Cheap leaf springs?

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swingingdart

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Does anyone know where to buy cheap leaf springs for a 72 dodge dart? I think I want stock spec springs, but the idea of a stiffer rear I kind of like. I just heard people say the super stock springs will beat up your car pretty bad... any thoughts?
(P.S. this is just a cruiser, maybe occasional launch on a back road, healthy 318)
Thanks!
 
Get the XHD (340) springs from General Spring or Springs and Things.
 
Call Espo, they will help to spec out what you need and they will build the springs to spec. I just bought their plus 2” 6 leaf springs for my 340 Duster. With U bolts and shipping it was close to $400, but keep in mind that overbend and 6 leaf are both up charges over a stock leaf. If you go stock you will come in lower. The key here is Espo (springsnthings) will not sell you springs until they know the specs of what you have and are planning to do because they are built for your car and required driving style, not just “it fits all A body for the entire run, good luck”.

Stay away from Mancini. I have a pair of their springs that the bend in one is crap and I told them it was with pics of the end bending the opposite way and they said “You are the only one with the problem in 600 sets sold this year.” followed by “We will accept them back but will not pay return shipping since there is nothing wrong with them that we can see.” I did not want to spend another $80 in shipping to get back $250 since I already paid $80 to get them here.... Mancini won this time... but with the junk spring here I know I saved someone else from getting it!

When buying springs, no matter who you go with, always go to an actual manufacturer, not a reseller, because the manufacturer knows what they are doing. All the resellers do is just look at a sheet and tell you yes, it fits.
 
Cheap is a relative term. What’s your price bracket for cheap leaf springs?
 
The cheapest is probably to re-arch your stock springs and the spring shop can probably add a helper for a little extra viagra in your sagging axle.
 
Get the XHD (340) springs from General Spring or Springs and Things.

XHD Mopar Performance springs from
Mancini at $268 a pair, best springs for the money and give a good ride height. Not sure what the OP considers cheap, but I think that’s very reasonable.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I will check all these manufacturers out!
And as far as re-arching the springs, is there ever a concern of over fatiguing the spring where it might break?
 
I had the springs on my B body 78 Sport Fury rearched. Within a year they were worse sagged than I started out with. I should have had them add a leaf at the same time.
 
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XHD Mopar Performance springs from
Mancini at $268 a pair, best springs for the money and give a good ride height. Not sure what the OP considers cheap, but I think that’s very reasonable.

This is exactly the route I first went believing it was the best springs for the money and these are the springs that one came with the main leaf arched backwards the last 6 inches. I argued with Mancini for over a week, with them telling me they could not see the problem in my pics... you can see daylight between a straight edge and the bottom of the spring it’s that obvious...

That is why I went to Espo springsnthings , and believe me, you can see the difference. I did the math and Espo was only about $20 more than the Mancini springs but when I set the springs side by side in my garage the Espo springs looked twice as expensive as the Mancini. Or rather it really brought to attention the poor quality of the Mancini springs. If anyone would like to see the side by side pics I would be happy to show them.
 
The previous, previous owner added Mancini's 2800lb springs to my '71 Dart GT. It rides nice and I like the stance.

IMG_5865.jpg
 
This is exactly the route I first went believing it was the best springs for the money and these are the springs that one came with the main leaf arched backwards the last 6 inches. I argued with Mancini for over a week, with them telling me they could not see the problem in my pics... you can see daylight between a straight edge and the bottom of the spring it’s that obvious...

That is why I went to Espo springsnthings , and believe me, you can see the difference. I did the math and Espo was only about $20 more than the Mancini springs but when I set the springs side by side in my garage the Espo springs looked twice as expensive as the Mancini. Or rather it really brought to attention the poor quality of the Mancini springs. If anyone would like to see the side by side pics I would be happy to show them.
Yes, I would like to see them please.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I will check all these manufacturers out!
And as far as re-arching the springs, is there ever a concern of over fatiguing the spring where it might break?

Yes. Re-arching is a temporary band-aid. It does not last. Springs are made of.....wait for it.......spring steel. Spring steel has memory. Once that memory is gone is when a spring's life is over. Once springs sag, they HAVE experienced fatigue. Once re-arched, they will return to their fatigue shape much more quickly than they did originally.

Look around at stock 340 cars. See how you like those. They came with the XHD springs. What I would do is find a car that I like the looks of. If it's one with XHD springs, for example, I would order the XHD springs + 1". That way when they settle, you will be right on the money. All new springs settle "about" 1" give or take over a short period so I always take that into consideration. A lot of people do not and some are disappointed.
 
Just looking at their web site makes me feel comfortable doing business with them. And they have a phone #, nice!


I installed a set of Espo springs for a local member and when we had a couple problems getting them in, she called them and they were there to help and support us... They are a good place to deal with, they even will help after the sale if you need advice...
 
I installed a set of Espo springs for a local member and when we had a couple problems getting them in, she called them and they were there to help and support us... They are a good place to deal with, they even will help after the sale if you need advice...
They look like very nice people. I'm looking forward to doing business with them.
 
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