Everything About Rear Springs You Need To Know
What Is Rear Springs?
The
rear coil spring suspension is a variation of the rear leaf spring suspension.
It is many times found in rear-wheel drive vehicles; the leaf springs have
simply been replaced with coil springs. Because coil springs are lighter, they
would have less unsprung weight, which would create a smoother ride. However,
the coils cannot be used to hold the axle in line and so we have to rely on
other methods. The typical rear coil spring suspension would use two lower
control arms to control wheelbase, and one or more upper control arm to control
side motion and axle rotation.
How Do Rear Springs Work?
Are you searching how do the rear
springs actually work? Then all you have to do is to have a
look below and then you will be able to understand everything.
The coil springs would essentially work by
resisting their extension or compression, and absorb mechanical energy, storing
it and later releasing it.
Extension
- The act of weighing scales would be an
example of coil springs resisting extension.
- The layers of the helix, which are the
coils of the spring would be wound together closely. Experiments have presented
that the coils’ extension to how much they can be stretched – this is
proportional to how much force would be applied in an attempt to pull them apart.
- The specific force would be directionally
proportional to the weight of the material that is being applied to the
opposite end of the coil (often with a hook) in an attempt to pull them apart.
Compression
- Utilizing springs to make car suspension
systems are an example of coil springs that would work by resisting
compression.
- These specific springs are made with a
much tougher material also. It is because they are made to absorb the shock of
the car bound to encounter when it hits, for example, a pothole.
Frequent Problems With Rear Springs
Do you want to know some frequent problems
which might start occurring in the rear springs? Take a look below to
know some frequent
problems with the rear springs:
One of the biggest signs that there are
some flaws in your coil springs is that your vehicle would droop or sag on one
side or corner. The drooping or sagging might be caused by one side of the
vehicle being repeatedly overloaded. Your car might also sway more around turns
or bounce higher than normal.
There can be some cases where you would
hear a squeak or clunk, especially over bumps. All of these signs would
indicate other suspension problems since the whole system has many components
that affect each other, so there would be a need of visual check.
Symptoms Of Bad Rear Springs
There are a few things which might cause
your rear springs to malfunction. Watch for the following symptoms
if you suspect a bad rear spring:
If there is faulty coil spring suspension
in your car, then there would surely be some noticeable symptoms that you will
experience. Now once you would recognize them for what they are, you should do
something about them immediately.
- Sagging Corners - If
there would be some flaws in your coil spring, then the corner of the vehicle
might start sagging more than the other corners. It would easily be noticeable
simply by looking at it from the outside. But when you would be driving the
vehicle, then you would have less stability from this sagging too. This issue
would cause other symptoms to get worse, like a lot of tire wear and tear.
- Bounciness - The coil springs would
keep the vehicle from shaking and bouncing as it moves. But if there would be
some faults in your coil springs, then it would not be able to prevent this
bounciness. It would mean that you would face a lot of bouncing and shaking as you
drive, especially if you drive over travel or rough road terrain.
- Uneven Wear on Tires - It is the coil springs which would keep the wheels and
tires balanced on the road. It would allow the tires to receive an equal amount
of wear and tear as they would be moving on the road. However, if you have
faulty coil springs, then your tires would not be even on the road. Once that
happens, the tire threads would get unevenly worn as well. It would cause
issues as you would be driving on the road because there will be more shakiness
and unsteadiness the faster you go.
- Rattling - In addition to the
shaking that you would experience from faulty coil springs, there would be an
annoying rattling noise coming from the suspension system too. This rattling
noise would rise in volume as you accelerate the vehicle more and drive over
rough roads. Just make sure that you should not ignore this rattling noise
because it is an early warning sign that you would require to get your coil
springs replaced.
- Warning Light - There are a lot of
latest vehicles which have warning lights for the traction system of the
vehicle. There are sensors which are built into the suspension which would keep
track of the vehicle’s stability. Whenever any unusual traction would be
detected by the sensors, then it would the warning light to illuminate on the
dashboard. You can take it as a warning sign that you need to get your coil
spring replaced immediately. You might not be able to realize the exact problem
at the time, but you would surely know it soon enough if you would experience
the other symptoms too.
Tools Needed For Rear Springs
There are a number of skilled auto mechanics which have a goal to open their own car repair shop at some point in their career. But let’s face it; if you want to put up an efficient as well as profit making shop, then you might need much more than mechanical skills. There are a number of tools which you might need to perform the car repairs quickly as well as reliably. Auto repair equipment that you will need to repair your rear springs may include:
- Coil Spring Compressor
- Jack And Jack Stands
- Replacement Springs
- Ball Joint Remover
- Pry Bar
- Basic Hand Tools
- Gloves
- Rags
Top Brands For Rear Springs
If customers trust a brand, then it would make them loyal, and if they are loyal, then they will surely buy more. We are well aware that customers want comfort, cheerfulness as well as satisfaction in their lives and that’s the reason why we offer top quality auto parts brands to our customers. We make sure to provide a positive experience to our consumers from the brands which we are offering so that they can form an opinion that a particular auto parts brand is trustworthy and would give them peace of mind while they are purchasing it for their car. Here we have listed out some top brands for rear springs.
Related Parts Of Rear Springs
It is very important to arm yourself with information before you shop any auto part. We are here to help you dive deep into the names of the rear springs related parts.
Total System Costs & Repair Times, Effort Of Rear Springs
Rear springs replacement
cost can differ wildly depending on application, the brand of the rear springs
as well as who does the work. All you have to do is to replace your faulty rear
springs with us online and then you can leave your car to the mechanic and pick
it up a few days later. Just be sure that the car mechanic is highly skilled
and has a good reputation. Sometimes the additional service level might cost
you more than what you have expected. We also recommend you to take pictures of
your car before you leave it with them so that you are sure that later on it is
returned back to you in an unharmed condition. If you want to substitute your
rear springs, then it would generally range between $353 and $426. Talking
about the work expenses, they would range between $131 and $167 and the parts
would be valued somewhere in the range of $222 and $259. The estimate does not
include the taxes as well as fees.
How To Change Rear Springs?
Do you want to change your rear springs on
your own? Then have a look at the steps of changing
the rear springs below:
Step 1
- The rear of the car should be jacked up
with a car jack on either side of the car. It would allow the front of the car
to remain on the ground, while the rear tires would be elevated. The lug nuts
should be removed from the two rear wheels and then each wheel should be slid
off the wheel studs.
Step 2
- A socket wrench should be used to remove
the top mounting nuts of the two rear struts (situated in the trunk, directly
above the strut). It would allow the rear axle to lower to the floor. You
should then crawl under the car and then the coil springs should be pulled out
of their mounting brackets.
- The new coil springs should be slid into
place and then lift the rear axle so that you can install the mounting nuts to
the top of the struts again. The rear wheels should then be reinstalled with
the lug nuts and then lower the car off of the jacks.
Warning
- You should consult with your car's
manufacturer before you start this project as many car models have rear coil
springs that are under pressure and could cause injury if not removed in the
right manner.