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Overload springs

DavidSamuels

K-Jet-Free Zone
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Location
Palmdale--Hi Desert, N of L.A.
Need to get some additional ride height in the back of a 245, but I'm told that the iPD wagon overload springs are really "trailer" stuff. Thinking of putting sedan overloads in. Anyone care to "weigh" in? I know the sedan springs give you a bunch more height....in a sedan.
 
I bought my rear overload coils for my 245 from FCPeuro and have been using them for over ten years. They raised the back of the wagon a bit maybe an inch or so. Certainly more than the lighter overload springs for a sedan would raise it.
 
My Wife's car has the ipd wagon overloads. I've been told there's a difference in load carrying ability between the sedan and wagon overloads offered by them; being the wagon holds more. Definitely helps with full trunks on trips and car loads of people. The springs have given her car some serious rake to it, which I plan on using to create a modest "lift" with. Just need to find some good "heavy duty" front springs to level it out.
 
^

I've been told the diesel front springs are significantly stiffer, since the diesel engine was heavier and all. Alternately some people have put spacers in there. Too much and you start getting geometry / alignment issues though.
 
Okay, found a bunch of stuff in the shed. My son's wagon came with overloads in the back. Took them out when we lowered it. Don't know who's, but they are 13.5mm diameter. I remember they were pretty tall, compared to the stock springs we used instead. I also just found a honking set of springs that are 15.8mm!!! Don't know what they came out of though. I don't have a set of stock wagon springs lying around to measure, both mine are on sport springs. Messaged iPD for info. As to FCP, they are no longer showing overloads that I can find. They have a spring they say was specifically designed for 240/260 and is HD for sedans and coupes, standard for wagon (chuckle). But then they have a 14mm diameter spring just for wagons. ProParts. This is interesting considering the tall overloads in my son's wagon are only 13.5. Anybody have a wire diameter on stock, wagon rear springs?
 
^

I've been told the diesel front springs are significantly stiffer, since the diesel engine was heavier and all. Alternately some people have put spacers in there. Too much and you start getting geometry / alignment issues though.


Yeah, but everyone wants an arm and a leg for something they probably got for cheap. For the price most people are wanting for them, I could get some new 14.5mm wire Lesjofors front springs shipped to my door. Which is probably what I'm going to do...as soon as I check the wire diameter of the current springs.
 
The front is definitely going to be more of a challenge, geometry considered. It's already so hard to get below positive camber on a 240 at stock height. Camber kit may be in the future of this project.
 
Anybody have a wire diameter on stock, wagon rear springs?

Wagon rear spring wire diameters varied depending on year and market. Early wagons used 12.7mm springs. Depending on which catalog you look at, later wagons used either 12.95 or 13mm springs, although the part number is the same. In some markets like Australia, wagons were equipped with 13.8mm springs.
 
I put IPD overloads with Bilstein HD's in the back of my 245 a few months ago, They raised the back about .75" and are a little stiffer but not too firm when empty. I haven't tried pulling a trailer yet but they do feel better with a load in the car.

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I bought my rear overload coils for my 245 from FCPeuro and have been using them for over ten years. They raised the back of the wagon a bit maybe an inch or so. Certainly more than the lighter overload springs for a sedan would raise it.

+1

Ran a set of these as well, and they definitely stiffened up the arse end of my 245. I believe they were 14mm wire coils.... not as stiff as the IPD brutes but still a noticeable increase above the stocker vaggen springs.
 
I have Moog overloads on my 245. It's a progressively wound overload spring. Raised it a bit - maybe 1/2-3/4". Little stiffer. Running them with "rally valved" Bilsteins and it's a good ride with improved roll resistance.

They are only $50 too, how can you go wrong :)

Edit: Rockauto says they are 14.2mm wire diameter.
 
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I have Moog overloads on my 245. It's a progressively wound overload spring. Raised it a bit - maybe 1/2-3/4". Little stiffer. Running them with "rally valved" Bilsteins and it's a good ride with improved roll resistance.

They are only $50 too, how can you go wrong :)

Edit: Rockauto says they are 14.2mm wire diameter.

+1

Bang for buck here is great, I love mine. I'm running stock-valved HDs and it's a little bouncy, how'd you get this "rally" valving you speak of?
 
I have Moog overloads on my 245. It's a progressively wound overload spring. Raised it a bit - maybe 1/2-3/4". Little stiffer. Running them with "rally valved" Bilsteins and it's a good ride with improved roll resistance.

They are only $50 too, how can you go wrong :)

Edit: Rockauto says they are 14.2mm wire diameter.

I'm looking for increased roll resistance and stock or slightly lower than stock ride height. I installed iPd 25/25 bars today but the roll is still insane. Do you think these springs with 1 coil or so cut off would stiffen this up? And how do you think they would pair with some bilstien HD's?
 
iPD responded on their springs, but not with any really good information. Sedan are 14.2 mm wire dia. They say they don't publish spring rates (??!!). Also cautioned that using either spring in the wrong model voids warranty (of course). Said that even though they are both overload, (and the sedan spring is thicker wire than stock wagon springs) the sedan springs would result in a wagon with lower than stock ride height in back. That sure doesn't sound right. Just passing along the info.
 
+1

Bang for buck here is great, I love mine. I'm running stock-valved HDs and it's a little bouncy, how'd you get this "rally" valving you speak of?

I have the Bilstein "Rally" valved struts and shocks.

34-030837 Front struts 350/150 Valving
24-022118 rear shocks 275/200 valving

They both aren't far from your typical HD price. The rears and 1 front were in stock but it took about 9 months to get the last front strut. Basically Bilstein will do a run of them once they have a few orders but I was the only order with qty:1. Eventually the wonderful customer service coordinator at AJUSA (I ordered the struts through AJ) got Bilstein to revalve a standard HD to the 34-030837 specs at no additional charge.

Rather than buying them, you can also just have standard HDs revalved to match the specs.

I'm running the front struts with 175lb coilover springs. I think I'm gonna move up to 200lb/in springs. The 200 lb/in springs were too stiff for HD struts for the rough roads I drive but
now the 175s are too soft for the rally struts. I think the HD valving is stiff to compensate for a soft stock spring.

Bilstein catalog for 240s:
http://cart.bilsteinus.com/search/mmid=97680/drivetype=RWD
 
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