Tip for finding the perfect junkyard springs without guessing

1. Determine your desired spring rate.

2. Go to Moog's online spring database. Sort by spring rate.

3. Pick a few options with the right rate and installation height you desire.

4. Search for the Moog P/N in Rockauto

5. Click on the P/N for list of all vehicles with that spring. Rinse and repeat until you have a super common junkyard vehicle, like this one:

6. Search your favorite junkyard for those vehicles.

In my case, I desire a 200 lbs/in spring for the Rice Rod's rear suspension. I am limited by installed height and don't care much about travel, so shorter is better. I arrived at Moog 81057, which is only 11 inches free height and 195 lbs/in. In Rockauto, 81057 is a replacement for Jeep Liberty 2002-2007. There are 10 of those at my local junkyard.

Keep in mind, the Moog replacements aren't necessarily the same spring rate as the OEM ones. Some of them (especially ones starting with CC in the part number) are a little stiffer. The good news is, even brand new, the Moog springs are dirt cheap.

Good point. Another watch-out, there could be several P/N's for each vehicle depending on options, trim level, 4WD, etc. In my case, 81057 is for 2WD Liberty Sport. The other option for rear is about an inch taller, probably for 4WD or other trims.

In my case, that's okay because I haven't build the spring perches yet.

rslifkin wrote: Keep in mind, the Moog replacements aren't necessarily the same spring rate as the OEM ones. Some of them (especially ones starting with CC in the part number) are a little stiffer. The good news is, even brand new, the Moog springs are dirt cheap.

I bought some Ford Escort Wagon springs because they had the length, diameter, and RATE that I wanted in the catalog. (PAPER catalog, much nicer to flip through than an online catalog, got as a freebie when NAPA was pitching old books)

The springs in the box, however, were the correct free length and diameter, but the rate was significantly higher. IIRC it was like 160-170lb when I was expecting 120lb.

this thread makes me happy

Oooh, handy! You can also use it in reverse to get an idea of a car's stock spring rate - find Moog replacement springs for the car on Rockauto and put the part number into the Moog database.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

I've found sometimes the "info" button in Rockauto will give you the spring rate, but if that fails, the Moog database should do it. That frustration led me to this method.

that's pretty great

Bear in mind springs sag over time. A junkyard spring may have lost some of its height.

Appleseed wrote: Bear in mind springs sag over time. A junkyard spring may have lost some of its height.

This is theoretically true, but I don't see sagged coil springs very often. Sagged leafs are more common though.

BOO...Rock Auto only has a combo spring kit with struts and ancillaries, no spring alone. Moog doesnt list springs at all for the Cruze.

I had thoughts all yesterday and this morning about cheap lowering springs, and a custom aluminum top hat with a spherical bearing to replace the upper mount - I was going to design it to allow the damper piston to remain fully extended by making the top of the hat higher in relation to its stock position in the tower.

...hopes and dreams DASHED by the man

rslifkin wrote: The good news is, even brand new, the Moog springs are dirt cheap.

So cheap that I can't justify a drive to the junkyard, time to remove them, and then paying the junkyard prices for them. Vs a tiny bit more shipped to your door.