broken rear spring
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
broken rear spring
anyone ever had a rear spring break. I was driving my 81 heard this loud noise look under and the rear spring snapped in half on the passenger side. next question what is the best replacement rear spring?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by gator79
anyone ever had a rear spring break. I was driving my 81 heard this loud noise look under and the rear spring snapped in half on the passenger side. next question what is the best replacement rear spring?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
what's so good about the milion pound steel spring??
When I went from my 7-leaf spring to the composite spring, it was like night and day...
When I went from my 7-leaf spring to the composite spring, it was like night and day...
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Dallas County Texas
Dual Mount Composite
Changed to it when a substandard spring hanger broke on the driver's side and cratered the end of the 7 leaf on there. The ride is even noticeably firmer. Like my front, I have them set on the second from firmest. As with a few weeks ago, I cannot remember which shocks I have on there, but they are some recommended by VBP for the application - I don't believe they are the KYB's currently.
The setup has worked just great for, wow, 9-12 months of driving? 20-25K miles? Somewhere in that range....
A word of caution with any fiberspring though: heat.
Unless you have sidepipes, you really should put some serious thought into what to do to insulate the spring from exhaust. There is a factory shield and soem aftermarkets, of which I had neither.
I wrapped either pipes or spring with first fiberglass header wrap and then aluminum flashing, finished with hose clamps or tie wraps. I wrapped different sections. Where the spring sections didn't move much, I wrapped them; otherwise I wrapped the pipes.
The setup has worked just great for, wow, 9-12 months of driving? 20-25K miles? Somewhere in that range....
A word of caution with any fiberspring though: heat.
Unless you have sidepipes, you really should put some serious thought into what to do to insulate the spring from exhaust. There is a factory shield and soem aftermarkets, of which I had neither.
I wrapped either pipes or spring with first fiberglass header wrap and then aluminum flashing, finished with hose clamps or tie wraps. I wrapped different sections. Where the spring sections didn't move much, I wrapped them; otherwise I wrapped the pipes.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
mine broke, turns out, only 3 of the 4 bolts were in place that hold the spring to the rear diff. Then the middle bolt holding the leaves together was rusted in two, The spring "twisted", ie the leaves rotated radially from that broken center bolt and finally gave loose. $100 flatbed ride later, and replaced it with a 7 leave HD spring (had a 9 leaf standard). My exhaust is REAL close to the spring so didn't want to shatter a composite spring from my exhaust heat.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I wonder if those that are recommending the steel spring have ever used a composite spring??? If not, how can you know that the steel spring is better?
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I wonder if those that are recommending the steel spring have ever used a composite spring??? If not, how can you know that the steel spring is better?
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Dallas County Texas
OK - that's pretty good. You got me on that one...
Originally Posted by ruby76
But Im afraid of technology. Why do you think I drive a 29 year old car
I'll up the ante....
I'm afraid of car payments, that's why I only have used cars and have spent $74,000 on a ragged out '75 vette....
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
anything --EXCEPT-- a TRW composite. Catch is, I'm not sure who re-sells those... I ~know~ VBP is good. I'm running their springs front and rear and they were a drop-in replacement. None of this 10"-12" bolt crap.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I wonder if those that are recommending the steel spring have ever used a composite spring??? If not, how can you know that the steel spring is better?
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
The composite in mine gives a much better ride than the factory 7 leaf. I'm sure there are some members who went back to a steel spring after having the composite.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 229
Likes: 1
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Originally Posted by mandm1200
The composite in mine gives a much better ride than the factory 7 leaf. I'm sure there are some members who went back to a steel spring after having the composite.
I like composite better but I was afraid about breaking the composite at +100MPH.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: West Seneca New York
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I wonder if those that are recommending the steel spring have ever used a composite spring??? If not, how can you know that the steel spring is better?
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
I had both and the ride with the composite spring was A LOT better than the 7 leaf spring that I had...
Darryl
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Another reason to go wit composite springs is that the ride quality doesn't change... The steel springs get softer over time..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,981
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From: Houston,Tx. USA
My 78 did that leaving for work one AM; got the factory heavy duty replacement. I just installed an adlustable ride height Mid-America HD springs and having trouble getting the front end low enuff; rear is adjustable tho.
