# I can't find front coil springs..help



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

I tried all day calling everywhere for front coil springs(88 nissan pulsar 1.8)...are these things rare or something?..Napa didn't even have them and they weren't even in their parts book, tirerack.com didn't have em..even tried the junk yards...where can I get these suckers???...Nissan dealer wanted 100 a piece for em(he said if he can even get them)..

Dave


----------



## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

You looking for just springs or the whole strut/sring package? I can't help ya with finding stock springs but there's lowering springs all over ebay...


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

HERE's a set of dropzone springs for a B12/KN13. I remember a while back someone else was looking for stock B12/KN13 front springs. Had a helluva time. Try searching and see what you come up with.


----------



## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

(feel so retarded asking)so I guess the springs themselves are interchangeable between the B12/B13-> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2472422587&category=33586


----------



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

I want stock springs, not lowering springs..I'm going to be driving the car during the winter and I need as much height as can get(they don't plow the roads too well up here)..by the way I tried searching the net and all I found was one junk yard in Arizon that had one spring(probably worse than the one I have now)..I'm not paying 200 bucks for stinkin dealer springs, if worse comes to worse I'll buy those JC Whitney gadgets that look like little spring compressors but they expand the spring rather than contract and you leave them there permanently..

Dave


----------



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

I really don't appreciate having my post moved to a much less frequented area, the moderator is getting a bit too picky with this moving crap...I need a wide audience to help me find this #@$# part, I was just screwed over...


----------



## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

Maybe these then??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...tem=2473038974&category=33586&sspagename=WDVW 
It says adjustable from 0" drop to 4" drop, and if the B13 springs will swap with the B12 springs(I would think they should) then these should work?


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

minute rice sentra said:


> Maybe these then??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...tem=2473038974&category=33586&sspagename=WDVW
> It says adjustable from 0" drop to 4" drop, and if the B13 springs will swap with the B12 springs(I would think they should) then these should work?


that might work. leave it stock height. And those spring compressor thingys scare me for raising height. I have them on the front of my chevy for a near 2"lower, almsot scare me for lowering too.


And yes, the moderators sometimes suck. See, this is a specific model part that i'm sure no one else can help with. Silvias, maximas, pickups, etc have completely different parts. While i understand there is a category for this, it is not a general discussion...it is MODEL SPECIFIC. Otherwise you wouldn't have posts for different models and engines, you'd just have a place for engines, then one for exhaust. You'd have all these people talking about many different cars and can't help each other. pretty soon we'll have a seperate place to talk just about interior parts...who cares if there is a difference between a 1990 hardbody bench and an 87 pulsar bucket. 


Thats my soapbox speech for year :givebeer:


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Bugalou said:


> I really don't appreciate having my post moved to a much less frequented area, the moderator is getting a bit too picky with this moving crap...I need a wide audience to help me find this #@$# part, I was just screwed over...


What makes you think that you won't get your answer if your post is in the Suspension & Brakes section?

Did you check out car-part.com? They seem to have a very decent number of listings for B12 Pulsar springs. They're all in the $35~$65 range too. If not, use the B13 front strut assembly (with springs) for both your fronts. Those are pretty easy to find and they will fit.

Whatever you do, please don't use the dropzone coilovers. You will need to replace the dampers just to keep them from blowing out from the increased spring rates, and if you put them on the front and not the rear, you will get a bouncy, understeering ride with jarry steering feedback. And of course, this is without getting into the crappy coilover posts that you can find all over this section.

As for the moderators screwing you over, they have not. If they feel that the post will get more viewings from people who can get them an answer, they will move it to that section regardless of the fact that it was posted in the appropriate section. Chimmike did exactly that a few days ago with a spring rate question.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

ReVerm said:


> What makes you think that you won't get your answer if your post is in the Suspension & Brakes section?
> 
> Did you check out car-part.com? They seem to have a very decent number of listings for B12 Pulsar springs. They're all in the $35~$65 range too. If not, use the B13 front strut assembly (with springs) for both your fronts. Those are pretty easy to find and they will fit.
> 
> ...


car-part.com is junkyard springs. While when desperate i'm sure they're ok...but if i was in Bugalou's shoes i'd be looking for reliable quality, not used cheapness. And I didnt' realize minute was referring to dropzone springs...they're ricey and unsafe. Ground control is really only good adjustable.


