Coil spring seat for your car

The spring cap is part of the suspension strut. Depending on construction of the damping unit, the strut has one or two removable spring caps. Generally, the rear struts, where the shock absorber is separately installed from the spring, are equipped with two removable spring caps. In the front shock absorbers, where the spring coil envelops the shock absorber, the bottom spring cap is welded on. Car spring construction For cushioning the effects of bumpy roads three constructions are common:

- leaf springs - torsion springs - coil springs

Leaf springs are the oldest form of suspension. They are simple bundles of metal sheets built for bending on the axles. They were already used for coaches. Nowadays, leaf springs are only found – and very seldom – on rear axles. Real off-road vehicles such as the Jeep Wrangler or Range-Rover are still equipped with leaf springs. Furthermore they can be found on small vans.
Torsion springs were often installed on the rear axle of French cars. They consist of a round bar reacting to torsion. Torsion bars are very space-effective as well as durable. Their construction is downright complex. They are most used for track vehicles such as caterpillars or tanks.
The coil spring is the suspension principle most commonly used in car manufacture. They consist of a thick, spiral, coiled wire. The spring caps are the support points on both ends of the coil spring. Spring cap defects Spring caps are very durable in general. Even when a coil spring needs replacement, the old caps can still be used. A spring cap stands under high pressure strain by the spring and must be able to withstand slight shifts. Therefore, spring caps are very sturdy and last a car's life span. Still, it is possible for a spring cap to develop fissures due to corrosion or excessive strain.
Often, the spring caps of the coil springs are fitted with and extra hard-rubber layer which can become brittle and dissolve over time. This becomes apparent by clicking and rattling sounds. When wear has progressed, the car might develop difficulties keeping its track. Replacement of the spring caps To replace the spring cap of a damping unit's spring coil, the spring needs to be disassembled. Depending on the spring's position, a spring compressor might be necessary. This applies especially for front axle suspension units. Under no circumstances, the coil spring can be compressed with any other tool as the prescribed compressor. A suddenly decompressing spring can cause mortal injury.
On many cars the rear axle spring coil can be removed right after jacking up the car and disassembly of the shock absorber. Generally, the spring caps are loosely mounted and will fall out. On occasion of spring cap replacement, the following should be checked:

- the thickness of the brake discs - corrosion of the brake lines - tightness of the shock absorber - rust and fissure building on the spring coil - abnormalities on the steering knuckles and the axle boots

Especially in old cars every opportunity should be used to profoundly check all important car parts. A disassembled strut is an excellent occasion. Quality in details The spring cap of a coil spring is a small though very strained car part. Inferior quality of a spare part can lead to quick wear also influencing other parts: a broken spring cap breaks will cause distortion of the coil spring which will no longer have the optimal pressing point. This will cause it to wear down soon as well. Furthermore, shock absorber and the entire axle geometry will suffer by forces not being properly channelled. Therefore choosing the best possible quality for this simple car part is unavoidable. In our online shop we exclusively offer OEM-quality. This will keep you on the safe side with a car optimally safe for traffic. Spring caps from branded manufacturers such as FEBI BILSTEIN or MAPCO are extremely cheap and therefore there is no solid reason to rely on inferior quality. Prices of branded products start at ca. 6 euro (£5). More complex parts with rubber bearings and plastic guide might cost as much as 25 euro (£22). For such an important and strained part this is suitable.