Spring options for a Fleetwood

12391 Views 28 Replies 18 Participants Last post by The Stickman, Dec 28, 2019

sprocket

Discussion Starter · Jun 29, 2014

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.....

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96 Black

· #7 · Aug 2, 2014

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

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96 Black

· #10 · Mar 8, 2017

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.

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96 Black

· #14 · Sep 22, 2017 (Edited)

96 Black said:
.....Panther Rear Bar

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 1/3 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.

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96 Black

· #15 · Dec 23, 2017 (Edited)

Man, came across this searching for upcoming tablet install.
I'm confirming it's 1/3 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.

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96 Black

· #17 · Feb 17, 2018 (Edited)

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 1/3 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

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Spring options for a Fleetwood

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