Rear leaf spring - different widths or different differential covers?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 386
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From: Niedernhausen, Germany
Rear leaf spring - different widths or different differential covers?
Yesterday the rear axle leaf spring of my baby distorted that way, that only the bottom leaf is connected to the trailing arms but the other leafs have turned sideways thus no more supporting the bottom leaf - so she went down on here rubber stops.
It seems like the leaf spring attachment of the differential cover (I have swapped differentials with a friend from his 79 in order to get 3,55 instead 3,08 ratio) of my "new" differential is wider (i.e. the distance between the 4 bolts holding the spring to the cover) or my spring is not wide enough.
Does anybody know about these differences? Are there two different leaf-spring widths? Or is it the cover that varies? Are there any fixes to reduce distance between the bolts (I am thinking about tubes over the bolts to reduce space between them...).
Any help is highly appreciated!
It seems like the leaf spring attachment of the differential cover (I have swapped differentials with a friend from his 79 in order to get 3,55 instead 3,08 ratio) of my "new" differential is wider (i.e. the distance between the 4 bolts holding the spring to the cover) or my spring is not wide enough.
Does anybody know about these differences? Are there two different leaf-spring widths? Or is it the cover that varies? Are there any fixes to reduce distance between the bolts (I am thinking about tubes over the bolts to reduce space between them...).
Any help is highly appreciated!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,298
Likes: 1
From: Sodertalje/Sweden
Re: Rear leaf spring - different widths or different differential covers? (V8yunkie)
I think theres 2 diffrent widths of the spring,2 1/4 and 2 1/2...Dont know anymore than this,maybe someone else will chime in and be more accurate.. :cheers:
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
Re: Rear leaf spring - different widths or different differential covers? (V8yunkie)
yunkie,
Go back and swap rear covers with your friend as he will have the opposite problem as you. ...redvetracr
Go back and swap rear covers with your friend as he will have the opposite problem as you. ...redvetracr
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Rear leaf spring - different widths or different differential covers? (redvetracr)
When I bought my car, it came with some spare parts: diff cover, spring,
bolts, mounting plate, and a few bags of little parts.
OK - I replaced my diff cover (due to cracked cover and broken bolts) and
spring. The new diff cover was of the "heavy duty" type. It also turns
out that it is for the wider spring. The spring I had was the thinner one.
There is a steel spacer that you can get, which slides inbetween the
bolts and the spring. With this simple spacer in place, it is nice and snug.
I'll try and take a peek this evening, and post any measurements that I can take,
and maybe even a decent picture.
[Modified by Daves_rusty_75, 12:59 PM 8/13/2002]
bolts, mounting plate, and a few bags of little parts.
OK - I replaced my diff cover (due to cracked cover and broken bolts) and
spring. The new diff cover was of the "heavy duty" type. It also turns
out that it is for the wider spring. The spring I had was the thinner one.
There is a steel spacer that you can get, which slides inbetween the
bolts and the spring. With this simple spacer in place, it is nice and snug.
I'll try and take a peek this evening, and post any measurements that I can take,
and maybe even a decent picture.
[Modified by Daves_rusty_75, 12:59 PM 8/13/2002]
