Z28barnett

Steve,

I think they will refund your money if you ask them. They offered to refund mine. I am likely to take them up on it, I am waiting to see what I can find used. I have not located any other sources for 1LE front springs. I am trying to find some good used springs.

z28barnett

Z28barnett

I bought a used set of 1LE Front springs, and a NOS set of rear 1LE springs from gryhead.


The front springs I have had my hands on have the following rough dimensions.


P/N Wire Diameter Number of Coils Outside Dia. Free Length

(Stock) 22077195 .570" 9 4.59" 15.5"

(NOS) 22197228 .565" 9 4.56" 15.5"

(NOS) 22077196 .570" 10 4.58" 15.5"

(1LE) 22132561 .580" 9 4.52" 13.75"


To identify the rear 1LE springs look for a plastic spacer on a tightly wound spring coil near the top. This coil must be the progressive part of the 130-170 lb/in. It has the partnumber 22132889 it is also a good discontinued 1LE number. [http://www.gyrhead.com/special.htm]http://www.gyrhead.com/special.htm[/URL] , Has the rear spring.


To identify the 1LE front spring. Look for a spring that is shorter than stock by 1.75" and has .580 wire. I have not had my hands on the 22132887 1LE spring so I can't give you a way to identify it, but it should be similar to the 22132561.

My ride height is 28" at the front fender lip and 27 3/4" at the rear fender lip.

Ryan94ZA4

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the 96-7 Ram Air use the same spring as the 1LE? I am pretty sure it is.... From my understanding, the springs and front sway bar were the same. Fill me in a little.

Ryan

Z28barnett

Ryan,

96-99 SS used 1LE front springs. I don't know about the rear. If the 96-97 ram air was a WS6 then it is possible, but I would measure them rather than guess. 1LE front bar was 32mm. I don't think the factory put a larger one on, SLP did put a 35mm on firehawks and some of their 1LE stuff.

Check to see if the wire is .580 and that the spring is shorter than stock. That is the best way to tell.

Z28

Bersaglieri

Yea...is there even a single trustworhy place to find these things? We can get the rears from ebay, but what about fronts?

How do you like your ride? What shocks did you use or recommend?

-Dustin-

Z28barnett

Since I made so many changes, I don't know exactly what affected the ride the most.

The 17" wheels cause expansion joint harshness, but the Koni DA shocks are also much stiffer than stock valving.

All in all the ride is pretty good. If you crank up the bump or rebound on rough roads it can make the car ride like a log truck, no other changes have as much effect as the shocks on ride. Unless you have done it, this is hard to believe. The roll rate on corners is greatly reduced by the rebound setting on the front shocks. If you crank them up, the front doesn't roll at all. Feels kinda wierd, you just rotate and everything stays flat. Long sweeping turns the shocks get out of the way and the sway bars rule, but on quick corners the shocks take the sway out.

Salvage yard is about the only way to get the front springs or from somebody that took them off to lower their car.

The other option would be to go with Ground Control kits and run standard race springs at 350-400 lb/in. The real racers are running 550-600.

If you are running the rear springs, I would not run a large rear bar with them, unless you had taken the front to 35mm or larger. The back end can get loose with the 1LE 130-170 rear springs. So a 21mm rear bar is not a good idea with 1LE rear springs, infact GM did not run them together either, only the 93 1LE had the large rear bar al of the others were 19mm.

I wanted to build a 1LE and I did that. But for the best handling street car with a good ride. I would leave the springs alone and upgrade the shocks to Koni SA fronts bilstein rears or the bilstein revalves. The 35mm bar will help the front more than the springs will. Strano suggests this setup, and I think for good reason. He and I have argued about some things, but he is a straight shooter and knows suspension very well. He will give you the best advice he has, and is not just grubbing for money.

If I make any changes to my car it will be the GW upper control arms since I can't get any negative camber with the 1LE springs and the 35mm front bar.

Good luck

Z28

Bersaglieri

Hmm, so your saying some shocks would better benefit the car than some 1LE springs and matching shocks. Here is my delema. I have LT's and cant lower, so 1LE is one of the few options to take. I figured good shocks would help but stiffer springs would be better with matched shocks. I am not overly concerned with ride quality, although my G/F does ride in the car. I just want the car to handle strong in the curves of my country area, yet not drag the LT's and ride like some ricer mobile.

Thanks though...I might have to call a few junk yards today...what do 1LE fronts look like and how much is a fair price?

-Dustin-

Z28barnett

Shocks will make more difference, if you get good ones, than springs will. Koni and bilstein are the two best choices. The Z28 has enough spring but is short swaybar and shocks.

With The ground control coilovers you can set the car to stock ride height and use any spring you want, so no problem with the car being too low unless you want that.

For you your other questions see Post #17.

A common salvage yard will have no idea about what you are talking about when you mention 1LE springs.

Z28

Bersaglieri

Alright then, once again it looks like HD springs for me. Thanks man, I'll start saving.

-Dustin-

Bow94z

Remember Shoebox has a website where you can get (4) HD bilsteins for like 330$ or something, hopefully he'll chime in with the site

Bersaglieri

I think I saw it somewhere, like bimmerparts or something.

-Dustin-

Z28barnett

Is that a typo?

If you are taking my advice, you would be saving for shocks not springs.

HD bilstein is one option.

Z28

camaros4ever

Hi,
I have a set of 1LE front springs from a '98 SS that I parted out, also have the HD bilstein struts but I manged to break one so if any one wants the springs I will throw the struts in for free if you can do anything with them.

I believe the rear springs someone had changed or something becuase they had no SLP stamping like the fronts did.
LMK if anyone wants them.

Bersaglieri

I am very interested in the 1LE springs if they are the real deal! PM me a price. If you want to figure shipping too, 44460. Maybe I can find a set of fronts! If the rears are 1LE I'd take them too..let me know. I'd also like pics to verify that they are 1LE's, but I am sure Z28barnett would like to see pics too. Ladiesman@cutey.com How many miles on them? Thanks!

Yea it was a typo, I meant shocks, lol.

-Dustin-

Z28barnett

If they have SLP stamping they are not 1LE.

1LE springs are just plain black paint.

SLP had some other spring kits they put on some SS.

Z28