[zombie{[six]}]

Ive heard of using coils out of a G20 van to lift the front of a 2wd astro...
Anybody know how much lift this will give?

 

[astro355]

I put springs out of a G30 in my van when I put the V8 in it. The van dropped the front end around an inch and a half. When I put the G30 springs in it, it restored the ride height and also stiffened the ride. The G30 springs are the same as the G20 ones, regarding V8 drivetrains. I don't know if G20's came with V6s.

 

[zombie{[six]}]

so i might as well just get the 3" lift springs off of overland huh...

 

[astro355]

Yeah, you are not going to get 3" out of G20 springs.

 

[mdal]

Actually based on Astro355's experience today I tried to put 1995 G20 springs on my 1995 RWD Astro. The G20 springs were tapered at the top of the spring unlike the Astro springs. I chose not to put the G20 springs on because they didn't look like they would seat properly at the top. Sorry everyone for not taking pictures to share. The G20 springs were: a bit heavier, very slightly shorter, coil diameter was about a 1/4 inch narrower, tapered at the top, same number of coils (but one more at the top with the tapering), metal thickness was the same.

Instead I got bit more than 1.25 inches by using a rubber spacer under the coils I just removed. I hope it holds up. The toughest part of the job was the removing the top nut on the shocks.

 

[astro355]

Then I would use the G30 springs that I used, not the G20s. Also, the year van that I got the springs from was a mid/earlier 80's year. I don't know if that would make a difference but there was no taper at the top.

I changed these springs because I wanted a stiffer ride, not to raise my van. The raise I got was a restoration of original ride height, which was lost doing the v8 installation. Anyways, you have to cut off the top "tapered" section of the G30 springs. After that is done, you still have an extra coil. And since the overall diameter is smaller, that is what make the spring stiffer. Also, the thickness of the G30 spring was thicker than that of the astro spring. You can put a 20 mm wrench on the coil of the astro coil but not on the coil of the G30 spring.

 

[mdal]

Great information astro355. Thanks for the post.

 

[astro355]

Yeah, no problem. I want to play with some 2500/3500 springs when I get the chance. They are thicker than the G20s.