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

Bugalou said:


> I really don't appreciate having my post moved to a much less frequented area, the moderator is getting a bit too picky with this moving crap...I need a wide audience to help me find this #@$# part, I was just screwed over...



Seems like whoever is doing the moving has a thing for threads about springs. boost_boy had his spring thread moved. Basically the end of that thread. Perhaps the one moving the posts doesn't realize that B12 owners need help from their own community to get support for their cars. Once B12 related threads get moved outside our forum they get lost or filled with useless information. Mainly because the B12 community is pretty small we're outnumbered by B14 owners that can't really offer any help. Why stop at spring threads? Why not move all the brake related threads?


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

Myetball said:


> Seems like whoever is doing the moving has a thing for threads about springs. boost_boy had his spring thread moved. Basically the end of that thread. Perhaps the one moving the posts doesn't realize that B12 owners need help from their own community to get support for their cars. Once B12 related threads get moved outside our forum they get lost or filled with useless information. Mainly because the B12 community is pretty small we're outnumbered by B14 owners that can't really offer any help. Why stop at spring threads? Why not move all the brake related threads?



Thanks Myet Besides, last i checked springs are a chassis part aren't they?? and we aren't talking about aftermarket in this post so why should it be moved at all?


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Gsolo said:


> Thanks Myet Besides, last i checked springs are a chassis part aren't they?? and we aren't talking about aftermarket in this post so why should it be moved at all?


The suspension & brakes section isn't just for questions about aftermarket parts. They're for general suspension & brakes questions. Also, springs are suspension parts, not chassis parts. Chassis in a car refers to the sprung body of the vehicle.

Salvage yards on car-part.com only sell still-good used parts. If they are broken, mangled, or warped, you can usually return them/exchange them at the individual scrap yards. If they won't let you (shouldn't be a problem, since I've never seen an as-is, no warranty recycler on there), you complain to car-part.com to have them removed. At this point, there is also very little point in going with one new spring rather than one used one. The three other ones are certainly not new, and since four new springs are not going on, replacing that one spring will unbalance the wear at best (unbalance the car at worst). If you're worried about the mileage on the springs, ask the recyclers. All of them keep computerized inventories so they can tell you exactly how many miles the car it came off of had.


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Myetball said:


> Once B12 related threads get moved outside our forum they get lost or filled with useless information. Mainly because the B12 community is pretty small we're outnumbered by B14 owners that can't really offer any help. Why stop at spring threads? Why not move all the brake related threads?


The Suspension & Brakes section is also populated by a number of B13 owners, who have brakes and suspension parts which in general interchange into the B12 chassis (in general because you can't just go swap the B13 calipers into a B12 without changing the discs. It'll fit, but you'll screw up your brakes). B12 owners therefore have absolutely no valid reason to not look at the Suspension & Brakes section. 

Owners of cars like the old R chassis Skyline and Skyline GTR, which are popular but not common in this community AND have next to no parts interchangability with the other cars here have a slightly better excuse for not posting everything in the Suspension & Brakes section. And as you can see, even they visit this forum regardless of that fact.


----------



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

Ok..I tried car-parts.com and located a couple of junk yards that had them...The first one I called was a place in South Carolina but wouldn't take the spring out of the struts...The second place was in Indiana and he said he would but one thing bugs me..How do I know I'm getting a worse spring than I have now?..Its a pain in the ass putting these things on and I really don't feel like taking my car apart again if their sh&t...He said he would take a look at them to make sure their good and call me tomorrow...how the hell can you tell a spring is good by looking at it???..the only way I know of is if their still in the car with the engine still in and see how high the car sits...He said their not in the car but their still in the struts??...now if he says they "look" good, should I get or should I just go to plan B and get some bolt on spring stretcher thingees..If they happen to let loose the car will only drop unlike using them to lower the spring where if they let loose the front will shoot in the air possibly pulling the tires off the road...
By the way the yard wants 35 bucks a spring plus ship
Dave


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Bugalou said:


