leaf spring ?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
leaf spring ?
I finally took my frame apart to have it blasted and painted. I left the rear suspension all together but I plan on tearing it down and redoing it (all of the rubber parts, shocks, etc.). Now my question is how do I change the rear spring cushions? BTW, I'm leaving the leaf spring attached to the diff. Is this tricky and easily done by myself? Should I have left the diff. on the frame or wait until I mount it back on the frame and rebuilt everything from there?
BTW, I did a search on leaf springs and read a bunch of posts but none, that I could find, said anything about changing the leaf spring cushions while attached to the diff.
Thanks ahead of time!!!
58n65
BTW, I did a search on leaf springs and read a bunch of posts but none, that I could find, said anything about changing the leaf spring cushions while attached to the diff.
Thanks ahead of time!!!
58n65
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,326
Likes: 2,702
From: Close to DC
C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified 2020
It sounds like he means the leaf liners. If so, the spring has to be unbolted from the diff. and follow the basic process of removing the center bolt, cleaning and painting per your own requirements and reassemble with the new liners. 
Dennis
Dennis
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Thanks again guys!!!
58n65
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 28
From: Long Beach CA
I'm confused. What state is your car in? I read that the differential is out of the car and the spring is still attached to the differential. To do that, you had to take the end link bolts out already, so the cushions are out already??????????
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Thanks,
58n65
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 0
From: Detroit MI
Sorry again!!! The body is off of the frame and the frame is stripped of all of it's parts....ready to paint it. I took the differential off with the wheels and all attached (including not removing the end link bolts)....probably not what I should have done but I did. Would a picture help?
Thanks,
58n65
Thanks,
58n65
As for taking the outer bolts off, yes, you should have done it with the weight on the suspension so you could compress the spring to take the bolts off. Now you have a bullet
if you torch it or you need to compress the spring to use tools.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,422
Likes: 1,236
From: Sarver Pa
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I did the exact same thing ! Now I too am trying to figure the best safest way to do this cause I know there is a lot of force there. I'll look at it today and see if something comes to me.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Yes, a pic would help. I assume you are working on your '65? When your body was on the car and everything was assembled, was the spring flat or did it have some arch to it?
As for taking the outer bolts off, yes, you should have done it with the weight on the suspension so you could compress the spring to take the bolts off. Now you have a bullet if you torch it or you need to compress the spring to use tools.
As for taking the outer bolts off, yes, you should have done it with the weight on the suspension so you could compress the spring to take the bolts off. Now you have a bullet
if you torch it or you need to compress the spring to use tools.BTW, this is concerning my 65.
Thanks,
58n65
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Here's the pictures of the whole leaf spring and a close up shot of the end bolts and cushions.
How can I remove the end link bolts and cushions? Do I have to mount everything again (after the frame is complete) in order to do it?
Thanks everyone!!!
58n65
How can I remove the end link bolts and cushions? Do I have to mount everything again (after the frame is complete) in order to do it?
Thanks everyone!!!
58n65
Pro
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 629
Likes: 20
From: Texas
This is off the subject.....but if you can, have the frame powder coated. You will never regret it as it is so much superior to paint. That is unless you have a means for dipping the frame in epoxy primer first....then I would go with paint.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Thanks for the info!!!
58n65
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 0
From: Detroit MI
How tight are the outer bolts? They don't look like they are under a lot of stress right now since the outer suspension at the wheels is compressed "down" and away from the pig. If you can turn any of those washers or just turn the bolt in the trailing arm easily by hand or with a wrench, I would just take them off carefully. Otherwise I would torch them off from the middle and aim them in a garbage can or bucket.
Torch the bolt above the spring so the force goes away from you but you should be ok. I have torched the bolts before when they are under full stress while in the car. They don't bounce too high!!!
Torch the bolt above the spring so the force goes away from you but you should be ok. I have torched the bolts before when they are under full stress while in the car. They don't bounce too high!!!
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
From: Small Town in MA
In the photos, I notice some additional washers that have been used as spacers between the rubber biscuit and the end of the the leaf spring. These would be added to raise the height of the rear of the car. This could mean that the leaf spring is sagging or worn out.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
How tight are the outer bolts? They don't look like they are under a lot of stress right now since the outer suspension at the wheels is compressed "down" and away from the pig. If you can turn any of those washers or just turn the bolt in the trailing arm easily by hand or with a wrench, I would just take them off carefully. Otherwise I would torch them off from the middle and aim them in a garbage can or bucket.
Torch the bolt above the spring so the force goes away from you but you should be ok. I have torched the bolts before when they are under full stress while in the car. They don't bounce too high!!!
Torch the bolt above the spring so the force goes away from you but you should be ok. I have torched the bolts before when they are under full stress while in the car. They don't bounce too high!!!
58n65
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
In the photos, I notice some additional washers that have been used as spacers between the rubber biscuit and the end of the the leaf spring. These would be added to raise the height of the rear of the car. This could mean that the leaf spring is sagging or worn out.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
I noticed on the front coil springs that there was a piece stuck between the coil spring to keep it from compressing all of the way. I was wondering if that was due to the different rims and tires the previous owner put on the car? I was told that the guy was going to race it. BTW, I bought the car from my friend's dad who bought it from the previous owner I mentioned above. Maybe he raised the height on purpose???
Either way I wonder if I should change the leaf spring....what a pain to figure out.
Thanks again,
58n65
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,225
Likes: 44
From: Penticton B.C. Canada
In the photos, I notice some additional washers that have been used as spacers between the rubber biscuit and the end of the the leaf spring. These would be added to raise the height of the rear of the car. This could mean that the leaf spring is sagging or worn out.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 0
From: Detroit MI
Are you building an NCRS 100 point car? If not, get a new spring, I think they are about $125 to $150 and well worth the aggravation to change now while you have it apart. I forgot to mention the washers in my post as others have. Get new hardware and cusions as well. ITs not worth playing with for the price and the headache.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 143
From: South MS
Are you building an NCRS 100 point car? If not, get a new spring, I think they are about $125 to $150 and well worth the aggravation to change now while you have it apart. I forgot to mention the washers in my post as others have. Get new hardware and cusions as well. ITs not worth playing with for the price and the headache.
Thanks guys!!!
58n65