I've carried out a lot of DIY repairs on my car over the past few years including front end suspension and strut disassembly/assembly (mount, strut and coil spring all new). Trying to make better informed decisions with replacements from now on.
When is it deemed "necessary" to replace coil springs if they aren't broken and general condition looks ok i.e. not heavily rusted/coating stripped or not sagging on one end? Could they last the life of the vehicle?
When is it deemed "necessary" to replace coil springs if they aren't broken and general condition looks ok i.e. not heavily rusted/coating stripped or not sagging on one end?
You've got the main reasons why most people would be changing their coil springs. The only other reason I can think of is if the owner wants to change a characteristic of how the vehicle drives/rides (ie: ride height), but old springs wouldn't necessarily be worn out when you'd do this.
A primary reason for springs to become worn out is if the shocks get worn out to the point where they aren't dampening like they should be. When this happens, abnormal stresses get levied against the springs, which wears them out at an accelerated rate.
Could they last the life of the vehicle?
Absolutely. Under normal usage, coil springs should last the life of the vehicle.
