Thread: Spring rates, where to start...

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Brought the scales home last night to weight my truck....It's a '51 chevy with a 350/th350 combo(approx.350 hp) MII front suspension and parallel 4bar with coil over setup in the rear. The rear end is a 9" with 3.25:1 & posi. This is not a race truck but I would like to get it to hook up as well as possible.
With a full fuel load it is 3140 lbs (no driver) front is 1695 lbs rear is 1445 lbs...
Where is a good place to start with rear springs?

Originally Posted by ceh383

Brought the scales home last night to weight my truck....It's a '51 chevy with a 350/th350 combo(approx.350 hp) MII front suspension and parallel 4bar with coil over setup in the rear. The rear end is a 9" with 3.25:1 & posi. This is not a race truck but I would like to get it to hook up as well as possible.
With a full fuel load it is 3140 lbs (no driver) front is 1695 lbs rear is 1445 lbs...
Where is a good place to start with rear springs?

You weigh about 300 lbs. more overall than an I.M.C.A mod including a 200 lbs. driver.
I would look at some of the heavier springs that an I.M.C.A. mod would use.

A tried setup is best as Eric suggested.

In the rear, a 350# spring will drop 2 inches (if sitting straight up and down) supporting 700# on either side.

If you know the uncompressed spring height, you could estimate the ride height from those figures.

Also check with Eaton or other quality spring Mfg., they'll know exactly what you need.