My 1990 extended awd wagon has a definite sag in the rear, so I was looking here for advice on new rear springs. I searched various sources, and found two aftermarket parts:

TRW/MOOG cc845 for the 4wd/awd

McQuay-Norris c841v for the 2wd

Both are variable rate springs.

Searching a little further, I find that Federal Mogul owns TRW/MOOG, and lists both part numbers. Are they all made by Federal Mogul (or its subsidiaries)?

I could not find a straight rate spring for the cargo van. I think I would prefer it for better handling (I hope it's also a higher rate). Does anyone know where to buy this?

thanks,
eugene

 

When I checked into this for my '95, I found someone who made a straight rate spring. I think it was Schucks who carried the part. Did you do a search on this topic? It's been discussed before and I think it may have your answer.

 

Yes, I found the old articles discussing this:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...750#post767750

and the gentleman who installed the straight rate spring has the handle fitzworld. (Are you reading this?) I'd like to get the part number that he ordered. The vendor mentioned, carparts.com, only lists one set of springs, CC841, which, according to the Federal-Mogul web site, is the variable rate spring for the rear of 2wd Aerostars.

Federal-Mogul's website lists part numbers for both TRW and Moog parts, and they are CC841, and CC845, which is the variable rate spring for the rear of 4wd model.

Incidentally, the part listed by carparts.com is made or marketed by McQuay-Norris, and also carries the number CC841, so I'm inclined to believe that they are all same springs made by the same company.

 

Well, I got come parts to tighten up my sagging rear end; the van's, that is.

I must not have been looking at the right places, as I could not locate an off-the-shelf straight rate spring for the rear. So I ordered a set of the MOOG Cargo Coils CC-845, a variable rate set that looks like a direct replacement for the stock version. After looking at several sites for the cheapest overall price, I finally tried the source I've been using for parts for my Mustangs; Summit Racing. It's not in their catalog, but if you search their web site for a particular part by brand and part number, it will show up if they deal with it. They also dealt with Hellwig sway bars, so I got one of those as well. So for less than $200 and waiting for a week (it was not a regular stock item), they were delivered to my door.

I installed them this afternoon. The springs were pretty straightforward; just out with the old, in with the new. The sway bar required some jockeying around to make it fit properly. But both items took about 3 hours to do.

Now the van looks level from front to back. I can not yet say what effect the sway bar is having, as I did not do any kind of before/after cornering tests. However, the bar seems easy enough to disconnect, so if I'm really curious, I can still do it. I figure I'll have my brother follow me with a camcorder in his car to video tape the lean in some turns with and without the bar.

I do not believe this will be an issue yet, but the van does have a high center of gravity, so I hope the increased roll stiffness does not significantly increase its chances of rolling over in a hard turn.