FAQ: Aftermarket Lowering Springs

After paint and interior- I'm thinking bags...

Can bags raise the height of the car?

Buapo wrote:

There's been times for me where the current ground clearance is just barely enough. I'd love to do the lowering springs, but I don't think I want to sacrifice the drivability.

I've scraped the front spoiler on hills and uneven ground.

I just took a little trip up to Morad's place. I asked them about possible springs that would fit the Riviera, but they didn't want to sell me something if I wasn't sure if it fit - if I bought it, there was no returning it.

That's fine, I mean, these are used parts. It's essentially a scrap yard.

So anyway, they have a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi coming in next week. I'm really hoping that those springs are the FE-3 suspension - does anyone know?

The only other thing I don't know about is the rear springs of the Bonneville. They don't match our Riviera, do they?

2000 SSEi springs are rated FE2 and the rear springs looked the same to me.

FE2? Dammit!

What cars/years have the FE-3?

1998-2004 Cadillac STS is the only car I know with FE3. Also I think only 1998-1999 springs will work in our cars. Did you decide not to go with the Eibach springs.

Only 1998 and 1999? Damn... that sucks.

I'd really like to get the Eibachs, but I don't know what I'd be getting myself into with alignment kits and whatnot. You said yours needed to be aligned, and I'm sure mine would too.

I just think it would be too much money. I know what I WANT, but I have to combine what I want and what I need into a good option, and the Eibachs might be a little too much.

Any time you install springs regardless of OEM or aftermarket you will need to have an alignment.

I've been looking into dropping my '99 a bit so while I was under the car I checked the tags on my springs:

22132521 SMA Front, 25664805 NFF Rear

These are not the same numbers as listed for my car and they are not on an old list that I had found previously. Anybody have any info on them? Maybe they were a late year engineering change. Everything looks stock underneath so I'm sure they are original.

One thing I always thought was this '99 takes bumps much harsher than my '95 did. The struts shouldn't be too bad because there's only 70,000 on them.

I went out on a limb and ordered new lowering springs from Eaton Springs. When I called they weren't sure if they could do them. He checked and they are not progressive from the factory so they can drop them 1",1.5", or 2". I chickened out and went with the 1" drop but I figured that anything is better than the 4x4 look. I'm thinking the drop will make it look better and there will even be a handling improvement especially with the new struts/shocks.

What they do is take factory replacement springs and make them up with the necessary adjustment for ride height. 2-3 weeks for delivery. $189 per pair plus shipping. A little pricey but it should save me some trouble as far as the rear ride height compared to the Eibachs because one other unusual problem I had was my automatic leveler always pumped up the shocks to the max and wouldn't drop them so I have it disconnected. (Maybe that is why the ride is rougher on bumps like I said but the roughness is mainly in the front when hitting bumps.)

I'm going to start another thread on that subject so if you have any info on that problem list it there.

That's an interesting alternative to the Eibach springs, but are they only cutting the factory springs? It seems like they'd have to make all new springs to do it right, but what do I know . . .

I wasn't able to comprehend the problem with the Eibachs on the rear... That they drop the ride height on the back and cause the air system to freak out? (which would also happen with the eaton springs, yes?) or something else I missed?

When I talked to the guy at Eaton while ordering the springs he confused me. I'm not sure exactly how they come by the springs. The way he sounded they actually get the springs from a supplier and then have the equipment to "rebend" them for the pigtails or they may actually make them from scratch. It would seem that making them from scratch would be the easiest if you have the equipment and according to their website they have the equipment:

http://www.eatonsprings.com/

The big concern with the Eibach rear springs is because, according to the info around here, they have a lower rate than the factory therefore in my situation without a working auto-level system when you would put a load in the car the rear end would sag excessively.

Flash: I just got a callback from Eaton and was told that the springs are a no-go because they are variable rate and therefore can't be modified. So much for that place.

As far as a working auto-level system being used with a lowered car the sensor link position where it connects to the to lower control arm would have to be modified some to compensate so that the system wouldn't try to lift it back to the factory ride height.

One wonders if one could get the 1" lowering by using Eibach's springs for the STS on the front and modifying the air-ride to sit 1" lower in the back.

Albertj

I believe ewolfe said the eibach springs lower the Riv more than 1", more like 2.5 or nearly 3. IIRC.

If you want to haul shit get a truck

Yes the Eibach's lower the car more that the advertised 1". The rear would be fine for me except with my wheel/tire combo it puts the rear fender close to the tires so I occasionally rubbed fully loaded on bumpy country roads. I did make a 1/2" spacer to rectify the problem. I am getting AirLift bag support ($80) which gives me the adjustable ride height when the car is fully loaded.

I do not like the progressive style springs with my style driving but they work for everyday driving. I am going fully adjustable coils next but that is $$$ since they need to be custom made.

What I would do if I wasn't already so involved is go the the spring company mentioned early in this thread, have the make them 20% firmer than stock with a 2" drop. The problem with them last time is they dod not have the factory spring ratings to go from but I think it is cleared up now. If you carry a lot of stuff in the trunk, get the Air Lift kit and you will be good...

Does cadillac sts 1995 springs fit in Buick Riviera 1996 ?

Sorry about bad english..

first, welcome to the forum! we have a few other members from over sea too.

this is a long explanation, but its all i know. eibach lowering springs for a 98 or 99 STS/SLS caddy will directly fit a 97-99 riviera. the 1996's have different front suspensions that would need to be exchanged with a front end of a newer riv to make them work.
that being said, i dont know what springs are on a 95 sts to be able to tell you if they would work. but i doubt it.
if you are just looking for replacement springs i can probably find you a list of the cars that have the same springs as the 1996 riviera. right now all i come up with are the 95-96 riv's and aurora's.

also, i am swapping my front end out with sts lower springs. i have a 96 riv and would no longer need my springs. i dont know what it would cost to ship from Florida to Finland, but if you need them they are yours + shipping. they are in good working order despite 150k miles (241k km).
Matthew

how do you remove the rear springs??

i got the spring compressor on, but even with the spring compressed almost all the way, i see no way to get the spring out. it needs to move another inch+ to clear the rubber thing in the center. there must be a way to fully drop the rear A arm. anyone who has replaced the rear springs on a riv care to chime in?
TIA

Did you disconnect the rear shock?

yes, and it didnt have any resistance holding the A arm up.

1) Did you remove adjustment link from control arm (Rear Tie Rod End)

If so, then lower the control arm until it bottoms on support assembly.
Then pry under lower spring insulator and remove spring with insulator.
Have someone jounce on bumper if necessary to free spring.
It should come right out. I didn't have any trouble and i didn't use a spring compressor nor did I have to remove the Control Arm Assembly.

Disconnect sway bar end link?

i have poly links on the sway bar, so i only unbolted it to see if it was holding tension. the bar moved and the arm didnt.

i'll return the compressor today and take another look at unbolting the arm.
thanks for the help thus far.

and here i thought the rear was going to be a piece of cake 10min job.

just to verify that we are talking about the same part here.
if i unbolt the piece in red, the whole rear suspension platform will drop low enough to wedge the spring and insulators out?

YES, that is the part i was talking about. If you do not disconnect it from the control arm, the control arm cannot travel down far enough. You will possibly need a tie-rod or ball joint fork to separate it.
Or loosen nut until it is flush with end of stud and try hitting on that end with a hammer if you don have the proper fork. DO NOT over do it though or things can get all boogered up and expensive.
I would buy an inexpensive tie rod fork at the auto parts store or sears and do it that way.

It sounds like you do not have a set of Factory Service Manuals for your 96, If not I have a set i can sell you. PM me if your interested.