What are you guys using for leaf springs?

[tallhair]

Question for the group regarding BB springs ... are the 3400 lb SS springs about the same in regard to "stiffness" as stock 440/Hemi springs used on 68 - 70 B bodies or a some percentage like 10-15 percent stiffer?

Follow up question if you have stock 440/Hemi springs on a car that are original and 40+ years old would it be as effective to re-arch them as buying new 3400 lb SS springs?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Unless rearching is done with heat, it is pretty temporary. Even with heat and they still do not last like new springs. That plus you have to find someone that knows how to do it, correctly. Anybody can separate leafs throw um on a spring anvil and beat on um. It takes experience to know when to stop. It's sorta a dying art.

 

[tallhair]

Unless rearching is done with heat, it is pretty temporary. Even with heat and they still do not last like new springs. That plus you have to find someone that knows how to do it, correctly. Anybody can separate leafs throw um on a spring anvil and beat on um. It takes experience to know when to stop. It's sorta a dying art.

Thanks Rusty, follow up .. do you know if the 3400 lb SS springs are a little diff in ride and handling than stock Hemi springs or a a lot different?

 

[Dodge 330]

Thanks Rusty, follow up .. do you know if the 3400 lb SS springs are a little diff in ride and handling than stock Hemi springs or a a lot different?

The biggest difference is the shorter front spring segment. The SS springs share the shorter 20" A-body front segment.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I am unsure about the 3400 pound springs. I have a pair, but it will be the first time I have used them. I have used the 2800 pound 002 and 003 A body springs before on several cars. I can certainly see where people might say they ride somewhat harsh. You would figure the higher number would be a stiffer spring, but from the responses here, evidently that's not the case.

 

[tallhair]

The biggest difference is the shorter front spring segment. The SS springs share the shorter 20" A-body front segment.

Thanks, I've always noticed a diff in stock, 383 B-body springs for example, and hemi/440 car springs. I've always loved the ride and handling with the hemi springs, never experienced wheel hop, but have never experienced a ride in a car with the 3400 lb SS springs.

 

[65hemi]

There is a diff between the stock 383 springs and the 4406/hemi springs. The hemi springs have an additional leave. I put the hemi springs on my Cuda.
The SS springs have a different front segment, as mentioned, and require a different front hanger. My Belvedere has the SS springs, but they appear to be sagging already and the car has not left the garage. Apparently the mexican made SS springs are crap.

 

[RustyRatRod]

No, the first line of the S/S springs from Mexico WERE crap. I forget which one now because it's been a few years, but one of the magazines actually had the nads to mention it in a suspension article. Probably similar to all the other outsourcing. There's such an influx, it's tough to tell what's good and what's not. All imported stuff isn't bad. There's just so much of it, we'll naturally see some bad stuff. There are lots of Super Stock racers out there running the MP S/S springs. We haven't seen an influx of bad springs. So that tells me for the most part, the problem is somewhat isolated. That's pretty much how they talked about it in the article.

 

[383man]

I also use 3400 lb SS springs I bought from Mancini. Ron