1995 rear leaf spring trouble...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,068
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
1995 rear leaf spring trouble...
Anyone have a rear fiberglass or (composite) spring split/crack/splinter...etc? What did you replace it with?This is the second time it has happened
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 1
From: Portsmouth Virginia 396LT4 435RWHP/400RWTQ Best so far 11.26 @ 123mph
Yes, I replaced it with a VBP sport spring.Thought splintering was the reason for cars drivers side list but turns out it wasn't.
Rick
Rick
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 951
Likes: 3
From: Placerville CA
Not rear, but front. Will replace it next week with a spring obtained from someone on this forum. Two broken ones seems unusual from what I have seen here. GM's excuse for damaged front springs (engine cleaning solvents) doesn't apply to the rear, and in any case my experience with epoxy resin fiberglass has never revealed a solvent that in brief exposure will damage anything but the very surface of the glass, certainly not cause cracking deep within the structure like on my spring. (If, in fact, the resin they used IS epoxy. The FSM has an extensive list of various "plastic" parts and what materials they are made of but doesn't include the springs in that list. They are described as "fiberglass" in various places in the FSM, but that doesn't tell you anything.) Maybe they used different resins at different times and that is why some delaminate and crack and others don't.
In any case I wonder where GM sourced these springs or if they laid them up themselves. There are many ways to screw up hand-laid fiberglass, as many boat owners can tell you.
In any case I wonder where GM sourced these springs or if they laid them up themselves. There are many ways to screw up hand-laid fiberglass, as many boat owners can tell you.
