FAQ: Aftermarket Lowering Springs

thank you!
it worked like a charm. i went ahead and used the compressor to make it a little easier.
it didnt lower the rear any, but it may be b/c the Monroe self fill shocks are pumped up pretty high.
i also doubt i'll feel a ride difference, but i cant wait till i get the front done! just ordered some lower knuckles and hubs from morad

Anyone know of lowering springs that will work on a 95 model? Maybe an inch to two inches.

EatDirtFartDust wrote:

Anyone know of lowering springs that will work on a 95 model? Maybe an inch to two inches.

custom... there are none...

anybody still interested in a group buy? im going ahead with my buy in a day or so. my order is for a 185 lb front 250lb for the rear. with a one inch drop. at a cost of $ 286 these are for coil spring specialities.

yesterday i ordered my c.s.s springs. i bought the set for what the s.m. set goes for!bummer. but i think i have a handle on the shock set up for the rear.im sure i can figure out a bilstein pair that will fit.

robotennis61 wrote:

yesterday i ordered my c.s.s springs

Excuse my ignorance, but what are C.S.S springs?

coil spring specialties is a custom spring manufacture out of kansas. coilsprings.com

Did you figure out what our spring rates are?

yes. they are,148 f. 195 r. thats soft. i wanted to go all the way up to 250 f. to 300 r. but the guy at c.s.s. sed that might be a little too much. so i settled on 199.f 250 r. if i find that my order is still not firm enough for the riv,c.s.s sed they will swap em out for a higher spring rate set. what a deal.they know the rivs a heavy gal,and that i cart around 80 + lbs everyday in the trunk.

after speaking to a rep at strutmasters.com, they do air to non air conversions., they had idea what the spring rates were for their kit? ill call again monday to see if they have found out. seeing that they have an exact set for the 95 riv it sounds like a deal! but i wont buy a set if the springs are as soft as the oem.

Hmm, you've almost got me wishing I wasn't riding around on a new suspension

Glad to see we know spring rates now and have a place to make proper drop springs for us.

What eibach kit are you guys using on your rivs? They dont show a kit for the 95 riv, they show one for the part avenue...is it the same????

I think the caddy sts springs work for the riv, although I'm not positive about a '95 because I believe the suspension is a little different. Maybe someone with a little more knowledge will chime in to help you out.

yes I'm using the eibach pro kit made for a 1998 sts along with many others here.

97rivsc wrote:

yes I'm using the eibach pro kit made for a 1998 sts along with many others here.

now to install em'?

I just put the Eibach pro kit in my '97. I didn't need a spring compressor for the rear coils, just had to pry the black rubber seat up off the rear lower control arm and slide the whole thing out. I also didn't use the Eibach front alignment kit, it basically consists of smaller bolts for the strut-to-knuckle. I slotted the holes in the strut and used the big factory bolts.

Combined with the Monroe shocks and struts, it's exactly the ride I was looking for. I was worried about it being too stiff but it's just right.

SToP wrote:

I just put the Eibach pro kit in my '97. I didn't need a spring compressor for the rear coils, just had to pry the black rubber seat up off the rear lower control arm and slide the whole thing out. I also didn't use the Eibach front alignment kit, it basically consists of smaller bolts for the strut-to-knuckle. I slotted the holes in the strut and used the big factory bolts.

Somewhat risky, if the bolts start to loosen they can cause a wreck.

congrats. the car rides like a new beast with the eibachs on.
does yours make any noise over big bumps? my front springs sometimes sound like they are adjusting and re-seating when i hit large bumps like my driveway.
i thought about getting the zzp anti-pogo mounts to see if it made a difference, but i dont know if they will work with the riv's top mounts.
i also made have the noise dues to reusing the 96 upper isolators (dremeled out to make them fit) instead of ordering new 97+ ones. (just couldnt have the car sit on stands while they shipped)

Jack the R wrote:

Somewhat risky, if the bolts start to loosen they can cause a wreck.

Exactly why I'd rather have a bigger bolt in there - more clamping force. We only removed less than 1/8" of material so it can't shift much more than the factory slotting allowed anyway.

No new noise in the front on mine. The backs seem to click a little over bumps, though. Not sure where that comes from but I am going to recheck the top shock mounts.

update on my c.c.s springs: they miscalculated the measurments somewhat, i ordered springs all the way around with a 1" drop, but they sent me springs with stock height! im a little upset,it took a lot of work to instal them,and after i did i noticed the riv was sitting kinda proud. i figured that with some miles in her the springs might set a little and come around to the ordered measurment. no dice. i called c.c.s and they stand behind their product. so they want me to send them one each ,front and rear,stock spring,prepaid of course, so they can figure where they went wrong. when i read off the stock part numbers from the stock setup,they were confused. the numbers they had were from a 96 to 97, i guess there is a difference. anyway they are going to take care of this. to avoid delay i offerd to just go ahead and cut the fuckers but they sed that would up the rates and make the ride rock hard? ok....any way the riv looks kinda weird sittin high:) but as long as they are goin to fix it...no prob. just bruised knuckles and empty beer bottles..... but the car rides incredible! corners like a race car along with the kybs..beautiful!

far as i know the 95 and 96 have the same springs, but the change was made in 97 to a different setup.

no kiddin? well, tomorow ill send em the stockers and take it from there. it will suck when all is sed and done, and the problem is solved, that ill have to remove the wrong ones and send em back. after they send me the correct ones first of course. not the most difficult job in the world but when youre working with out a lift it becomes a real p.i.a!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-00-CADILLAC-SEVILLE-Lowering-Drop-Springs-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5ad1523314QQitemZ390058881812QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Might buy these

i dont think they will work on our cars, but buy them and see!
they say they work on the w-body cars, which have completely different setup than us. and if they work on the cars listed, then why havent we been upgrading to the agx w-body kits and such?

the 98 STS springs are the same design as 97+ rivs and aurora.

robotennis61 wrote:

update on my c.c.s springs: they miscalculated the measurments somewhat, i ordered springs all the way around with a 1" drop, but they sent me springs with stock height! im a little upset,it took a lot of work to instal them,and after i did i noticed the riv was sitting kinda proud. i figured that with some miles in her the springs might set a little and come around to the ordered measurment. no dice. i called c.c.s and they stand behind their product. so they want me to send them one each ,front and rear,stock spring,prepaid of course, so they can figure where they went wrong. when i read off the stock part numbers from the stock setup,they were confused. the numbers they had were from a 96 to 97, i guess there is a difference. anyway they are going to take care of this. to avoid delay i offerd to just go ahead and cut the fuckers but they sed that would up the rates and make the ride rock hard? ok....any way the riv looks kinda weird sittin high:) but as long as they are goin to fix it...no prob. just bruised knuckles and empty beer bottles..... but the car rides incredible! corners like a race car along with the kybs..beautiful!

You're happy with the ride? How much did they set you back?