Earlier this month I picked up a pretty disheveled 62 Lancer Coupe with a 62 Valiant front clip to strip of parts for my 62 Valiant. Today I was out working on it and when I examined the rear springs and compared them to those in the Valiant; I found that the Lancer has 5 leaves while the Valiant only has 4. What do I have? Is it a heavy duty rear spring set perhaps? I'm just wondering if it would be worthwhile taking them apart to clean them and put new pads in them.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

4-leaf: Standard
5-leaf: HD and wagon
6-leaf: XHD (HD Wagon)

All varieties are readily available new, e.g. from Espo.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Dan -

Do you know if the 6 leaf XHD option extend into the late 60's (1968 Dart) as well?

-Mac

The more I think about it (look at the timestamp on my initial response...) the more I remember that the "6-leaf" option was actually an XHD 5-leaf stack with a little stub leaf at the bottom.

And yeah, HD options were available in the late '60s. Remember that all A-body rear spring assemblies are interchangeable, though some mount plate modification is required to put '64-up springs in a '60-'63 car.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I originally posted that they were 6 and 5 leaves respectively but I was smoking something I think because the Lancer has 5 and the Valiant 4. I've also looked at the cost of the interleaf liners and bushings and have concluded that I can get brand new springs for little or nothing more than the cost of rebulding the old ones. I might take them apart and clean them to get by for a while but I will probably replace them in the long run.

What would be really sweet is if the T-bars are also heavy duty. The ones in the Valiant are badly rust pitted, a sure recipe for a broken bar, so they must be replaced. The bars in the Lancer are in excellent condition but I don't have them out yet to see what they are. Maybe next weekend I can make some progress.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

T-bars, also, swap clear across all years and models of A-body.

As far as AZ vs. OR -- they're my two favourite states!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Talking about leafs, my father long time ago added a extra leaf to my actual ´71 Duster, since now I´m making my car ride lower, front is now one inch lower, but now the tricky part is in the back.

Can I just remove the extra leaf and that will lower my car a bit?, will that remove stability or something? also, extra leafs are located on top or is the lowest leaf?

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Mopar Muscle is well defend by Slant Six!

Valiant Duster 1971

if you want to lower the back get some lowering blocks.


http://store.summitracing.com/default.a ... search.asp

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70 Plymouth Valiant 4dr

The extra leaf will be shorter and at the bottom.

Leaf spring packs are like an upside down pyramid, with each added leaf getting shorter than the previous (2 leafs may be same length)

An overload leaf would be the shortest, plus overload leafs are usually thicker.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Lowering blocks would be better. If you take a leaf out you make the spring softer as well as lower and with reduced suspension travel you don't want it softer or you'll be hitting bottom on every bump. There are disadvantages to blocks, but if you only go 1 inch it should work fine.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I'm pretty sure it's also possible to lower an A-body a little by flipping the spring hanger at the front of the leaf upside-down.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

One can also make the rear "adjustable" with a two-position hanger:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mopar-NE ... dZViewItem

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

1964 Valiant V200, 225/Pushbutton 904
BBD, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO

Ok, then the leaf closer to asphalt is the extra leaf (also is thick) and if I remove it, technically nothing wrong will happen right? only my car will lower a bit (meaby the inch I want).

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Mopar Muscle is well defend by Slant Six!

Valiant Duster 1971

Your spring rate will also decrease. Handling and load carrying will be a bit different. The car will sag more when you load it, and probably have a little more understeer at the limit.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair