[sprocket]

Ok so I looooove cushy feel of floating down the road, but man, my wagon feels like a porsche in the corners compared to the FW......

I do have a set of 9C1 springs about, but somewhere in my distant past I heard of folks putting SS springs in too.

Would the SS springs drop the ride height? If so, assuming I'd need different shocks too. Any other considerations?

I see a set of used ones in the FS section and am considering.....

 

[96Fleetwood]

I had Fleetwoods with SS springs, 9c1 springs, and Sprint springs. The best ride/handling I found was with SS springs in the front/9c1 springs in the rear and Hotckiss sway bars.

My current '94 has Sprint springs but it sits too low. I am going back to SS fronts and 9c1 rears.

When I had SS springs all around, the rear would sag when there were rear passengers.

 

[sprocket]

thanks, i wondered about SS springs in the rear as the 'wood is a little more portly back there, lol. Funny thing is I know I have 9c1 fronts, I think I have 9c1 rears somewhere I pulled off a 96 that got parted (have the rear), just don't know where I put them... I also have wagon cargo coils but that'd stick her rear way up in the air, lol.

 

[break_yoself]

Second vote for SS springs in front and 9C1 rear. Made huge change in handling and I like the appearance. I upgraded the shocks to bilsteins at same time too. Probably ran about 40K kms on this setup and very pleased.

 

[Klez]

I used Intrax springs springs on my 94, but the rear a just a bit to low. I added air shocks to get it to a good height. One of my favorite cars.

Pics before rear shocks.

Few more pics here: http://wilson27.com/94fw/

 

[Brokecello]

Sprocket..I put brand new 9C1 rear springs in there. First thing I would do is ditch the rear air shocks, put on a set of Monroe Severe Service (or Bilstein) shocks and see what you think. I put new front shocks in, but they are the cush cush ones. Lol

A lot of that wallow is from those rear air shocks. I already put a set of SS front and rear swaybars on it too. It should corner well with a better shock setup.

Chris

 

[96 Black]

For the front I first cut the stock coils, then new Carquest, then used Hotchkis. Nothing looked and/or felt right. For the rear Intrax was the first try = redonkulously low. Those went onto my son's '88 MCSS. I settled on tried and true sacked out old SS coils all around. 5# in the Airlift bladders. Bilsteins. Heaven.

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showpost.php?p=2157958&postcount=24

 

[linusdicosta253]

Is fleetwood mac touring in early 2009?

i heard about it but i want to know if it is true

 

[rpm-inc]

Has anybody used eibach 3837.140 on a fleetwood?

 

[96 Black]

Coming up on 3 years old and the topic is still valid for us FW'ers. For something a little different on my new driver I left in the factory coils as opposed to my old car described above. And with the exception of a normal SS rear bar v. a Panther bar I just beefed up the rest around it per sig and as described here:

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/17-suspension/1294417-panther-rear-bar.html

Aiurlift 1000 went in last w/e, and I want to turn the front Konis from 40% back to ~10%. SS coils on my old gray car dropped it 2" compared to stock FE1 on the left. A 1" drop would be nice on the new white one, but not quite worth the aggravation of R&R.

 

[The Stickman]

I am running Eibachs on my hearse and love it. I bit more of a drop due to the extra weight but rides fine. If I haul stuff I put some air in the shocks.

 

[KDB50SS]

I just installed some used front 9c1 springs with 3/4 coil cut off with ACDelco 45H3011 variable rate rear springs. I like the ride and look. Car has a slight rake with Impala SS wheel and stock size tires
Bilistein shocks and air bags inside the rear spring if I ever need to air them up for heavy loads. All with a eaton Posi 373 Caprice disc brake rear end.
Ill take some pics when I get the car back on the road.

 

[BCs71]

I have ss springs on all four corners with factory shocks. Rears are factory air load style. After modifying the sensor arm a touch so it could be manually adjusted for new ride height it is perfect. This was key as i had to monkey a lot to get just right.
Factory fw front sway bar and 9c1 rear bar, corners tight on 255/45-17 kumho tires.

 

[96 Black]

.....http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/17-suspension/1294417-panther-rear-bar.html

Aiurlift 1000 went in last w/e, and I want to turn the front Konis from 40% back to ~10%. SS coils on my old gray car dropped it 2" compared to stock FE1 on the left. A 1" drop would be nice on the new white one, but not quite worth the aggravation of R&R.

