micks69

I've made it to the rear end of the car and its time to do the brakes/shocks and rear spring. This car still has the original 9 leaf spring and I would like to replace it.

The question is steel or fiberglass? I read the entire 8 pages regarding the Muskegon Brake and the TRW spring and I don't want my car to look like a jack rabbit. Also I am amazed at how long there evalution is going on (ha!)

Is the glass spring really that much better? Opinions please. :smash:

cardo0

Well yes mick, I prefer my VBP glass spring. No memory/sag from long term storage. No corrosion. Lighter. And my rear body hieght is adjustble. Also with the VBP you can choose from a variety of lbs ratings for your use/application. :thumbs:
A friend of mine has raced into the low 11's with only a glass spring. :yesnod:

Ronny

I have the VBP 330 lb rear spring and like it very much. It does not have near the harshness of the steel spring and it feels like a little more travel. I believe the next time I will go with a 360 lb as it should give a little firmer ride. If you put any weight in the luggage area and two people, the 330 is a little soft, but it does ride good. Make sure shocks are for composite springs or it will be bounceee.

Vetterodder

Like Cardo, I'm happy with my VBP plastic spring. Better ride than the original 9 leaf and also flatter cornering. The only downside is more bounce over RR bumps, RR crossings, etc..

nastee383

VBP 330lb for several years with no issues. And that's "STINKBUG" not jackrabbit! :D

Graemeinvette

VBP Spring is great, still perfect after 7 years!

Graeme :cheers:

Summerfun

:iagree: :thumbs:

mrvette

:thumbs: Yuppers, my VBP plastic spring is fine after nearly ten years, I have forgotten the rate, wonder how to tell?? and still with the KYB shocks, wish I could find Bilsteins at a reasonable price that are valved for that plastic spring....near 100 bux each is too steep for a questionable gain....

GENE

79VetteMike

After that thread, I called Muskegon and they refunded my money for the spring. Then I called Dan at Van Steel where I buy everything else(I bought the TRW spring before I heard of Van Steel). Anyway, I talked to Dan and they custom built me a spring. The spring rate is 345 and they made it an inch shorter so I'll have room for wider tires. Dan is the man and he won't steer you wrong. I've spent a few thousand dollars with them on suspension parts and believe it has been money well spent. They always give a forum discount or a deal on shipping, but you need to tell them you are a forum member.

micks69

Upside: smoother, doesn't rust, lighter.

Downside:Special shocks, custom lengths, bouncee and "stinkbug" like if you don't do it just right from the right vendor?

Any new spring will ride better than any old spring.

What I would really like to know is how does new steel stack up against new plastic? Lighter and corrosion resistance are not factors as far as I'm concerned since I'm running a heavy big block up front the additional rear weight is probably a good thing for balance. And I don't run in the rain or snow.


[Modified by micks69, 9:13 AM 5/16/2004]


[Modified by micks69, 9:13 AM 5/16/2004]

PatsLs1vette

well i have the 360 vbp on mine with bilstiens and it is alot stiffer then my old steel spring ,but it seems to try and bounce upwards when you hit rail road tracks or bumps in the road.Im still not 100% happy with it yet,i need more road time once i get my rims and tires on,then ill decide if i go back to steel or not.

zwede

Since most everyone else is singing the praises of glass springs I'll throw my 2C in. I tried multiple VBP springs with different rates and multiple shocks and never got the bounce under control. Now running a late C3 steel spring with no bounce and good ride.

PatsLs1vette

zwede which spring are you running now,so yours had bounce too?


[Modified by patsnitrovette, 9:52 AM 5/16/2004]

74 vert

I tried the TRW spring and ended up with a dual mount VBP spring. I don't have a rear sway bar. The rear of the car seems to catapult (sp) from side to side in a hard downhill turn. Do you think a rear sway might correct this some?

The Money Pit

I've had my VB 360 on for 8 years,no sag and I'm not quite sure what everyone means by bouncy.The roads here absolutely suck,which explains the rise in SUV popularity.All I can say is when the surface permits,this car is glued down in the turns.When it's rough you feel it.Everything about a car is compromise,if you want silky smooth,buy a Caddy.

BTW The rear fender well measures 28" to the ground,front 27",and with P295 50's on it has never touched a tire. :yesnod:

Ganey

Yes, many like the VB. Do a search on VB.

FE-7 w/ VB rear spring for less weight. No "bounce", though some say no sus. either. I really like the FE-7.

:cool:

micks69

Thanks zwede that is exactly what I suspected. I needed to get an opinion of someone who has run both new! I think I'm gonna pass on the plastic. Exactly which spring and shocks are you running?

79VetteMike

For what it's worth, my 7 leaf spring rode great-very smooth; however, it sagged. It may have gone back to normal ride height by tightening the bolts at the ends of the spring, but I wanted the lighter weight composite. If there was no weight difference, I would have stayed with the 7-leaf. I haven't had the chance to drive the car with the composite, so I can't speak on that.

micks69

Thats what I'm afraid of losing 50+ lbs in the back without a corresponding 50+ lb loss in the front will make my cars front to rear weight ratio even more skewed toward the front than it already is and therfore bounceeee in the rear. If I could fit an aluminum manifold in the front I might try the plastic in back (but thats a topic for another thread).

I beleive many of the problems with ride control and height of the plastic relate to the 100+ lb weight loss in the rear (w/o an equal front weight loss),after steel to plastic spring conversion, combined with no spare (which many people, including me, are running) also the steel springs weight is nice and low in the rear of the car for a lower center of gravity.

Lastly factor in that I have 73 which has the heavy front comosite bumper combined with the light rear steel bumper and steel is looking like the way to go.


[Modified by micks69, 10:35 AM 5/16/2004]

zwede

I tried the VBP 360 and a 315 they custom made. Bounced like crazy. Felt like Tigger going down the road bacause bouncing is what Tiggers do best.

My current spring is a 2.5" wide 9-leaf out of a late 70's C3. Don't know the exact year. Shocks are Edelbrock IAS. When they wear out I'm planning to try the Bilsteins people rave about. With the steel spring there is no bounce at all and I'm happy with the ride. Still doesn't ride as nice as my 83 DeVille though. :lol: