TheSamba.com :: View topic - Purchased A used set of 85 springs to replace my carat ones.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:20 am

I just ordered these from moes in NC great guy to deal with made me a great deal. I am going to swap these out for the carat springs and get my van up a bit higher. I am probably going to need some shocks soon as Well I think. But I will be posting up my measurements before and after.Im hoping this things are a good bit stiffer than the carat springs atleast in the front.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:34 am

Are you looking to sell those Carat springs???

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:35 am

yeah once I yank them they are for sale. Im not sure how good they are they are the originals.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:39 am

Yeah.... I just want to get my van out of rollerskate mode. Bad.

Once you get 'em yanked pm me with a price.... if you want less than the Cip1 ones cost I'll snap 'em up.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:44 am

LOL I have no clue what they are running. I will check it out and see. i dont want much for them. I wont ever be using them again.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:44 am

Along the same note what is the best spring compressor to use for the job?

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:56 am

Hmmmm.. I don't know about the '91, but on my '85 it looks like spring compressors won't be necessary.

You just put a jack under the control arm and lower slowly.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:23 am

It should be the same But im not sure how you will get it back in that way.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:10 pm

Carefully.

Hheheehe... OK bad joke. But seriously, when I changed out the springs on my Impala, I just kind of got the springs seated, and then carefully jacked the control arm back up.

Where are the gurus on this one?

Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:34 pm

I did this exact same thing...replaced my '89 carat springs with '85 westy springs. The top spring is the 85' westy / The bottom is my old carat spring.

You can replace the rears without a spring compressor if you remove the outside bolt on the trailing arm. The fronts DEFINITELY need a spring compressor. I used the kind that grabs the springs on the inside of the coil. The other kind, that grabs from the outside, will not work. I spent four trips to the auto parts store before I finally figured out the right configuration. I love the extra clearance!

Front springs need to be installed with correct position (straight end of spring must be at the bottom). Rears can go in either way, there's no top or bottom with rears)

Here's my thread on ride heights
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2233777#2233777

Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:09 pm

Awsome thats what Im hoping for. I noticed the last time I ran it offroad I had some rubbing when I dropped the front tires into a hole. The little extra lift will do much better.