Quoting myself but interesting the gradual progress I've made over the months. It turned up I needed new BJs with my total front rebuild, so no extra effort to cut one coil off the fronts (1" drop), it sure is worth it. I tried Konis with the wimpy stock coils, but even dialed down the fronts were just a schoshe firm for the ride I'm after. I just now installed Monroe Sev Serv all around, combined with SS bars and the Airlift bags. All that's left is get some legitimate 18x8-9 (thinking of CTS) all around and done.

Those Konis were going to go onto my SS, but it's already got Bilsteins so they just need to find a new home with SS coils, or heavier.

 

[96 Black]

1/2 Coil 1/2 Coil

Man, came across this searching for upcoming tablet install. lol Can't edit.
It's HALF coil I did on my new FWB above for 1" drop, not full coil. I sure hope I ain't thrown anybody off. I had previously cut a full coil off my 'first' FWB (the gray FTSS) and it plummeted 2" and bottomed out several times on the road before trying several other fronts and settling on just a set of oem SS coils. Interesting that old SS coils give the same 2" drop as a full coil off the FE1, but held up better and felt great. Firm but great.

One this latest car, I changed the Konis for my current shocks and they feel every bit as firm as the Bilsteins on my SS. I'm about set on susp. now, the only thing left is some 18x8 1/2 and legitimate tires.

Merry Christmas and safe holidays y'alls.

 

[schlicky13]

96 Black, out of curiosity do you recall which Bilsteins you were running? I'm planning a similar setup but can't figure out which version I'd be better off running. I recently got my hands on some low mileage Impala SS factory coils and low mileage Fleetwood FE2 factory coils. I plan to put the SS coils up front and the FE2 coils in the rear, along with Bilstein shocks, Airlift 1000 bags in the rear, and probably Hotchkis sway bars front and rear. Eventually I'll also do tubular control arms, but that probably won't be in the budget until a later time.

My only issue is there are two different shocks that work on these cars and I don't know what other Fleetwood guys have used. Most Impala guys seem to like the 1104/0929 combo, but I'm wondering if I'd prefer the 1516/1517 combo. Especially since it's a "daily" driver, I don't want to be crazy stiff. Also it seems the 1517 has a longer travel meant for cars with rear skirts to make tire changes easier, and with the added height of the FE2 coils it might make sense as well to have the longer travel.

From other threads on here it appears the 1516/1517 shocks are progressive meaning they're cushier at low speeds, small bumps, and some people don't like the floatiness of them, but I figure I can tune that to my preference with the addition of the air bags back there. Like I said, wondering which ones you used and what your thoughts are.

 

[96 Black]

On the gray FWB they had been the 1104/0929 (same as my Imp). Removing SS wheels with 255-50s were not a problem. On that old car I did not want 'crazy stiff' either as you refer, but that was comparing to the F- front HO rear on the SS. So just SS coils and SS bars with Airlift bladders were a good step down from that.

As mentioned for the current white one I'm not as focused on feeling like a road racer all the time and hoping to take some long cruises with the wife, so kept the 'floaty-er' FE1 coils, but still couldn't resist cutting that 1/2 coil (glad I did - a leetle bit firmer and better looking drop). SS bars as mentioned, but only one on the back this time, and Airlifts again mostly for the trailer.

Back to shocks. The Monroe SS are EVERY bit as firm as Bilstein. Though I hate to admit it I'd like a chance to try something 1/3-1/2 halfway between them and stock to see if it will get over the road joints smoother. So for what you're wishing for as a setup I can't argue with going with 'softer' Bilsteins.

Oh and of course pics or your results are useless. lol

 

[soy_chingon13]

I recently swapped out my springs on the 96 Fleetwood, since I was looking for a lower stance. The floatiness had me all over my lane also. I went with a recommendation from a member on another forum who had a wagon. I'll post the Moog part numbers. The ride is firmer for sure, but not harsh at all. The stiffness in the progressive springs you can definitely feel with going over large bumps, and helps with sagging when loaded up.

Front Moog 5662 and Rear CC501
Paid just over $100 for all of them!

 

[Stingroo]

That would be... this guy with this wagon.


Hello from the other side.

 

[schlicky13]

Appreciate the response to my question. Now I have another one, I was reading through one of the old suspension stickies and I'm wondering if I made an "oopsie" on my spring choices. I swear there's a thread that covers this but I'll be darned if I can find it right now. Based on what I recently acquired, I plan to put low mileage, factory SS coils in the front, and low mileage, factory FE2 coils in the rear. But the sticky I was looking at stated that the FE2s were a step up in stiffness from the SS. I thought that SS, FE2 and 9C1 coils are all relatively identical in stiffness. Or was I mistaken and would I be better off with 9C1 rear coils (assuming I can find a good, low mileage pair)?