BDR Rear springs

[NorCal Cobra]

Surprisingly, my BDR came from the factory with race springs. They are too stiff for city streets, so Backdraft sent me new softer springs. Has anyone ever changed their rear springs?

I'm guessing I probably need a spring compressor. Anyone have a step by step procedure?

Thanks

[Blittleton]

NorCal,

You will not need a spring compressor. Jack the car up, take the rear wheels off. put a floor jack under the hub assy where the shock absorber is connected. disconnect the shock absorber at the lower end connected to the hub assy. lower the floor jack down, no large amounts of pressure here. You may remove them now, or you may have to loosen the fwd trailing arm where it connects to the frame (where you adjust the toe of your wheels) The springs are now resting, not in a sprung condition.

Bill

[Speedysnake]

NorCal,

I believe you can remove the springs by unhooking the shocks and the sway bar. Then back off on the ride height adjustment. I learned this while replacing my shocks. Support the lower suspension to remove shocks & sway bar, then record dimension on ride height adj. before moving it.

[NorCal Cobra]

Thank you very much Bill and Speedy!!!!!

Greatly appreciate the help.

Mike

[Blittleton]

Mike,

Do you want to sell those springs?

Bill

[NorCal Cobra]

Bill,

When I take them off (may be a week or two), I will give you the springs for free if you pay the shipping!!!

Do you sell new Header --> Sidepipe gaskets?

Thanks again for your help.

Mike

[Trueoo7]

Be careful what you wish for.... I went the other way due to the car bottoming out from the softer springs. Works much better now with the stiffer springs.
It is actually quite easy to change them out, no spring compressor needed. Check out this thread
Rear Spring Swap?
Of any of the jobs I've done to my car this one had to be the easiest.
Try and watch though because the springs sit down inside the holder a bit and sometimes when the car hits a bump and they compress the side of the coil will scrape on the side of the holder in which case all you have to do is rotate the spring about 90 deg.
Also the new springs that work now are at least 17mm thick (17.50 depending on the thickness of the paint) so keep that in mind. Not sure what my softer springs were but definetly less than that.

[NorCal Cobra]

Hey True,

The race springs appear to be considerably shorter than the stock springs. I have my currnet springs (race) adjusted to the last thread and still have minor tire rub issues. I realize the stock springs are softer and will have more flex and travel, but I was told by the factory that with stock springs should raise the car enough to eliminate rub and bottoming out.

570HP/565TQ doesn't help matters either!!!!

[cbreez]

do you have the height and wire diameter (and/or color?) of the "stock" and "race" springs?
thx, cbreez

[Speedysnake]

I have the 17 mm springs. (midrange?) When I replaced the OEM shocks with Bilstein gas shocks I improved both traction and ride.

[rocket7171]

Hey speedysnake,
You got a part number for those shocks?
tom

[Trueoo7]

Nor Cal
I just measured my old softer springs and they are about 9 7/8" - 10" high if that helps also they are 15mm thick. When you say you have them adjusted to the last thread I'm assuming you mean all the way up to the top of the threaded post. With the softer springs I had mine adjusted all the way down the threaded post almost to the point I was worried they might come off and that didn't stop it from bottoming out. So while in theory it may raise the car you also have softer springs which bring the car back down. When I put the new ones on I screwed the spanner nut up 7 full revolutions as a starting point and put everything back together which turned out to be the perfect height. That is where they stayed, I lucked out. No more adjustment needed.

[Speedysnake]

The P/N is B46-0034-HD. They fit a 1969 VW Beetle. The lower mounting sleeve is too long & needed to be cut, but they worked out great.