rear end rebuilt
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 52
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From: wellington fl
rear end rebuilt
I have a 1977 corvette that I'm having a total rear end rebuilt. I have a 7 leaf spring and I'm thanking about going to a composite 1 leaf spring. Please give me pro and cons. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,352
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From: Redondo Beach, California
I like the composite springs. They weigh about 8 pounds and the iron spring they replace is about 41 pounds. Also, the composite springs are so much easier to replace. The iron springs have an extreme bowing when you want to replace them,...the composite springs have only a few inches of bowing. You have to use a floor jack to jack up the springs to mate to the trailing arms......that the composite springs require only a little jacking up to install them makes the whole operation much more comfortable. The large swinging arc to jack up a steel spring means that if they slip off the jack, they will have EXPLOSIVE energy...the lessened
deflection of the composite makes them much safer to replace.
The composite springs have very little (none) internal damping...you will need a shock absorber with more damping than a shock absorber for the steel springs.
Also, if you order composite springs...know that you can have them reduced in length by 1/2" or so if you want to use offset trailing arms. This reduction in length also helps if you want to run non-stock extra wide tires.
deflection of the composite makes them much safer to replace.
The composite springs have very little (none) internal damping...you will need a shock absorber with more damping than a shock absorber for the steel springs.
Also, if you order composite springs...know that you can have them reduced in length by 1/2" or so if you want to use offset trailing arms. This reduction in length also helps if you want to run non-stock extra wide tires.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 23
From: Kansas
Excellent description, some of the Mfg. Co's of Composite Springs do Bow out more than others. This tends to make the car sit way high. in my Opinion. But I would never go back to the metal, unless I was broke Gene
