Helper struts for Grand Prix

[Deuling]

I have a 93 Grand Prix se.

They have the composit leaf spring in the rear. It has seen better days and is squating pretty bad.


Does anybody make a rear "helper" strut that will lift it up a bit??

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Rock Auto lists a helper spring kit. Not sure what that entails.

www.car-part.com lists a bunch of springs in 'yards.

 

[Deuling]

Wonder if i could make a set of those coil helper shocks you can get for trucks back there.. Thatd be funny lol.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Those are a bad idea on all fronts. Not the least of which is that your strut mounts are NOT meant to carry weight like that.

 

[Deuling]

Those are a bad idea on all fronts. Not the least of which is that your strut mounts are NOT meant to carry weight like that.

These are in the rear and hold no weight... I said the car has the leaf spring in the rear but its sagging. My struts are shot as well. But all they really are is shocks. You know michigan rust. That leaf spring is not coming out. So thats not an option.

 

[Deuling]

Totally read that wrong the first time lol. Disregaurd that statement. Why cant I make the mounts stronger?

Its my pos dd salt sponge. Its ugly, rusty, and has had dirtbikes do burnouts on various places on top of it...

Guess what im saying is i dont give a crap if its a little hack to get it done. As long as its not unsafe... I dont care...

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Well, I guess you could reinforce them. I would check into whatever that Rock Auto spring helper thingy is though.

Then again some new heavy duty struts might just give it some elevation too. Bet those old struts on it are shot and not doing anything. Put some new nitrogen charged struts in there and it will probably perk up a bit.

 

[Deuling]

Ill give it shot. Would be nice if itd pick it up a little. Im gonna buy new tires for it before winter, and from the spring being warn out, theres alot of neg camber. Dont wanna destroy a good set of tires because of that.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Boy I don't miss rusty junk. Fuxking road salt.

 

[Deuling]

Ive learned it generally just requires a torch to fix many things

 

[AJMBLAZER]

BFH too.

 

[chicken joe]

dont know if this will help or not but their is a tsb on this #990309004.

good luck

 

[Deuling]

Im trying to figure out how these leaf helpers work..

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1993/pontiac/grand_prix/suspension/leaf_helper_spring.html

 

[blazinzuk]

If you are trying to get helpers to restore height in a spring just expect the spring to break in short order.

I have known a couple guys that have done that in cars and yes the springs break. IMHO the only safe way to do it is get some newer springs and put em in

 

[Deuling]

If you are trying to get helpers to restore height in a spring just expect the spring to break in short order.

I have known a couple guys that have done that in cars and yes the springs break. IMHO the only safe way to do it is get some newer springs and put em in

Was thinking that would be the case.I just didn't know what those spring helpers are that I posted. They look like blocks, not a standard helper spring...


I guess I'll just replace the blown struts and run her till the ass drags the ground.


As far as the neg camber issue. I guess I could just get a big douchey "Got Stance?" Sticker on the rear window and pretend i did it

 

[swettysblazer]

Was thinking that would be the case.I just didn't know what those spring helpers are that I posted. They look like blocks, not a standard helper spring...


I guess I'll just replace the blown struts and run her till the ass drags the ground.


As far as the neg camber issue. I guess I could just get a big douchey "Got Stance?" Sticker on the rear window and pretend i did it

Just spray paint it, itll look cooler.

 

[USSkoval]

I'm late to the party, but I do have a simple solution that works great. You know the coil spring rubbers that you can buy at the parts store? Get some of the taller version and put them in between the rear spring and the jack bracket (in the center). The rubbers get installed upright. Then put a large hose clamp around that jack bracket so the rubbers don't work their way back out.

It sounds crazy, but it works. Because of how the spring is mounted, as the suspension compresses, the center of the spring actually travels downward and closer to the bracket. The rubbers take up the space and don't let the butt sag.

And the camber is adjusted by the strut mounting bolts, the camber really doesn't change at all as the suspension compresses.