Leaf Springs

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blackace

blackace

The KING of flats
Joined
May 25, 2005
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I'm looking into getting a new set of springs. I was checkin out JC Whitney for HD springs but they don't make them for my 71 Dart but they do for 73 up. I thought all A Body rear suspension were the same. I know Mopar offered HD rear springs from the factory. Why does most vendors offer A Body springs for all years? Are they universal springs? Would these springs from JC Whitney work on my Dart? I don't see why not but I want to make sure. I thought from 66 - 76 springs all interchange with another?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...0239633/Pr-p_CATENTRY_ID:10000023208510239633
 
The difference is probably in the front bushing. I replaced the sagging springs on my Duster with the Whitney HD 5 leafs. The springs I removed had a 1/2" bushing and bolt. The replacement springs had a 5/8" front bushing and bolt. If using the stock hangers I suppose you could drill the mounting hole to 5/8" and use a grade 8 5/8" nuts and bolts. I used Mopar Performance offset hangers and they were for 5/8" bolts,so no problem there for me. I ordered the springs for a '75 Duster. In the past I've swaped the springs from a '76 Valliant onto a '67 Dart, they were identical. Could call this place as they make the Whitney and Mancini springs and may be cheaper with no middleman markup.
Bob

http://www.johnrspring.com/index.htm
 
I contacted John R Spring but they never got back to me. If that's the only difference I think I might order a set. THANKS
 
I did also notice espo does not list leaf springs. I bought a set of XHD leaf springs from a company. I did not realize the right spring arch was different than the left (about two inches higher). Luckily they gave me a refund.
 
Do most people like the ride and height of the SS springs or the XHD springs better?

I have a chance to get a set of SS springs at a good price but I have a 71 swinger 318 and dont want the ride to be to stiff.
 
Springs from Mopar. I have the HD springs in my car and love them.

http://www.mopar.com/m_perf_subcat2Check.jsp?SubSubSubGrpID=499&dummy5=1185306258465


Mopar SS springs...

http://www.mopar.com/m_perf_subcat2Check.jsp?SubSubSubGrpID=500&dummy8=1185306739773

Oval track..

http://www.mopar.com/m_perf_subcat2Check.jsp?SubSubSubGrpID=501&dummy8=1185306847656


And other rear spring stuff.....

http://www.mopar.com/m_perf_subcatCheck.jsp? SubSubGrpID=502&dummy3=1185306049692



Or just go here.......

http://mopar.com/performance/muscle/index.html
 
Here is a bucks down approach for springs. You may have the parts lying around.
I needed heaver springs for my Sport. It has a Diplomat rear under it and my 15 tires would scrape if I loaded the car up and hit a bump.
I took the springs apart and changed out some leaves from extra Diplomat springs I had.

I read somewhere that Chrysler springs were designed to be flat at rest for best handling. And only the TA and AAR cars had arch in the springs. And stiffer springs or more arch will change the steering characteristics of a car.
So I didn’t want the car to sit up any higher in the rear.
But I also wanted it to have a point at which it would take an extra load and not scrape the tires.
So I laid all the leaves out and did a littler figuring based on curves. It worked good.
 
Are the XHD springs what came on the car or are they a bit beefer? Are these the thicker 5 leaf ones?

Also noticed the XHD were more expensive than the SS

Thanks again....
 
Seems like what I read about the springs being flat when installed was in the Mopar chassis manual, if that matters to you.
The point being, unless that is incorrect, just because the springs are “flat” doesn’t mean new ones will be any different. Putting new Mopar ones on my Challenger didn’t make any difference from the old ones. It sat the same. That was before I read about the above.
So I am a bit gun shy.
I think the way it works is stiffer rear, more over steer. Softer rear means more under steer. Factory anti sway front end is what I run on by Darts. That changes things too.
Every bread and butter A body I have seen either had four or five leaf springs. And there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason. I don’t know that there was much if any difference in the things.
 
My original Formula S springs have 6 leafs the Mopar XHD have 5, but each of the 5 are thicker giving the same pack thickness as the stock springs + or - a hair.
 
So the XHD are only 5 springs but thicker? How many springs on the SS?

Reason why the XHD are more expensive than SS
 
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