I just got replacement coil spring sets for my 70 Cutlass S – nothing exotic, just stock replacements from Moog. The Chassis Service Manual makes reference to “low range” and “high range” springs, with “low range” springs used on the RH side and “high range” springs used on the LH side. The springs I received don’t specify any range or side, just two fronts and two rears. I’m assuming that the LH/RH range difference is not significant and that using the same spring on both sides will not adversely affect handling or ride height? Anyone have a different experience with their aftermarket coil springs?

FWIW, I’m not looking for any special handling characteristics or ride height changes, I just wanted to replace the 40+ year old springs along with the shocks and bushings as part of a complete suspension refurbish.

 

Interesting! I have not seen a separate L and R spring spec in the'72 manuals. My service manual makes no metion of this and the assy manual states L and R gets the same spring code.
Wonder if it is a 70 only thing?
I will be doing my front end soon with Moog springs and parts and not worry about L vs. R.

 

I just changed springs in the front of my 72. No difference left vs right. Just be sure to align the bases correctly.
I suspect there may have been a slightly taller or higher rate spring on the left in some mdels/years to compensate for steering gear, brakes, etc on the drivers side of the car.

 

Along with the driver, especially on non-A/C cars... Would make sense.

 

I put Moogs on mine about four years ago and one had a paper tag on it denoting what side it went on , don't remember left or right. There was a slip in the box that said to to use whatever it was for that side.

AC cars always used to take two different front springs, maybe not anymore.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I found a note with the spring usage tables in the Assembly Manual that reads "when both spring ranges are not available, use same range spring on both sides of car." My springs came with no tags or instructions but the boxes were labeled as "matched set", so I'll take that as "same range" and not worry about sides.

I wonder if those pricey springs you can get from Fusick or Supercars Unlimited account for this high/low range thing. Maybe that's why they're more expensive?

 

Just looked at my boks o' springs and found nothing that indicates one is different than the other. In fact there were not any installation instructions either (as if they would be helpful anyways...)

 

It shouldn't surprise you that the aftermarket has consolidated the factory's many part numbers into just a few.

As for the ranges, if I remember correctly, most applications used the same part number spring on both sides of the car. But the ride height of the car could be fine-tuned by installing the heavier spring on the heavier side of the car. My presumption is that when the springs were checked for quality control by their manufacturer, they were sorted into high- and low-range. It wasn't a big deal if both springs were identical; but you wouldn't want the light spring on the heavy side of the car. The Feds had some tight restrictions on ride height.