> Ok..I tried car-parts.com and located a couple of junk yards that had them...The first one I called was a place in South Carolina but wouldn't take the spring out of the struts...The second place was in Indiana and he said he would but one thing bugs me..How do I know I'm getting a worse spring than I have now?..Its a pain in the ass putting these things on and I really don't feel like taking my car apart again if their sh&t...He said he would take a look at them to make sure their good and call me tomorrow...how the hell can you tell a spring is good by looking at it???..the only way I know of is if their still in the car with the engine still in and see how high the car sits...He said their not in the car but their still in the struts??...now if he says they "look" good, should I get or should I just go to plan B and get some bolt on spring stretcher thingees..If they happen to let loose the car will only drop unlike using them to lower the spring where if they let loose the front will shoot in the air possibly pulling the tires off the road...
> By the way the yard wants 35 bucks a spring plus ship
> Dave


Springs can be load and compression tested on a bench. Same thing with dampers. Basically it's the same thing as bouncing the car, checking the free height, and checking the compressed height with the spring on the car. They put similar loads on it and test.

Forget the guy who won't ship the spring without the damper. If they don't have a spring compressor or are too lazy to take it out, they certainly aren't going to give them anything more than the once-over. Besides, it's best to ship that kind of thing disassembled to prevent damage to it and anything around it.

As for what you can tell by visual inspection, you can check scouring, scratching (places where stress points might emerge), deep rust (most salvage yard stuff from outdoor yards have some degree of corrosion/rust/dirt on them. Just scrub it off with steel wool and spray it over with WD40 if you want it all off), and fitment. They also might test it with a spring compressor or a crude compressor just to make sure it isn't sagging or dead, but that's basically what a spring that "looks" good is like.

For 35, I'd say it's worth a shot. Make sure he has a warranty before you buy, so you can ship it right back to him if you don't like what you get. Don't bother with spring stretchers. They just increase the stress on the spring on rebound, increasing the potential for (rather catastrophic) failure.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

ReVerm said:


> Don't bother with spring stretchers. They just increase the stress on the spring on rebound, increasing the potential for (rather catastrophic) failure.


usually its very unpleasant when (and if) they let go


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

If you're up for some cutting and you can only find used springs, I'd say go with some M10 Stanza wagon springs. They are the same diameter as the B12/KN13 springs but a bit thicker. I got the info from blownb310's e-series modification lists sticky on the E/CA section. The info was for a B11 but will also work for a B12 since all the coil springs are the same diameter. In fact, B11 and B12 upper strut mounts are the same part number. To work on a B11 you'd have to cut 1.5 coils off the M10 springs, not sure how much you'd have to cut for the KN13.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

Myetball said:


> not sure how much you'd have to cut for the KN13.


i've thought about trying it...i might when i part out my stanza wagon. i'll let you know how much has to be cut if i do it.


----------



## nastynissan (Jan 26, 2003)

Ive got a set of b12/pulsar/sentra springs in the basement... Gimme $25+ shipping and their yours..


----------



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

Would they fit my 88 pulsar with the 1.8 engine, what did they come out of?...I'm interested if they would fit

Dave


----------



## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

i wouldn't buy springs from car-part.com. I'm fussy, I have new trw springs and I don't think they match the rates very well. I might put them back on now that i have the spiffy koni specials.


----------



## nastynissan (Jan 26, 2003)

Bugalou said:


> Would they fit my 88 pulsar with the 1.8 engine, what did they come out of?...I'm interested if they would fit
> Dave


They should fit... They came off an 88 sentra 1.6... they had 120-150,000mi. on them.. Not certain as it was a JY car.(blown motor). I could get you some B13 springs for bout $50 + shipping... Just gota go pull them..


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Myetball said:


> To work on a B11 you'd have to cut 1.5 coils off the M10 springs, not sure how much you'd have to cut for the KN13.


Now what are the rates before and after you cut them?


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

ReVerm said:


> Now what are the rates before and after you cut them?


i doubt any of us can measure that. The stanza wagon spring though is stiffer. When you cut the spring you can get the original ride height, but stiffer so it doesn't sag so easily. i dont remember who it was but someone figured it out for rally :thumbup:


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Gsolo said:


> i doubt any of us can measure that. The stanza wagon spring though is stiffer.


My point precisely. When you cut springs, their spring rates shoot up, not down. Try it with a small physics lab spring and a light weight. If our man does something like that he's going to be looking for new dampers soon.

