S series coil springs
 

Anyone have and experience with moog cargo springs on the s series? Curious about ride quality.

Thanks

Hey spasm3, what are your concerns about ride quality? Why "cargo springs" are you hauling a heavy load? S cars are not that heavy, the springs usually don't ware out. However, the typical factory OEM struts do wear out around 100,000 miles or so. If you are concerned about ride quality, I would invest in a good pair of Monroe Sensa-Trac Struts. If you buy the quick-struts, they come with new springs and mount plate, easy for do-it-yourself. If you just buy just the struts, and use your old springs, make sure you replace the strut mounts as well, they wear out long before the strut does...but you will need a strut spring compressor! Never remove the nut at the top center of the strut, without a strut compressor...the spring is under high pressure, or "loaded" and will fly apart damaging anything in it's path. Even with a spring compressor, it is best to have some experience, not a job for the do-it-your-selfer's. If you are doing this yourself, to save some money, go with the quick struts...sold as an assembly, no special tools needed. If your struts have over 100K miles, you will be impressed by the improvement with the Monroe Sensa-Trac. Monroe also makes a less expensive option, but for 20 or 30 bucks more, why not get the best! My 93' SC1 drives and handles better than new! You won't believe the difference...

Thanks for the monroe suggestion. I've done tons of struts. I have my own spring compressors. I was just curious about the moog springs. Don't carry heavy loads.
I'm going to replace the sub frame on my sons saturn( its tweaked and bent). I was just curious if anyone had tried the variable rate coils on an s series.
I have the kyb struts on the car now and it handles well but rides a bit stiff.
I have 15 inch geartooth wheels on it from an older 93 i once had. That might be part of the stiff ride as well.

Alpha,

Many a Saturn owner (myself included) have had issues with Monroe strut mounting hardware. For me, it's what I assume to be either tapered threads or a self-locking lock nut that gets harder and harder to tighten as you get the nut down closer to where it needs to be. The rears on s cars are nasty because they are located under the rear deck, forward of the base of the rear window.

So you're building a u joint + short extension + small enough ratchet to get in there (because you're a DIY er and don't own wobble sockets) and you're putting these nuts onto the posts, and the first 5 or so turns convince you you are not cross threading it, and after that it's murder and apprehension because you swear you're exerting enough torque to twist those posts right off---yet they do not twist off.

It just gets harder and harder to tighten, your tools slip b/c they're not Snap-On, and you're just waiting for it to twist off.

Saturn mounts spin right on, torque to spec, done. However, overtorque = snap....

What gives?

I'm sure you're right Derf, I have done a tone of struts myself, but the only lock nut I use is the one center strut to mount plate. I use regular nuts with lock washers for the mount plate to tower. Sometimes those lock nuts will pull the threads, and compromise the integrity of the mount to strut tower rigidity. I just have a thing with lock nuts anyway, especially in tight places. LOL!

I think you might have misunderstood my question/statement; I know I did not cross thread 6 of 6 nuts when I put in my rear struts; the nuts went on fine for 5 turns, then became harder to turn.

Is this by design on Monroe's part, or were the mounts/mounting posts defective (and they ship with regular nuts from the factory)?

I'm not sure Derf, when I said "pull threads" I didn't mean cross thread. Lock nuts used to come with a plastic ring on the top of the nut, now days, the nuts are stamped at the top, or smashed at the top causing the top of the nut to be oval instead of round. I have seen these oval lock nuts actually stretch the thread, pulling them apart a little...very difficult to get back off too, but I think it's by design of the nut, not the mount stud. I haven't experienced that problem since I started throwing away the new lock nuts, and use regular nuts and lock washers from our bolt bin. I doubt the studs are tapered, the regular nuts go all the way down just fine, but maybe with impacts and air ratchets...I never noticed it with the front struts. With the back one's, can't tell how close you are to bottoming out with a socket, so not sure there either. Next time, I will pay closer attention, and see if I can't give you a definite answer. Going to do rears on my SC1 in a few months, but if I do anything else in the meantime with Monroe mounts, I'll get back to you..

Thanks -- the key part of your answer being "I have no issues since I throw out the original nuts and......"

If the car came with 15" wheels, it should not effect the ride, but a low profile tire will most certainly give you a stiffer feel because the sidewall is what absorbs road shock first, then the strut. The taller the tire...the smoother the ride. Low profile tires will beat you to death, and feel every crack and bump in the road...Great for performance cornering, not so much for ride quality or "touring." Touring tires are designed for the best quality...(road noise, softness, fuel mileage) available for people who do a lot of traveling. Not sure about the KYB struts, if they are designed for performance, they will be stiffer than a typical OEM strut.

the kyb gr2's that many people use on these cars are the same spring rate as OEM for the rear, but 30% stiffer than OEM in the front --- hence the "rides stiff" part

ahh so thats it. Perhaps kyb on the rear and monroe on the front would be interesting.

Interesting! I have seen the "Lock nuts" that appeared smashed. Never gave them too much thought to be honest, so I will try to remember this if it comes up again. As much as I am a DYI person, it has registered with me as time passes that what ever is going on in the shock absorber world, reliability beats the heck out of what it used to be. Shocks at best has a life span that was rarely more than 20,000 miles and then the car gets floaty. Struts seem to go on forever. I have not replaced a shock or a strut on my 94 and it appears to be pretty much fine. The car itself has almost no body flex and it's road manners are more than adequate at 100,000 miles. The same with my Chrysler T&C which is bigger and heavier and should float around if the struts or shocks are bad and it doesn't.
As to stiff rides, my S series Saturn has always been stiff. The Chrysler for example less so, but a change to 17 inch wheels and the appropriate sized tire to match the diameter to the originals ended with a low profile tire, and it does not absorb hardly any road shock. Even my old AMC cars do not get floaty at 50,000 miles. My memory, obviously older than dirt, can remember them bobbing up and down when getting to a stoplight and hardly quitting before the light changed.
Something is actually a whole bunch better these days.
I have changed struts before, I just can not remember now what it was on? I guess I am getting old and having extended senior moments. I just remember dealing with springs were really rather sporty when changing them and I an older spring compressor in my tools. I wonder what I used it on?