1978 6-leaf rear spring
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 166
Likes: 22
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
1978 6-leaf rear spring
I've got a 1978 which has a 6-leaf FE7 Gymkhana rear spring
As I'm redoing the rear end, I'm debating whether to sandblast and repaint it or go with a new one.
Does anyone know where I can get new plastic liners for a 78 6-spring? It's 2 1/4 wide vs the older 2 1/2 wide. I found liners at ZIP but they stopped at 1977.
Also, how would one determine if the remaining curvature is sufficient? As I look online at replacement 9 leaf springs, they appear to have much more curvature than mine. Is that because the Gymkhana suspension was flatter? or is it because my spring is shot?
I'd post a pic, but evidently I dont have sufficient "Permissions" to post attachments. Anyone know the secret handshake on that one?
v/r
Swede
As I'm redoing the rear end, I'm debating whether to sandblast and repaint it or go with a new one.
Does anyone know where I can get new plastic liners for a 78 6-spring? It's 2 1/4 wide vs the older 2 1/2 wide. I found liners at ZIP but they stopped at 1977.
Also, how would one determine if the remaining curvature is sufficient? As I look online at replacement 9 leaf springs, they appear to have much more curvature than mine. Is that because the Gymkhana suspension was flatter? or is it because my spring is shot?
I'd post a pic, but evidently I dont have sufficient "Permissions" to post attachments. Anyone know the secret handshake on that one?
v/r
Swede
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 3
The springs in the catalog have more curvature because they have no load on them. If it's the original spring, it should be replaced.
Here's a link to an installed spring. http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/juliet/rearsusp.htm
Here's a link to an installed spring. http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/juliet/rearsusp.htm
Last edited by enkeivette; Feb 3, 2006 at 02:07 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,000
Likes: 22
From: Boulder Creek California
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,360
Likes: 221
From: Beecher Illinois
If you insist on rebuilding the spring, the liners you found for 77 and older should work fine. All the way back to 63 up until early 78 the Vettes used 2 1/4" wide springs for both standard and the FE7 heavy duty. Sometime in 78 they went to the 2 1/2" spring for the standard BUT the Gymkhana spring continued to be 2 1/4" and required the 2 spacers. The liners you found wouldn't work with the late78-80 with the wider steel spring.
Mike
Mike
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 166
Likes: 22
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Mike, Thanks for the info on the spring liners, and thanks to the rest of you WRT the contributing member donations thing. I got so caught up in the goodness of this site, I lost track of the fact that nothing in this world is totally free, there's always someone, somewhere who has to pay the fiddler.
Being in the military, I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I let that lesson slip my crosscheck
Boss - I'm on it
Being in the military, I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I let that lesson slip my crosscheck
Boss - I'm on it
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