Cut springs are NOT an option unless you know EXACTLY what you're doing... and have the money to spend on better dampers.


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

It is an option and it has been done. Originally it was done by a member for an autocross suspension upgrade to a B11. He used Stanza struts which will fit nicely on a B11/12 with only the addition of a spacer for the lower mount.

For those that don't own B12's you should know that it's nearly impossible to find OEM front springs other than at the dealer. The Stanza spring swap is a very doable upgrade and does not require a degree in rocket science to accomplish. However, it should be done with a Stanza strut conversion as the B12/KN13 struts probably won't handle the spring return well.


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Myetball said:


> It is an option and it has been done. Originally it was done by a member for an autocross suspension upgrade to a B11. He used Stanza struts which will fit nicely on a B11/12 with only the addition of a spacer for the lower mount.
> 
> For those that don't own B12's you should know that it's nearly impossible to find OEM front springs other than at the dealer. The Stanza spring swap is a very doable upgrade and does not require a degree in rocket science to accomplish. However, it should be done with a Stanza strut conversion as the B12/KN13 struts probably won't handle the spring return well.


It's not a question of whether it can be done, it's a question of how the damping characteristics of the car will be affected when it's done. If that member had measured the spring rates and damping rates and found that the OE Stazna equipment could handle (handle being have the right damping characteristics, not "not blowing out after 4 months") the increased rates, there are few issues with that. If not, it is NOT an option. You can't take those kinds of risks on the street, especially in areas with snowy/icy winters like where Bugalou lives.

I am not trying to say that cutting springs is dangerous in all given situations. It _can_ be relatively safe and effective in very limited situations where the person doing it has taken precise measurements and understands how the increased stress will affect the spring, the strut, and the chassis. I'm just saying that this is not an option for someone like Bugalou, who needs stock springs, stock ride, and stock handling characteristics.


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

Well, I guess we got a NASA engineer here trying to scare everybody with technical talk. There really isn't that much difference between the Stanza and Sentra. Utilizing the Stanza struts with springs is not going to create a dangerous situation for anyone. 

Unless you've actually done it and can give us some cold hard facts that this would be dangerous I'd appreciate it if you would stick to discussions on your own model vehicle.

Really a shithead thing to do to put a B.S. comment on my reputation when you are really just talking out your ass. You have no experience with this modification and have no business saying it would be dangerous.

THIS IS WHY B11/12 POSTS SHOULD BE KEPT WITHIN OUR FORUM. WE GET KNOW IT ALL IDIOTS THAT DON'T KNOW IT ALL CLOUDING THE ISSUE.

I'm going to unsubscribe this thread, it would be pointless to continue this discussion further. I'm sure you'll have a wonderfull comeback but I'll never see it.


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Myetball said:


> Well, I guess we got a NASA engineer here trying to scare everybody with technical talk. There really isn't that much difference between the Stanza and Sentra. Utilizing the Stanza struts with springs is not going to create a dangerous situation for anyone.
> 
> Unless you've actually done it and can give us some cold hard facts that this would be dangerous I'd appreciate it if you would stick to discussions on your own model vehicle.
> 
> ...


I am not saying that directly swapping in Stanza struts/springs into a B12 Sentra is dangerous. I'm trying to say that doing so AND cutting the Stanza springs is stupid IF you don't know what you're doing.

Talking out my ass? This stuff is so elementary that anyone could learn this just by picking up a college level physics book. Do you want cold, hard facts regarding what happens to spring rates when you cut coils off of springs? Or do you want me to actually go out and measure the equipment and handling on a B12? Either way it isn't a problem. It's not like I haven't done either before, like you claim. 

It all comes down to this. You're advocating cutting of springs, which has great potential to be extremely dangerous unless you know precisely what you are doing. If you can give us the numbers to show exactly how the springs and dampers are affected by cutting the springs, then it would be appropriate to reccomend it as an option to others with a caveat. If you can produce those numbers, none of this would be issues. However, you have not done so, yet you insist on reccomending it as a viable option to another member, who is looking for a fix for stock replacements. I find that extremely irresponsible and dangerous.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

*Next post that goes to a different thread i'm going to raise fucking hell cause this is all bullshit*. ReVerm you have no idea so just shut up. We aren't talking about cutting hte stock springs, we're talking about cutting beefier springs so that they match the B12 but they stiffen the suspension. How do you feel about aftermarket springs?? what if i wanted to put 200in/lb up front and 300in/lb out back?? you going to yell at me cause its not stock?? this has been tried and tested it works. So what if there are no nubmers...its been done, it worked, its safe. I wouldn't suggest this if it was unsafe. And i dont agree with cutting springs either...but this is a different situation. If he doesn't want to do this he doesn't have too....but it'll help in the snow too...if anything you could even raise the car with this setup depending on how much you cut. 

