Re: Leaf spring installation?

[Jim Altemose <jaltemoose@xxxxxxxxx>]

I installed my re-arched leaf springs last weekend along with new KYB
shocks.  Looks and feels great.

I have a question about the shackles.  The car is a 1963 Polara 500
with a 383 (original).  The 4 inch shackle cross piece from the rear
mount of the springs (not the piece with the bolts) has a small 90
degree bent 'tab' in the middle of it between the bolt holes.  I
didn't take pictures and my feeble brain couldn't remember for sure
whether the tab went toward the front or rear of the car.  I aimed
them toward the rear.  Is this correct?

Interestingly, I have a project car that's also a 1963 Polara 500, but
this car is an original 426 Max Wedge car.  I checked the shackles on
that car and they don't have this bent tab at all.  The cross piece is
just flat and straight with no 'tab'.  The shackles may not be
original, but I'd suspect that they are.  Is there any rhyme or reason
to which cars would and would not have the 'tab' on the shackle?  Did
the Max Wedge cars have a different set of springs that would omit it?
 If so, why?

As always, thanks.

- Jim
Jim Altemose, Long Island, NY
'63 Polara 500 (Max Wedge)
'63 Polara 500 (383)
'65 Belvedere I (Street Wedge)
'71 Bronco


On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 5:23 PM, Don <d4owe9@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
> You don't need 'em...they would have been in there in the first place.
> They are stiffeners between each leaf which are found on HD spring set ups.
> Will your "gang" be at the same hotel in Carlisle this year??? D
>
>
>> To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx
>> From: jaltemoose@xxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: Leaf spring installation?
>> Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 17:11:12 -0400
>>
>> Thanks Don.
>>
>> The springs are original and for my 63 Polara 500 with a 383. Yes, I
>> got new rubber inter-liners (the 8 for the shackles). I don't know
>> what you mean by 2 inch flat stock spacers. I didn't pull any out, so
>> I guess I don't need to put 'em back in? Where do they go?
>>
>> - Jim
>> Jim Altemose, Long Island, NY
>> '63 Polara 500 (Max Wedge)
>> '63 Polara 500 (383)
>> '65 Belvedere I (Street Wedge)
>> '71 Bronco
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 4:54 PM, Don <d4owe9@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Jim: Wan'na make sure you have a new set of rubber interliners and new 2 inch flat stock galvanized steel spacers if your car has HD or super stock springs.
>> > The 2 inch, 20 gauge flat stock can be had at any drywall/metal framing supply house. I do not know if these spacers came with standard 4 leaf springs...perhaps not.
>> > No grease should be needed anywhere except maybe just a little bit on the bushings. Seems I recall the shop manual suggesting only water to help lubricate
>> > the bushings so you can get the bolts through and in place. Good luck...always more "fun" doing re-assembly as opposed to tear down! Donny, 64 Belvedere
>> >
>> >
>> >> To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx
>> >> From: jaltemoose@xxxxxxxxx
>> >> Subject: Leaf spring installation?
>> >> Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 15:12:49 -0400
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I just got my leaf springs back from getting re-arched. When I
>> >> re-install them, should I be greasing anything or doing anything
>> >> special other than bolting it all back together?
>> >>
>> >> FYI, I took them to Noel at Long Island Spring Works, who's been doing
>> >> it since 1963. He's a bit of a local legend around here among the
>> >> guys who know. They look great and it was only $170 total for both
>> >> springs including a new leaf, paint, bushings and new U-bolts. Plus
>> >> it was 24 hour turn-around. Seems like a pretty good deal.
>> >>
>> >> My buddy and I managed to get everything off in about 2 hours. In
>> >> hindsight, I probably could have saved an hour cutting the U-bolts.
>> >> After sitting on the floor tugging the breaker bar for an hour, I feel
>> >> like I could row a viking ship.
>> >>
>> >> - Jim
>> >> Jim Altemose, Long Island, NY
>> >> '63 Polara 500 (Max Wedge)
>> >> '63 Polara 500 (383)
>> >> '65 Belvedere I (Street Wedge)
>> >> '71 Bronco
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ----
>> >> Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks!
>> >>
>> >> 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
>> >> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.
>> >>
>> >
>> > --
>> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> >
>> >
>> > ----
>> > Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!
>> >
>> > 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
>> > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>
> --
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ----
> Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!
>
> 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.
>
>
>