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Weak leaf springs
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22366		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Bren67Cuda904 [ Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Weak leaf springs
How does one check if your springs are weak and worn out? The rear of my car seems to be sitting lower than I remember and the truck is empty.
Author:  Bren67Cuda904 [ Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
Just looked at the springs and they sure look wavey. The car seems to have lowered its self in the past couple months. Is it common for springs to just giveup like this. I didn't see any broken ones though.
Author:  icaneat50eggs [ Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Do you know if they are the original? Probably, huh? If you dont like the way the car sits, change the springs. I need to do it to my car, too.
Author:  Bren67Cuda904 [ Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Pretty sure their orignal. Mine have 5 leafs per side.
These for sale are 4 leafs they seem very cheap.
http://tinyurl.com/2rmkk7
Author:  icaneat50eggs [ Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
There is a guy named Ace over on www.bigblockdart.com in the for sale section, he has what is believed to be xhd springs for sale. There is a pic to look at. Probably get them for a fair price, but they are used.
Author:  Aggressive Ted [ Sun May 06, 2007 5:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
I have a 74 Dart and the springs went flat one day when I had the trunk full of motor parts and stayed that way. Bummer!
So I called ESPO and they made some custom 6 leaf out of extra thick material. Infact, they made one leaf on the right side a little thicker than the rest to compensate for torque. I am very happy with them and have hauled several heavy loads since with no problems. The extra thick material seems to hold their shape very well. There is no torque rolling either! Nice folks to deal with too!
Author:  icaneat50eggs [ Sun May 06, 2007 5:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
I bought a pair of ss sprngs off of a guy on bbd. I really like them.
Author:  quarter mile heartbeat [ Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
when the rear leaf springs were sagged out on my 1984 dodge van, I put in air shocks. allows you to adjust, and alot cheaper than finding a set of leaf springs, and getting them in. Mine came as a kit, including shocks, hoses and connections. Took the mechanic i use about an hour and a half to install. Some people don't like air shocks. They are an option though.
Author:  dakight [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:17 am ]
Post subject: 
Air shocks are not a good solution for an A-body. They put too much stress on the upper shock mounts and will tear them away from the body.
Author:  Jopapa [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:57 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Pretty sure their orignal. Mine have 5 leafs per side.
These for sale are 4 leafs they seem very cheap.(page boogering URL removed)
I'd rather pay the $150 per pair and get a pair of 5-leaf springs from ESPO. I had the back end of my Duster lifted up on jackstands the other day (rear wheels were still contacting the ground, but another inch up and they'd be in the air), and I stepped back and looked at it from the side and BOY did I like the stance it had. I figure once I get new springs the back end will be quite a bit higher than it is now, and with the extra leaf they'll take longer to droop and help improve the handling as well.
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
when the rear leaf springs were sagged out on my 1984 dodge van, I put in air shocks. allows you to adjust, and alot cheaper than finding a set of leaf springs, and getting them in. Mine came as a kit, including shocks, hoses and connections. Took the mechanic i use about an hour and a half to install. Some people don't like air shocks. They are an option though.
Not if you value your life and limb, it isn't. This is absolutely the wrong way to do it. When the springs are worn out, you replace the springs, you don't apply a band-aid to a broken rib by throwing on air shocks. To do so is very dangerous.
Author:  Jopapa [ Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:31 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Quote:
when the rear leaf springs were sagged out on my 1984 dodge van, I put in air shocks. allows you to adjust, and alot cheaper than finding a set of leaf springs, and getting them in. Mine came as a kit, including shocks, hoses and connections. Took the mechanic i use about an hour and a half to install. Some people don't like air shocks. They are an option though.
Not if you value your life and limb, it isn't. This is absolutely the wrong way to do it. When the springs are worn out, you replace the springs, you don't apply a band-aid to a broken rib by throwing on air shocks. To do so is very dangerous.
Read n' heed. I've seen alot of vehicles with shock mounts broken from the air shocks having to support the vehicle's weight. Using those is just asking for trouble. I tempt fate enough as it is to want to use air shocks.
Author:  quarter mile heartbeat [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
had them in for the last year and the only effect i've noticed is that it stabilizes the van in high winds. the shocks never have more than forty pounds of air in them. I've used "load carry" shocks to raise the rear end of my fury for years. secret of it seems to be to remember it's a street/passenger vehicle, not a jeep. as long as you aren't constantly off-roading or loading it as if it's a gravel truck, the load carrys last for a long time. the mechanic who put air shocks in mine had a set in his car, and the only problem he had was the valve would freeze in canadian winters. He didn't have any reason to lie about it when i asked him if this would work. if he was going to mislead me mechanically, he had eight years that i dealt with him to do it. will have to try it to find out for sure.
Author:  Eric W [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:18 am ]
Post subject: 
In my '71 shop manual, it says a flat spring is normal and helps with side to side stability. Some reverse arch is normal. Or something like that. A raised rear end puts alot of strain on front end components.
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:31 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
as long as you aren't constantly off-roading or loading it as if it's a gravel truck
Wrong. Air shocks are not a safe substitute for working springs, even if you're not abusing the vehicle. You've been lucky so far -- that's...good, I guess, both for you and all the people who have to share the road with you. And, you're driving a truck-based van, not an A-body. It really is not helpful for you to be giving out unsafe and inapplicable advice like this, and it's even less helpful for you to be insisting they're safe and fine based on some hack mechanic's say-so. Couldjya please knock off both unhelpful behaviours? Thanks.
Quote:
the mechanic who put air shocks in mine didn't have any reason to lie about it
Over the internet, this is going to sound meaner than I intend it to: From what you've said in other threads (your engine fiasco) you don't pick mechanics very well.
Quote:
will have to try it to find out for sure.
Well, whatever you do, don't ask on here, 'cause all of us who know more than you do about the topic are in a conspiracy to tell you lies about air shocks being unsafe. :roll:
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