Bugalou and everyone else later down the road, post in the model forum and insist it stay there, one way or another. I'm tired of posts being moved and not correctly answered, or answered with BS, or even not answered at all.


----------



## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

I looked on partsamerica, they don't have a listing, so that means it's the dealer or oem-surplus.com nobody mentioned that one. the dealer should be able to get them since that would be your only option for exact oem ones. The dealer was able to order springs for my 83, so an 88 model should be no harder to find.


----------



## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Gsolo said:


> *Next post that goes to a different thread i'm going to raise fucking hell cause this is all bullshit*. ReVerm you have no idea so just shut up. We aren't talking about cutting hte stock springs, we're talking about cutting beefier springs so that they match the B12 but they stiffen the suspension. How do you feel about aftermarket springs?? what if i wanted to put 200in/lb up front and 300in/lb out back?? you going to yell at me cause its not stock?? this has been tried and tested it works. So what if there are no nubmers...its been done, it worked, its safe. I wouldn't suggest this if it was unsafe. And i dont agree with cutting springs either...but this is a different situation. If he doesn't want to do this he doesn't have too....but it'll help in the snow too...if anything you could even raise the car with this setup depending on how much you cut.
> 
> Bugalou and everyone else later down the road, post in the model forum and insist it stay there, one way or another. I'm tired of posts being moved and not correctly answered, or answered with BS, or even not answered at all.


You're cutting the OE Stanza springs and putting them on OE Stanza struts. That's what I said. I never said you were cutting the stock B12 Sentra springs.

The two of you seem to be taking this as some sort of attack on either you personally or the B12 community. This is neither.

The point I'm trying to drive here is that if you don't know exactly what you're doing, don't cut your springs! That's it. If it works, great. But if you can't back up that it works well and that there are no side effects, it is irresponsible to reccomend that other members do this without providing the proper caveats. This goes no matter what car you have.

EDIT: Bugalou, I apolegize for hijacking your thread. B11Sleeper, thank you for putting us back on topic.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

B11sleeper said:


> I looked on partsamerica, they don't have a listing, so that means it's the dealer or oem-surplus.com nobody mentioned that one. the dealer should be able to get them since that would be your only option for exact oem ones. The dealer was able to order springs for my 83, so an 88 model should be no harder to find.


Dealer is very expensive but would work perfectly. Does anyone know the stock spring rates?? only reason i'm asking is sometimes you can get custom springs that would fit and if you knew the oem spring rate you could go that route which i'm sure is cheaper than dealer, but dont quote me on that cause i've never looked into it.


----------



## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

The dealer wants 100 a piece for the springs(a bit too high for me) and I really don't want to start cutting springs and hobbing crap together...the junk yard guy that had my springs called me back today and said their a bit rusty but look good..he said he had no way of testing them though and wanted 50 bucks for the two, hmm..I said to myself screw it I'll get them...I also needed an oil pan which he had, he wanted 65 bucks for it, I said they go for around 35-45 usually and he said SO...Thats when I just said keep your dam &%$% springs and shove em then I hung up...I'll just keep the springs I have and transfer them to my new struts I got today from tirerack.com, the car sits a bit low in the front for my taste but I don't care anymore..I have a set of those spring expander thingees and I'm going to put em on...I'll be happy with an inch more height so I can at least get my oil drain pan under the %$%# car without having to jack it up...thanks guys for all yer help...

Dave :thumbup:


----------



## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

Gsolo said:


> only reason i'm asking is sometimes you can get custom springs that would fit and if you knew the oem spring rate you could go that route which i'm sure is cheaper than dealer, but dont quote me on that cause i've never looked into it.


you actually know someone who will make custom springs... hmm i may need that springs for my 210 seem to be rare.


----------

