tomorrow.
Front bump stops are available below for 7 bucks including shipping. Or you can cut an inch off the existing ones.
With the ones below you need to drill a hole in the mount.

I have the old Nissan Comp springs in the garage and recall a rough ride indeed. However, some of the discomfort occurred
from not cutting the bump stops . I am going to try lowering blocks on my stock springs next.
Likely in a month or two. If I do not like this I might go back to the railroad ties (Nissan comp springs from the 70s)

Competition front springs will yield a rake look with stock rear springs.
Competition springs or lower blocks or some other setup rather than stock is required to not have the rear end be higher.
Some people liked the rake look back in the day '60s

https://www.suspension.com/catalog?utf8 ... ch=9.9103g

[mshort07]

msampel,

where did you get your rear lowering blocks from? I assume you also needed longer U-bolts, correct? where did they come from?

[mlwebb]

You also might consider Flex-Form composite rear leaf springs, a search here will give you some reading ...(:
Michael

[theunz]

It seams to me that a lot of members who have run comp rear springs thought they were to stiff. Do a search for competition or lowering springs as there has been much discussion in the past. I remember one thread on front springs being very comprehensive with lots of pics. Mike

[Stretch]

Another option up front is to lower the spring perches and retain stock coil springs. Rather than using stiffer comp springs we will use adjustable Koni's to control front ride characteristics
Paul

[svwilbur]

Another option up front is to lower the spring perches and retain stock coil springs. Rather than using stiffer comp springs we will use adjustable Koni's to control front ride characteristics
Paul

How do you go about lowering the spring perches for that?

I used Koni's on my Camaro for SCCA autocross. They were made for the Camaro but were extremely stiff. And now that I am no longer doing autocross even at the softest setting they are often too firm for me.

Does Koni make a set specifically for the 311?

[svwilbur]

Ladydriver switched from Super Comps from Dean to Michael Young springs which she claimed provided a smoother ride.
I ordered springs from Michael Young, I should have the car on the road the first time tomorrow.
Front bump stops are available below for 7 bucks including shipping. Or you can cut an inch off the existing ones.
With the ones below you need to drill a hole in the mount.

I have the old Nissan Comp springs in the garage and recall a rough ride indeed. However, some of the discomfort occurred
from not cutting the bump stops . I am going to try lowering blocks on my stock springs next.
Likely in a month or two. If I do not like this I might go back to the railroad ties (Nissan comp springs from the 70s)

Competition front springs will yield a rake look with stock rear springs.
Competition springs or lower blocks or some other setup rather than stock is required to not have the rear end be higher.
Some people liked the rake look back in the day '60s

https://www.suspension.com/catalog?utf8 ... ch=9.9103g

msampsel, Thanks for the response. I would be very interested in how you think the new springs compare to your old ones and what you think about them in respect to handling and ride characteristics.

Where do you get the lowering blocks?

[msampsel]

I got some aluminum and had it cut and drilled at a fab shop in town.
I suspect I will need longer ubolts (depends on block width though) and need to find someone who can make them.

Here are pics the blocks which I have extras! Six 3/4 inches ones five 1/2 inches width ones.
Will let you all know how they work out. I plan to use one 3/4 and maybe one 1/2ers one each side. Not sure yet

Oh yea, hoping they work out better than the new faulty VDO oil pressure gauge I ordered! See it sit on the bench Doh !!!!

[msampsel]

Here is a pic of my car with the Mike Young springs installed ...

[msampsel]

Here is link to some way before, before and after photos for some comparisons of height of different springs ...
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... 62#p222662

[Stretch]

Front spring perches were lowered by welding angle iron on bottom of triangle and drilling new mounting holes. Drops the front an inch and a half.

Comp springs are great but I wanted to avoid the high spring rate and control with dampners. Koni's are fully adjustable so you can tune for different circumstances. Yes, there are roadster specific front and rear Koni's, got mine through Richard's group order last year.

Paul

[mlwebb]

re: spring perches, I just did mine a couple days ago, cutting out the old bolt locations and welding in some 1/8" steel.
Many years ago I changed the shock mount, as the old ones were rusted out.
I also put some little shims under the lower A arm mounts. Mike Young springs, the white is 1/16 UHMWPE, just an experiment (:

Michael

[SLOroadster]

Mike Youngs front springs are good. The Nissan comp rear springs aren't too stiff, they are a wrong design from the get go. Leaf springs don't like arching backward, and when you start with an unloaded flat spring, its going to arch backward under load. Keep the stock rear springs and run the comp fronts. That is the best easy solution. If you want to spend more $, run the comp front springs with a set of Lou Mondello's monoleaf springs. (Not cheap). Either way you need a set of Koni dampers to control the spring rates. The KYBs lack the rebound damping to control anything stiffer than a stock spring.

Will

[msampsel]

Mike Youngs front springs are good. The Nissan comp rear springs aren't too stiff, they are a wrong design from the get go. Leaf springs don't like arching backward, and when you start with an unloaded flat spring, its going to arch backward under load. Keep the stock rear springs and run the comp fronts. That is the best easy solution. If you want to spend more $, run the comp front springs with a set of Lou Mondello's monoleaf springs. (Not cheap). Either way you need a set of Koni dampers to control the spring rates. The KYBs lack the rebound damping to control anything stiffer than a stock spring.

Will

I think this post will make the selling of my antique Nissan comp rear springs more difficult
At least I already have the Koni shocks.