Ok, so does anyone know if a 68 buick gs california came with different rear coil springs than other gs's? I have been having a lot of issues with this. I'm trying to replace my rear coil springs but every distributor gives me a coil spring that is way to small. They say it is factor spec but it is small enough to fall out. The coil spring they give me has a free height of 12,9 inches and installed height of 8.5 inches while the coil springs i have have roughly a free height of 16.5 and a installed height of about 12 inches. There has been no modifications made to the suspension it is all original. i have even tried getting them through eaton detroit springs and they gave me the springs and told me that it is the correct spring according to their specs. Other gs owners i have talked to have the 12.9 inch springs like they say mine is said to have. the new ones give me multiple issues it makes my care almost drag the ground and with everything installed if i jack it up by the frame they are so loose they fall out. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.
Stock height springs generally will fall out when jacking one side up. That's not uncommon I've got the 5385's in several cars with no issue, but if you want get some rear springs for a 71 olds vista cruiser
as i said the larger ones in the car are the stock ones and the coil springs they give me do not put it at stock height. it just about drags the ground with them in and bottoms out if you hit the smallest bump.
Do the original ones need replacement? Is it sagging? Not sure what your after here,..the 5385 is in thousands of of GS's and Skylarks with no issue,...are your shocks good? If the original springs you have aren't sagging then clean them up and your good are you not?? Call Moog directly they have an excellent tech department, I've called and got spring specs many times, give them the specs of what you want and they will give you the part # you need. But to answer your original question as to if a California GS has different springs,..tbe answer is no, F41 suspension option carried different springs but they actually sit a touch lower than a standard spring but have a larger wire dia
Hmmm. Front spring size specs at 16.4" unloaded and 13" loaded so pretty close to what you have described. No idea how anyone could put the wrong spring in but it would seem as though that must the case given all references for a number of different brand springs online are all as you've indicated. Does not seem possible that multiple manufacturers all have the wrong specs... Any chance someone in the past has changed the rear axle and the mounts are different than stock hence requiring a different spring? Best bet is to contact a source with your measurements and the car (so they know what spring rate you will need) and have them match as best they can. Good luck!
Maybe your shocks are too long when extended, I am having the same problems with my car, I have tried various springs and they all fall out when I put the car on the 2 post hoist. I’m considering some kind of limiter straps.
Yep, I replaced my GS's rear springs YEARS ago with stock type springs, they fall outta position when raised by the frame, replacement shocks are too long when extended. On the springs themselves, Moog should be able to give you the correct info, I used to have a Moog spring catalog with free height, installed height, pounds per inch, wire dia.
After thinking about this more, a simple solution would be to lower the shock mount bracket. I thought I was the only guy having this issue. Gord
LOL, It evokes confidence when I see the parts guy (over 50) go for the 2 foot thick parts catalog, and KNOW how to use it I have a couple "go to" parts stores, Napa, by my work, and a Federated just down the street from my house. Another is an appliance parts store just down the street, bought many parts from them. Ace Hardware is pretty decent. Sad they will close eventually, not many people fix stuff anymore. Good to know this generation has the money to replace everything every 3 years
