750 lb shock boosters...

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:15 am

Here is a picture:

* these springs cost around $24 from JCWhitney or could find elsewhere?

* notice the closer windings at the ends of the spring...meaning that they are progressively wound springs...and that the spring will collapse easier under a lighter load...until the end coils are pushed togeher

* the clamps supplied are not that heavy and the torque on the bolts is supposed to be limited to 40 inch pounds to avoid crushing the shock

* the lower clamp sits right above the weld at the bottom of the shock and so should hold OK

* the upper clamp is a different story...especially due to a partially rusted shock dust cover at top

* so I used a section of 2" OD exhaust pipe over the top of the shock and an old Toyota rubber exhaust hanger to cushion it at top...this prevents the top clamp from sliding up under a heavy load

<span style='color:blue'>Later note: found that the surface that the top of the 2" OD exhaust pipe rides on...where the shock bolts in...is slightly tilted off perpendicular...so if the end of the pipe is cut straight across, it causes a sideload on the spring and thus the shock. So....the top end of the exhaust pipe MUST be cut at a slight angle in order to avoid this side load.</span>

* the rubber sleeve around the top of the shock was cut and custom fitted using vinyl tape.

* right above the brake drum, you can see the "saddle" boosters that originally boosted the rear springs by around 1/2" (and still do)

* got an additional boost of only around 1/4"....this is probably due to the progressive winding of the springs..car does feel stiffer in the back and will likely sink less with a serious load

* so far they make no noise

* the 1200 lb springs would probably be a better bet? Use the ones for the smaller shocks...they are the same 14" length. There is about 2" slack adjustment if these are too strong of a spring.

With new rear springs + these boosters, the 750 lb ones would be better?

* to install...just remove the lower shock bolt and pry the shock from the stud...pushing the shock UP allows getting the spring on easier

* as usual....I used moly grease on all assembled metal parts

>> Used these booster springs during a camping trip with some offroad mud and sand running with 600 lbs total in the car...they kept the car level and held up thru this trip. Had them shimmed so they boosted a little more than is shown in the pics though. <<

3A-C Power · Post by **3A-C Power** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:12 pm

It's like the rear coilovers that mount to the shock mounting points instead of the spring seats. I would wonder about those mounts being able to take the spring force as well as the damping force over a long period of time. Someone must have done the research if they are used at the levels of racing that they are used in. I think those air boosters that fit inside the rear coil spring would be pretty nice.

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:51 pm

The poly air bags that go in the springs would work the best...maybe. Couldn't find any specifically for the Tercel wagon....they would need to be sized just right in order not to split a seam??? But have no experience with them.

If these 750 lb springs do OK...I might try the 1200 lb ones...can't beat the price. I've tried these with an old pair of shocks....just in case.

Problem with coil overs is the PRICE?

Was off-road today thru grass & weeds as tall as the car and a mud hole about 1 1/2 feet deep...plus I missed the REAL deep holes. The radiator and heater intake screens proved them selves rather well....tons of pollen and grass seed coming off the grass...window screening looked to be about 1/2 blocked but no overheating on a +80F day. No grass caught on my homemade cat heat shield either. Did hit a few holes a little too hard.

I'm ready for the African plains.

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:21 pm

I'd try to increase the spring preload to get more lift.

And I've heard that those spring boosters you're using put a lot of stress on the spring.

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 4:24 am

I did take up about 3/4" of slop at the top of the spring, but haven't rechecked the ride height.

I've also heard the thing about the spring boosters....but have had them on 2 cars now for a total of around 70K miles with no problems. If you re worried about that kind of problem...best to use the rubber rings?

For an older car with sagging springs & on-road....the spring boosters are ideal...increase the spring rate...improve the ride height a little....cost is minor.

For off-road...boosters in the springs are not really the way to go...the spring can't compress.

Thought about WHY air bags won't work in the rear springs....the bumper inside the spring won't allow it.

icE · Post by **icE** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:07 am

yea, i went through tall grass and a ton of dirt pits with 90+ outside (in florida) and it didn't overheat. But now the front body is bent, headlight is off of alignment, and my grille is broken. But thats all good, it wasn't meant to look purty

Spring boosters is an interesting idea though, should improve handling

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:29 am

Doesn't seem to hurt the handling onroad too much...but I do get some rear end bounce I didn't have before...unloaded. It was balanced real well for onroad as it was before.

Advantage of the shock springs is for when I go camping and have an extra 200 lbs or so of crap to lug around...might keep things off the ground some.

If I did it again...I'd go with the 1200 lb springs...there is enough room to put around 2" of slack in the spring setup in case you get too much lift.

Might want to take a flashlight and check your rad fan shroud to see how much grass seed and leaves you've collected. B)

Offroading is FUN...till you have to fix what you break. I get innattentive...and there are some holes I'd get lost in where I drive...also slopes into deep water I'd not be able to stop on if I got headed down. It's all good practice for the real world of trail driving where you don't know what's next or whether you can get thru it.

sacwac · Post by **sacwac** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:00 pm

takza,

I might try those coilovers on my tercel. Too bad King Springs want $400 to ship a set of new front and rear springs to the US. I was thinking of trying the 1200lb springs for both the front and the rear.

Think it will be too stiff? The current springs are very worn out, I can bottom out the suspension by bouncing the car with my knee.

takza · Post by **takza** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:37 am

They worked pretty well on my camping trip with 600 lbs in the car. Held together just fine except for the sideload thing. Kept the back end from dragging due to weight I carried back there.

Plan to put in new front & rear springs eventually...with new struts/shocks...use the booster spring in the back & one rubber doughnut in front each side...best I can do except for custom springs.

You CAN have springs made in the US...costs a bit though.

<span style='color:blue'>Would ANY of these springs fit the Tercel wagon front or back?

Does anyone have the OEM specs for the Tercel springs?????

<a href='http://www.pitstopusa.com/searchresult. ... oryID=4305' target='_blank'>http://www.pitstopusa.com/searchresult. ... ID=4305</a>

GOOD prices!!!!!!!!</span>

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 10:02 pm

Again, anyone have the coil specs for ours? Those seem to be more Mustang?
I wish I'd've found out who made the spring set Skiwagons distributed...