is there anyway to determine if leafsprings are wore out that are off the car? have a set from a 60,000 mile dart that i want to put in another dart. I'm on a strict budget and would rather throw in some new bushings, blast, and paint than buy new. any help would be great.
leaf spring question
- Thread starter ike61
- Start date
-
Springs fatigue and then sag when on the car. Eventually they break. It is due to the cyclical loading that sprngs see from use.
I like to buy new ones vs run used ones for that reason.
I like to buy new ones vs run used ones for that reason.
You can re-arch them yourself with a Large hammer. Take them apart and set them across two pieces of steel. Like a I-beam. move the springs back and forth while striking the spring between the two resting points. Keep comparing them to the other side until you have a better arch. When satisfied match the undone spring to the side you did. I got 3 inches of lift without much effort. It is not as hard as it sounds and is the way it was done by professionals.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I mean this as a serious question. Is this REALLY a good idea? Seems to me this could invite cracking and failure.
Friend of mine did use'd to arch his Jeep springs with a press---put the spring between to pieces of soft support steel and apply pressure every few inches.
60 k might still be OK for another 15 to 25k. Depends mostly on how many cycles they've been through and how hard they've been deflected. (rough roads, high torque vs. smooth roads, smooth accelrations, never loaded to max)
First look them over visually for condition of the steel and the interleafs. Also the clamps (look like bands). Then check the free height to each other. Should be the same unless its off of one of the special factory packages.
You can check the spring rate of each by weighting and measuring the deflection. If you use yourself as a the wieght ( hold onto something when getting on and off or you may get thrown!). The rate should be the same on both springs (even if the number of leafs varies).
If the leafs are good, you can get or have the local spring shop install new interleafs and bands if needed.
-
