Re-using leaf spring sets??

[Kevin Bisgrove]

I see some people pulling them apart and restoring the originals.
How do I know when I can and can't reuse them?
What is the process for restoration, fairly straightforward?

 

[dadsbee]

Shown in both my Bee restoration
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121731.msg1633720.html#msg1633720

and my Dart cleanup...
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopa...inger-clean-up.479419/page-14#post-1973340315

 

[Tony Tee]

I just used my home made 12 ton press and re-curved them a little. Works great ! As long as they're not super rusty and badly pitted.

 

[66Satellite47]

In the '70's I did lots of experimenting with leaf springs for my '65 Coronet drag car. I used several sets of used springs to make different combinations. I had a local spring recurve them several times. I finally did a set which used leafs from my stock Coronet and from a "Super Trak Pak" set to nearly duplicate the 002/003 early '70's SS spring. Spring stack very close to the 002/003 except on the stock 21" front segment main leaf. That worked perfect for my Coronet which eventually went 10.50's. Re-doing stock springs can work very well.

 

[dadsbee]

I just used my home made 12 ton press and re-curved them a little. Works great ! As long as they're not super rusty and badly pitted.

Exactly. If you follow my Dart cleanup you'll see I re-arched one sides main leaf to bring it back to life. Simply rebuilding my Bee's springs with new interleafs and wear plates went from springs that needed air shocks to hold them up to sitting higher than I actually like with no air.

 

[YY1]

OK, I'm curious.

Where and/or haw many times do you put the press and how much pressure do you use?

 

[RussT Plymouths]

I've re-arched several sets "old school" using a scrap piece of 6" channel iron and a big hammer, (and ear plugs). Just don't do anything around the center hole. Using a press is much quieter.

 

[volaredon]

I had my springs re arched on my 78 Fury 2 door HT about 8 years ago, figuring "Hell this car is low mile, almost rust free, that should do it" This was the 1st time I had anything done to a set of leafs that did not include adding another leaf. And the last. The rearch didn't last the summer, I ended up putting air shocks on over that winter, as a bandaid. Since then I have built a few sets of what they call "bastard packs" for a few ofr my trucks. mostly Dakotas. (took them apart and added my own leaf to the existing original spring pack, a leaf that was pirated from another set of leaf springs). this worked out MUCH better for me, each time.
Prior to that I'd removed the springs and taken them to the local spring shop, had them add a leaf and reassemble them. I stopped doing that when the local spring shop got bought up and the new owners took prices crazy high.
Last year I replaced the leaf springs with whole new ones from a place in PA (I forget who) I just (as in 10 minutes ago) got off the phone with General KC Spring, I just ordered a new pair of 5 leaf springs (originals are 4 leaf) for the Fury. Beat everyone else's prices by a mile. I've bought from them before, a few times/ I forget why I went elsewhere for my Durango springs when I bought those. Looked on Ebay and found some used takeoffs from some junkyard that they wanted exactly the same price as what I just paid for new ones, which was cheaper than what the local spring shop wants to rebuild the existing ones and add a leaf.. even if I take them off and reinstall them myself

Once my new springs get here I will probably be taking the air shocks off.

 

[hunt2elk]

OK, I'm curious.

Where and/or haw many times do you put the press and how much pressure do you use?

And how long do they stay arched?

 

[volaredon]

And how long do they stay arched?

In my case it was less than a summer.

 

[dadsbee]

All I did on the Bee was new interleafs and plastic wear plates. It still hasn't come back down in 3 years. Dart I re-arched one main leaf from the drivers side that had flattened out compared to the passenger side and then swapped the spring sets (both are the same on a 340 Dart) side to side. If it goes soft again it'll let the passenger side bite on take off....

 

[YY1]

In my case it was less than a summer.

Wah, wah, wah, waaaaaaaah.

Dang.

 

[volaredon]

Wasn't complaining,I honestly didn't know how long it would last though I was hopeful at the time. It didn't cost me much at all besides the time to pull em off, throw em in my truck and run em across town. They didn't charge me much I think $30-40 at the time to see if it would work/last.
Someone above asked how long a rearch would last, just sharing my experience.

 

[dadsbee]

Wasn't complaining,I honestly didn't know how long it would last though I was hopeful at the time. It didn't cost me much at all besides the time to pull em off, throw em in my truck and run em across town. They didn't charge me much I think $30-40 at the time to see if it would work/last.
Someone above asked how long a rearch would last, just sharing my experience.

Did you actually take the springs apart, have them re-arched and reassemble with new interleafs and wear plates, or some shop just put the entire assembly in a press and re-arched it?

 

[Tony Tee]

Search , rearching and dearching leaf springs on YouTube. It's easy with a hydraulic press. But be careful.

 

[volaredon]

Good question. I took them to a regular spring shop dropped them off, told them what I want, and left. They called me back next day saying"done". I think they just put the whole unit in a press and stretched them a bit.its been a few years ago.i didn't stay and watch them.

 

[dadsbee]

Good question. I took them to a regular spring shop dropped them off, told them what I want, and left. They called me back next day saying"done". I think they just put the whole unit in a press and stretched them a bit.its been a few years ago.i didn't stay and watch them.

If they didn't have shiny new band clamps on them.. that's exactly what they did, but based on $40... I know that's exactly what they did as it's not an hour long job to rebuild them properly.

 

[YY1]

Wah, wah, wah, waaaaaaaah.

Dang.

that was the buzzer sound not a baby crying

I meant that it sucked that it only lasted 1 year.