Suspension Spring Rate Chart?

[hrcollinsjr]

I asked a question a few days ago about using springs from a Rallye Manta as an upgrade to my Ascona. I got varying answers and someone posted a chart from the parts catalog which really threw a curve at some of the earlier posts about the springs being the same for the most part.

Surely there is someone on this site that has researched the different OEM springs that were available here in the states.

I think a chart with the different apps, color id's, and specs would be a great addition to the tech section.

Anyone with info or a way to measure the various springs out there?

Thanks,

Harold

[opelbits]

Getting OEM spring rates for all the different springs may be a tall order. Although, I'm sure Bob has some of them.

In lieu of that, we might be able to compare some known OEM spring rates (the ones we can determine) and their respective part number applications to the vehicle weights with and without A/C. It certainly would not be exact, but it may give some clues.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by opelbits might be able to compare some known OEM spring rates (the ones we can determine) and their respective part number applications to the vehicle weights with and without A/C. It certainly would not be exact, but it may give some clues. According to the GM parts book (Feb 76): year model spring part # paint color code 71-73 51-53-57-57R-57L 312051 71-73 54 312052 yellow 74 51-57-57L 312088 brown 74 51-54-57R 312089 white 74 50 (a/c) 312096 white/green spot of paint (use according to bulletin 74-I-07 75 51-57 9293228 brown and yellow 75 54 9293229 yellow 75 50 (a/c) 9294000 white and blue Model #'s: 50 all 50 series models 51 2dr sedan 53 4dr sedan 54 2dr wagon 57 Manta L Luxus R Rallye

Borrowed the list you posted to another thread I started.

I noticed that most of my GT springs had blue paint markings on them. Other springs that I had either had no discernable markings, maybe a part number, or paint marks. I know the other springs are from various models of Opels I've picked up over the years.

Harold

[opelbits]

Well, at some point, I'll see if I can dig up vehicle weights by model, by year. Id on't know how much help it will be, but it can't hurt. Except maybe to generate confusion thru information overload?

One other thought is the use of 'service' parts. I know Ford used to supply 'service parts', replacements that covered a range of applications, superceding multiple specific applications. If you needed a replacement engine block, it would have a different part number/casting number than the original. The original blocks might have casting numbers denoting which body/chassis they were installed in. This is relevant to numbers matching restorations, where you want the block to have the correct Mustang codes, but the block is exactly identical to that in the Thunderbird. Service parts would have one number but would be used in all Fords that needed that block replaced. Eventually, features that did vary would all be incorporated into the one block. Effectively, the original standard 351 and the Cobra Jet blocks had different numbers and some different features, but the replacements would have one number and replace all the blocks as some differences were determined to not be essential. (The preceding is an example, not necessarily a specifically true example).

Anway, the point being that Opel may have done something similiar, using a common replacement after determining the various spec parts were just complicating things and no one could really tell the difference in springs. Or as time went on, no desire to stock eight different springs when they were hardly selling any. If they did this, there may be yet another parts number and paint code floating around out there. If so, this info may not show up in my books, or maybe not any books.

[opelbits]

I looked in my book just now. All GT rear springs are the same, no breakouts, no color codes denoted. Fronts are merely 1.1 and 1.9.

The list you posted above is for series 50 front. I'll post the rears later, although I can say right now, that there are no color codes denoted for the rears, either.

Or maybe I'll just post all the Opel springs and applications.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by opelbits I looked in my book just now. All GT rear springs are the same, no breakouts, no color codes denoted. Fronts are merely 1.1 and 1.9. The list you posted above is for series 50 front. I'll post the rears later, although I can say right now, that there are no color codes denoted for the rears, either. Or maybe I'll just post all the Opel springs and applications.

Most of my coil springs are from GT's and I noticed that most of them had a spot of blue paint on them. I figured the spring list should include all models. As you noted the only differences in the GT front springs was whether or not it was 1.1 (2 leafs) or 1.9 (3 leafs).

As to the rest of the springs?

Harold

[hrcollinsjr]

Do the different costs tell us anything or does it just mean they produced less of that particular spring therefore increasing the cost of production? When I first noticed the difference in some of the spring prices my immediate reaction was that maybe the more expensive spring was a variable rate which I assumed would cost more to produce. It may just be because it was only available for one model year and a somewhat rare (A/C) model at that.

According to the GM parts book (Feb 76):

year model front spring part # paint color code ’76 List ’79 List

71-73 51-53-57-57R-57L 312051 $12.40 $17.65
71-73 54 312052 yellow $12.40 $17.65
74 51-57-57L 312088 brown $11.15 $15.95
74 51-54-57R 312089 white $15.95
74 50 (a/c) 312096 white/green spot of paint $19.05 $27.25
(use according to bulletin 74-I-07

75 51-57 9293228 brown and yellow $11.15 $15.95
75 54 9293229 yellow $11.15 $15.95
75 50 (a/c) 9294000 white and blue $41.50


Model #'s:
50 all 50 series models
51 2dr sedan
53 4dr sedan
54 2dr wagon
57 Manta

L Luxus
R Rallye