Coil Springs & Components

Coil springs support the weight of the vehicle and react to road irregularities. When parked, the weight of the vehicle and occupants compress the coil springs a certain amount to maintain a predetermined ride height. On the road, when a bump forces a wheel upward, the spring compresses further, allowing the vehicle to remain level and isolating the passengers from the impact. After the bump, the spring forces the wheel downward to maintain road contact.

Coil springs are hot or cold formed on special coiling equipment, then they are hardened, tempered, and the ends ground flat, as required, before painting. Most modern cars have coil springs at each wheel, while most light trucks and some SUVs have coil springs at the front and leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs can be separate suspension components, typical of vehicles with Short & Long Arm (SLA) suspension, or part of a MacPherson strut assembly.

Although coil spring wire thickness, and overall spring length and diameter will vary according to application, there are basically two types of coil springs, constant and variable rate, also known as progressive. Constant rate springs have evenly spaced coils and compress at a linear rate. Variable rate springs have evenly spaced coils at one end of the spring, and wider spaced coils at the other end. They are designed for vehicles that carry heavy loads. The tighter spaced coils provide a smooth ride while the widely spaced coils allow load carrying without negatively affecting ride height or wheel alignment.

A vehicle that sags at one end or corner is an indicator of one or more worn or broken coil springs. Other symptoms of sacked springs include a vehicle that bottoms out and abnormal tire wear – improper ride height can adversely affect wheel alignment. If you suspect worn springs, check your vehicle’s ride height and compare with specifications. Broken springs are usually easily spotted during a visual inspection, but also look for coils that are close together or right up against one another with no gap in between, a sign of a sagging spring.

If symptoms and inspection reveal coil springs that are past their prime, we have the replacement springs that will restore ride height and ride quality, and allow proper wheel alignment. We have OEM spec springs for late model vehicles as well as authentic reproduction springs for classic cars, but you can also upgrade to variable rate or cargo coils if you regularly carry heavy loads. Some vehicles have separate spring seats that can become rusted or damaged, and not allow the spring to mount properly. Spring insulators are found on some vehicles to prevent metal-to-metal contact and noise, and these can crack or tear over time. We have seats, insulators, spacers, top plates and more to ensure a complete and thorough repair.