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Expert
Posts: 1348
  
Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | I bought my rear springs for my Suburban around 8 years ago. They have already lost their arch and the only thing really supporting the car are the air shocks. I always bought springs from Reading Springs but they only do sales now and no longer manufactor so, I am starting new. Who makes springs in the N.E.? Guess I will go with the heavy duty springs they use with the 3rd seat. I believe they have one more leaf?
Thanks again,
Karl. |
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Location: Under the X in Texas | An extra leaf also acts to help stabilize the car from sway -- like an anti-sway bar would. I've done this on a couple of cars with great results. I have not ordered leaf springs from this company but they are in your area. http://www.springsnthings.com/
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13045
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | I can second that - I have an extra main leaf and I'm very pleased with the roadhold and stability. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9654
Location: So. Cal | I third that solution. My '70 Satellite wagon handled HORRIBLY and even large sway bars in the front and rear only helped the situation, but didn't solve it. I swapped a 3rd seat from another car in there and it became much worse if any kids were back there. Then I bought a set of heavy duty (3rd seat style) springs from Eaton Detroit Springs (arguably the best place to get them, but you will pay quite a bit for shipping) and the handling problem went away. Now it handles like a dream and I tow my camping trailer with it too without any issues.
For my DeSoto, I didn't want to pay for the shipping so I had a local truck spring shop make me some for it. They made them too oversprung and I ended up needing to take the 2nd spring (longest removable spring!) out of the pack to get the spring rate right. But I got lucky and it worked out very well. Now the car sits and handles just perfectly and I didn't have to pay the $160 shipping price. But if I had to do it over, I don't think I would trust my luck with it again. So I would probably just pay Eaton to get me the right springs. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9900
Location: Lower Mainland BC | Brought this over from another thread:
56D500boy - 2016-12-11 9:16 PM
Question:
I have a 5 leaf rear spring system. True D-500s have 6 springs. Question: Where does the 6th spring go? Bottom? Top? Middle?
Example six leaf system:
springsweptwing - 2016-12-11 4:33 PM
I don't think it's as easy as just adding another leaf in there, you will need to make sure there is enough overlap between leafs, but I would have thought it to be the bottom 2 leafs to be different?
So the new/same question: Which leafs are different in a 6 leaf system?
Edited by 56D500boy 2016-12-11 4:57 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 6498
Location: Newark, Texas (Fort Worth) | Some good reading here...
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=35486&... |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9900
Location: Lower Mainland BC | |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9654
Location: So. Cal | I don't know the answer for certain, but usually, all the springs are different except the main spring. They size all the springs a little longer on a 6 leaf pack compared to the 5 leaf pack. If you are wanting to affect the spring rate the most, then swap out the 2nd spring for a stiffer, and maybe just a little longer spring. A local spring shop would be willing to make you one spring at a time if you tell them what you want. New spring material is going to give you a stiffer rate than leaves in the old pack. But they are visibly different because they don't have the groove running down the length of them like the originals. |
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Expert
Posts: 3575
Location: Netherlands | I've added an extra leaf (from another used pack) in spring packs a few times and it always was an improvement.
If the leaf blade is too long, just grind and resize it to the length you need while maintaining the bolt hole as 'leaf center'.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 888
Location: Peoples Republic of Oregon | Way back, maybe two-lifetimes ago, I worked in a shop that did leaf spring repair/rebuilding and trailer hitch installs among other things. There were many occasions when a customer wanted additional capacity but did not want any change in ride height. The simple solution was to install a 'new' second leaf that was the same arch as the oem springs when the car was sitting level. If the added leaf has more arch than the other springs, when sitting level, the tail will rise.
The new leaf can/could be the same size as the oem or could be next fatter size to really increase load capacity. This, and a pinion snubber, was also a popular trick with the Mopar muscle cars to stop spring wrap-up. |
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Expert
Posts: 1348
Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | Thanks for the info on Springs & Things in central Pa. Nice lady Laura says for HD 1960 Suburban springs[7 leaf] they are $390 with bushings installed in one end. The place is 2 1/2 hrs from me but fortunately, she lives in Lewisburg, Pa, and I go by there often so she said I could pick them up at her house. That would save a lot on the shipping. |
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Expert
Posts: 4589
Location: Northern New Jersey | My 60 Desoto has spring I bought from Eaton-Detroit in 2008. They need to be replaced, as they have lost their arc.
The springs I put on my 60 Fury from Espo Springs and Things in 2009, are still going strong.
Espo Spings and Things were nearly half yhe price of Eaton Detroit. |
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Expert
Posts: 1231
Location: York County, PA | Karl,
Hike on up the road to Danville and get your springs from Espo. If you can't get what you want there for any car, it doesn't exist. I think they must have every spring pattern known to mankind. |
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Expert
Posts: 1348
Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | A little embarrassed now, just sent an email to Espo for a price and they said I would get an answer back shortly from Laura. Apparently she is the same person for Springs & Things that I have been talking to. Maaybe she can beat her other price?
Oh well!
later,
Karl.. |
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Expert
Posts: 1730
Location: Michigan | Just looked at this thread due to having an issue with both Springs and Things and Eaton springs. 55 Chrysler started out ok but then ends up sagging a bit. The S&T set sat low after 3 years. Was always using the Air shocks to get it to ride correctly. Then it started to sag 1-2 inches more on the drivers side than the passenger. Air shocks can't correct that. I had 5 leaf springs install at that time.
So I went to Eaton and got a new set. They gave me 6 leaf springs. They started out great. Noticed a improved ride and no sagging. No need for the air in the shocks to keep the ride height either. That lasted about a year. Now I see the 1 - 1.5 inch sag on the drivers side. More prevalent when I am in it driving. Trying to figure out how to solve this. Doesn't seem to matter what springs I have. I think I will try and add a leaf to the drivers side. The question is, which one?
Edited by Beltran 2017-01-16 11:21 AM
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leaf springs?
