I am building intentions of replacing all components of my all original suspension on my '84 SE...One of my parts cars supposedly was a scca car at some point and also supposedly has illumina adjustables and eibach springs(according to some list of parts I found in the bins on an old for sale sign). I haven't tore anything apart yet, but I did have a front wheel off once, and the spring was black, and under the cap on top there was a ?five? way adjuster. When I took a look under the rear, the springs were BADLY rusted and the shocks were light blue in color also with spots of surface rust. The last time the car was inspected was in '99 and has probably sat since. My question is, if I do take the struts out will there be any identifying marks on the the springs visible with or without removing them from the strut housing to find out what they actually are and what the spring rate is? Also, would it even be worth messing with the rusted stuff in the rear? If the parts(front and back) are that old and the car has sat for that long, would any of this stuff even be good anymore? Just wanted some opinions before I actually try to remove this stuff in the spring. All opinions are welcome!

 

The rear shocks can last for a long long time.

You can measure the rear spring rate with a set of scales, a ruler, and a press (or any way of pressing down a spring and holding it.

Is that jack stand at the left rear holding the car up??? If so, on what?

 

Eibach Pro springs are black, Illuminas are white. Tokico nonadjustables are a medium blue. The springs and shocks may not be bad, do a bounce test on the shocks.

 

what color are the stock dampeners? mine are black

 

At first I couldn't figure out what and why you were asking about the stand...I had to take a look at the picture, and it must be some sort of optical illusion, but the jack stand IS actually under the axle! So the spring rate wouldn't be labeled anywhere on the spring? I'd have to take the struts apart and so as you suggested to find the rate?

 

I can't tell what color the springs in the back were, they are so rusted now...I'm not sure about a bounce test, as I said the car has sat for perhaps a decade and is really rusted underneath(exteme bin rot, holes in the floor, etc.) so I'm not sure it would tell me much, but I will give it a try. The rear shocks might be the nonadjustables as they appear a medium/baby blue, but as I said, they have surface rust on them as well. Did they make adjustable tokico's for the rear, and if so where is the adjuster? On top?, because that would suck...The fronts look good, however. I just don't want to spend any unneccessary funds if I have good used parts, know what I mean? Should I be concerned with the rust and the length of time they sat not being moved(the rears)?

 

Which part exactly is the dampener? The cartridge itself? The rears are blue, I don't think I can see the actual cartridges in the front without taking them off and apart(which I haven't done yet).
Thank you all for the replies!

 

Tokico makes 2 different stocks, strut inserts for 1st ens. The Illuminas, which are white, are all adjustable from the top. The Blues are a nonadjustable upgrade over the stock ones. As far as springs go, a part number and the spring rate is usually painted on the spring. If the coils have even spacing between each wind except for the bottom coil, they are generally a linear rate spring. If there is a variation in the distance between the windings, they are most likely a progressive rate spring. The black Eibachs, which is the Pro model, is a progressive rate spring.

 

i think i am gonna try my respeed coilover kit 275/150 on my car and use the same struts (dampeners) w/e and see if that works well then buy the tokiko whites

 

That you trochoid, that helps me out alot,now I know the rear shocks are not adj. without taking them off, and I probably won't even mess with them or the rear springs. As far as the painted on numbers and what not for the front springs, would that generally be located towards the top or bottom, or ON the top or bottom where they meet the perch? From your info. I am prone to beleive my front struts are illumina w/ eibach pro springs...I will check next time to go to visit them. Are these springs desirable to have? Thanks again.

 

i think the eibachs are the best non-coilover spring, they are progressive which means softer than stock for normal driving yet stiffer when you get down to cornering. but it all depends on how worn the parts are.

i might be thinking wrong though <edit>

 

I have Eibachs on the widebody and a linear spring on the FC. Both have adjustable shocks/struts. The difference between the 2 is like night and day in ride quality, performance is similiar. Eibach wins hands down. Now I'm kicking myself for selling the spare Eibachs for the FC.

The parts number/rates are paint printed on the outside of the coil, somewhere near the middle of the spring.

 

If I do indeed have the prog. rate eibach's with the adj. illuminas in the front, should I also get adj. shocks for the rear? Would the spring rate on the front determine what spring rate I would want to get for the rear? Would I also want prog. rate springs for the rear? If I get adj. rears, do you have to take them off to adj. them or is there a removable cap inside on top the shock tower in the rear like there is on the front?(I forget and I'm not close to my cars...) Thank you for all your help.

 

usually you want nearly half the spring rate of the front on the back

 

To adjust the rear Illuminas, you have to remove the platic wheel well trim in the hatch, it's a pita. You can drill acess holes to avoid that. I didn't cause I didn't want the holes. Front and rears adjust in the same manner, but the rear only has 4-5 positions, the fronts have 8, iirc.

I would match brand and type of springs both front and rear. For spring rates, you need to decide what want the suspension and handling to do for you. What type of racing/street driving, then do your research for what fits your needs the best.