COIL/PROGRESSIVE ON SAME CAR? MOOG/TRW SPRINGS?

[Guest jjohart]

1. I found a good deal on the only aftermarket springs for my 83 280ZXT 2 + 2, price wise from a manufacturer called Moog or TRW. First off, does anyone know anything about this manufactuer, since my web search found no manufacturer site, and only links to mid-seventies GM coil numbers!

2. For my application, assuming I'll replace front and rear at the same time, they're calling for standard coils in the front, and variable=progressive rate springs in the rear. I dunno if that's what my Z came with from stock/OEM, but I was just wondering if anyone could venture a guess if mixing the two types on the same vehicle might be a no-no in some way (like bias ply and radial tires on the same car!).

Thanks

John

[A. G. Olphart]

Moog and TRW are both old line manufacturer's names & had good reps. Who bought whom, or do they both now belong to someone else (Federal Mogul?)

 

As to mixing progressive and straight wound springs front and back, I personally wouldn't do it. I can just picture in my mind the back of the car sinking a bit before stabilizing going into each corner. Somehow that seems worse than the whole side dropping a bit and then getting more solid as the stiffer part of an all progressive setup comes into play.

 

You should be able to look at your current springs and determine their type. If all the coils are evenly spaced, they are straight wound; if one end of the spring has coils spaced further apart than the other end, then they are progressive.

 

Logically, progressives will give you a little better ride, but a bit more body movement before they stiffen up. I think the racer types mostly liked straight wound springs.

 

Too bad the search function is dead for the nonce- real racers have discussed these before, and not being a real racer, I just let it slip by.

[Modern Motorsports Ltd]

Those 280ZX TRW rear's are a great compromise budget setup. I greatly enjoyed those for a few years on my 280ZX before I leaped to coilovers. I never found a rear spring comparable to them. The TRW progressive rears were a great street combo with some BOGE shocks at the time. Much tighter than OEM without approaching Illumina/more track like setups. Satisfied me until I started doing more track-lapping days and then I had to get tighter to push it harder and enjoy it more.

 

HTH,