It's a Spring Thing

[sperold]

My 90 SHO was on a hoist, and when lowered and driven, had a buzzing - rubbing noise coming from the front.

Turns out my front coil spring had a break in the bottom coil, about half way into the first turn. Just happened to be over the unsupported part of the spring bottom cup. This happens to be right where the tire just misses the strut / coil assembly. It had been broke a long time as it was rusty.

Being on the hoist, allowed the remaining spring coil to move out into the path of the tire, and that was the rubbing / buzzing noise.

I took a cut-off wheel and nipped the offending coil part off, so that it can be moved around.

When I looked on the other side, the spring was broke in the exact same spot, so I am thinking this is something to watch for on the 89 to 95 SHOs.
It would have been a real problem if it would of happened in the middle of a road trip.

 

[zoomlater]

Are those the original springs that came with the car?

 

[sperold]

Very possible, there are no markings left on them at all.

The car has a bit over 200 K miles.

The struts are not leaking and perform well, but I have a feeling they may get destroyed getting them out of the cast bearing housing at the bottom, but who knows.
if they come out intact, I may buy an empty set of coils and install them.

 

[Bryan]

MOOG loaded struts are pretty cheap on rockauto for these cars. They got KYB loaded struts as well. I got a set and put them on mine in all four corners. She rides nice and tight. Feels really good on the road.

 

[sperold]

Yes, I am going with Monroe on a packaged strut and spring. Mostly for the reported claim they are made (more probably assembled) in America. Not a great reason, but they all looked pretty comparable otherwise.

I looked on a lot of chat sites and websites and all brands got praise and condemnation, depending on who was posting.
Does anyone know who the original supplier was? If I could have figured that out, I would have gone with them. The old coil breaks are spiral, so it was torsional stress that finished them off, after 29 years of service (possibly).

 

[Bryan]

Made in China, made in USA is bull if you ask me. I don't get the concern. You get quality things made in China just as you can get shit products made in USA. You get what you pay for in most cases. That said... I doubt you can get the original parts anymore. The struts for that matter. KYB would be probably the best choice seeing as they are made in Japan.

 

[Tim Brand]

Yes, I am going with Monroe on a packaged strut and spring. Mostly for the reported claim they are made (more probably assembled) in America. Not a great reason, but they all looked pretty comparable otherwise.

I looked on a lot of chat sites and websites and all brands got praise and condemnation, depending on who was posting.
Does anyone know who the original supplier was? If I could have figured that out, I would have gone with them. The old coil breaks are spiral, so it was torsional stress that finished them off, after 29 years of service (possibly).

personally I would go with the kyb strut assemblys I installed a pair of Monroe quick struts on my 91 and the front end floated like crazy over every little bump. I used to like Monroe but since the parts are not made here there quality has gone way down imo. KYB are probably the closest to oem as you can get.

 

[SHOdded]

I would also vote for KYBs, as the Monroes quickly give up the good fight on the Edge/MKX platform as well.

 

[DJSHO91]

I'm running KYBs, with cargo coil springs, and they give a taut ride without the harshness of some others.

 

[luigisho]

how long have they held up so far?

 

[Bryan]

how long have they held up so far?

Well I went with MOOG. And so far after a year on the road of daily driving they are super good. Nice and responsive... unlike my 69 Tbird which drives like a boat with wheels.

 

[zoomlater]

I was down at Mike's (Shosource) this weekend and heard of a member here on the forum who snapped the top off his KYB going up his driveway. I'm am running Monroes/Eibachs on my daily driver, but they are the obsolete Monroe Quick-strut part numbers 171780 and 171781, so maybe those were made better than the newer ones.