BEWARE: Broke my leaf spring today!!!!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
Just finished taking the spring out. It looks like the cutouts might have been the problem. I've had cutouts with the stock exhaust before with no problem. I'm thinking the extra heat from the LT headers and hi-flow cats created a lot more heat. To much for the spring to handle especially while racing up the mountains like today. I'll be welding on some flanges this week and capping the cutouts until i can get the E-cutouts and turndowns like the ones shown above.
Well i just removed the spring and looks like once the spring broke it also caused the bolts to break as well. Notice how the studs are still on the spring but the bottom is broken off.
Well i just removed the spring and looks like once the spring broke it also caused the bolts to break as well. Notice how the studs are still on the spring but the bottom is broken off.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
Yes the car was lowered on the stock bolts.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: Crownsville Maryland
Looks like tons of exhaust gas build up on the spring. My first guess is that the cutouts were the issue here. Poor fiberglass just couldn't handle the heat!
Good luck with getting everything resolved! Glad nothing too serious happened as a result, you and the car are safe so I'd say that's pretty good overall.
Good luck with getting everything resolved! Glad nothing too serious happened as a result, you and the car are safe so I'd say that's pretty good overall.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 1
From: Southlake Texas
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
Thanks for all your imput guys. I'm going to have those cutouts capped as soon as I get my car running again. My poor baby will be on jack stands until i get it resolved.
The worse part about it, is that she's my daily driver.
The worse part about it, is that she's my daily driver.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,619
Likes: 101
From: Prattville Alabama
I swear I read where someone else here on the forums had a very similar problem. Heat from the cutouts weakened the spring which then eventually failed.
Instead of capping them why not use turn-downs like Joe G suggested?
U.M.
Instead of capping them why not use turn-downs like Joe G suggested?
U.M.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 824
Likes: 3
From: Houston, Tx.....'05 Corvette M6 LS3 Magnuson Heartbeat
Just for your info.....
Those "adjustable stops" are not offered separatly by GM. They are only available with the purchase of a new spring. While upgrading my base springs to Z06 springs, I discovered one of my front stops had worn down to the metal. I went to my local Chevy dealership parts counter, they looked it up and gave me the bad news.
I confirmed it with Gene Culley (GM Parts House), the stops are not sold separate. I had to purchase a set of lowering bolts local from Corvettes of Houston as a quick replacement, costs ~$50.
Those "adjustable stops" are not offered separatly by GM. They are only available with the purchase of a new spring. While upgrading my base springs to Z06 springs, I discovered one of my front stops had worn down to the metal. I went to my local Chevy dealership parts counter, they looked it up and gave me the bad news.
I confirmed it with Gene Culley (GM Parts House), the stops are not sold separate. I had to purchase a set of lowering bolts local from Corvettes of Houston as a quick replacement, costs ~$50.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,345
Likes: 2
From: Houston 06 C6 Ysi SC 402 fgd TX
If you have access to a good welding guy just back the bolts out and reweld it back together.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
First thing I thought too. Seeing the hot cut out blowing right on the spring!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
LMAO!!!!!!
Yeah I keep these around for comfort. I use them to do light duty jobs on the car but when I have a big project, I switch to my uncomfortable boots.
I'll see if i can fill the crack with some paper glue.
Yeah I keep these around for comfort. I use them to do light duty jobs on the car but when I have a big project, I switch to my uncomfortable boots.
I'll see if i can fill the crack with some paper glue.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 67,022
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From: Beats UD regularly playing 3D chess, and at life
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,503
Likes: 1,819
From: Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '17,'22 thru '26
I remember that too. He went to turn downs, also installed a heat shield under the spring and posted pictures which I can't now find.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,027
Likes: 0
From: The Lost Borough, NYC
The exhaust gases are pretty hot, and the leaf isnt exatly metal to begin with, I'll buy the theory that the cutouts caused the failure. Just the thought of them being heated by the cutouts and stressed from driving while heated (heat makes them more pliable), then cooled off when the car is off, yeah interesting theory for sure.