Crack in suspension spring

[Bluemill]

I have a longitudinal crack right down the middle of my "popsicle stick" front fiberglass spring that I discovered the last time I changed the oil. The car seems to ride well, and aside the usual c5 bumping the nose pulling into driveways and parking lots because of the overhang, I don't thing I'm riding too low. The spring is still in one piece, but the crack is pretty deep in most of its length.

Is this Corvette abuse? Or is this a hazardous situation?

Can an advanced shade tree guy with a compressor, good tools and a garage do this or should I bring this to a pro?

Thanks,
Bluemill

[vettex2]

it needs to be changed
not real hard to do

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
Are you sure its a crack and not flow marks from the resin injection?
If so, how long is the crack??
Allthebest, c4c5

[Bluemill]

But I'd say it's at least 2 feet long, and I don't think it's coloration that's fooling me. I'll take precise measurements, length and depth of the crack. My Chevy parts guy (who is a hoot!) says from the VIN that I have a soft ride, non-real time damping spring. This figures I'm guessing, because I do not have the Z-51 (?) suspension, just plain old stock which is fine with me, and it would appear that the parts are cheaper for this spec. Car is a blue 2000 coupe, 6 speed.

Also, I saw that Corvette America carried a non-RTD spring at $350.

Thanks again for your expert guidance!

Bluemill

[vettex2]

get Z51 springs

[Bluemill]

There is a crack running on the bottom of the spring, 3/4" form the rear edge, starting at or under the pass. side "strap" bracket. It runs longitudinally and through the side strap on the drivers side, and goes beyond the strap by about 2.5". In this same area it looks like there are two very superficial cracks, each parallel to the first, about 3/8" apart, but not deep.

I took a thin plastic pocket calendar, as thick as a playing card, and stuck this in the crack to check for depth and direction. About 6" from the pass. side strap, the card slid all the way through, just going through the corner of the back edge of the spring, about 1/8" from the bottom edge. In other words, although it looked pretty serious at first, it would appear that the main crack although long, almost exactly 24," it's not deep and going through the main "meat" of the composite, it's more nipping at the edges. It's sort of like a layer of powdercoating has separtated a bit, just in one spot, and in the other areas of the crack, it goes in an 1/8th, starts to turn to the back edge, and stops.

I'd say it's OK, but you guys are the experts.

[LLC5]

Unless you can post some quality pictures, you may want to take it to reputable frame and alignment shop and get their opinion. Not something you want to take a chance on if there is a problem.

[Bluemill]

I wondered if anybody thinks that this is a non-issue by the sounds of the size of the cracks I described above.

Bluemill

[JBsZ06]

This is certainly outside my field of expertise but I'd suggest replacement if the spring is damaged outside of GM spec.

I've never looked at the spring underneath these cars. Do any of them have cracks?

I've seen a ton of guys go for new Z51 or Z06 springs over the years for performance...

Maybe if you posted on the busy corvette forum for base front spring you could get it for very little money. They may have it laying in the basement.

Also you could contact LG in Texas as he does coil over conversions at his shop...

He might have a base spring laying around that he might let go cheap...

I'd suggest an owner first just so you'll know its a base spring vs. Z51 spring..

You probably don't want z51 up front and base spring out back? just to keep it in balance?

If you have the time before you fix it which it sounds like you might? I'd throw a few WTB posts and see what you get.

The springs overall are very stout. Your crack sounds like an anomoly if you ask me....so consider the used path for the part.

This is the first I've ever read of something like this on any of the forums..

HTH

JB

[Bluemill]

I haven't posted pictures of parts up close before, so bear with me, but this is what it looks like. Also, I'm totally buffaloed about the barcode # and the number that's embossed in the spring itself, because neither one correlates with what the parts man gave me, 15233397, while the one of the numbers he printed out 22178748 comes close to the barcode number 22178728.

Again, my ride height is fine, and the ride is comfortable.......but is it safe?