I want a list of what the ride height of different leaf springs are. I see for sale 1 drop 2 drop and that means nothing to me. I've been looking at the hotchkis springs but have heard a few negative things lately. GmachineDartGT had a post and said he measured the shock from bolt to bolt and got around 16.25 on the hotchkis springs. I would be putting these on my 71 dart and am looking for something at about 17-17.5 shock length at ride height I think that would be slightly lower then stock. I've looked at Firm feels road race springs but have no measurements from them. Let me know what you guys are running.
Pro Touring Leaf Springs
- Thread starter dart0571
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i bought some flex-form fiberglass leafs last year. now they are cracked! i called them today to see if they are going to make them up. i would go Firm Feel or Hotchkis. my next route will be a street lynx i think though.
I just talked to firm feel about their road course leaf springs. They will sit one inch lower than new stock springs, or about the same as older sagged ones. If your tires are 245 or smaller they should fit in there.
I have read that Firm Feel is just selling the MP oval track springs P4529415 as road race springs. I don't see Firm Feel listing a spring rate or arch but the oval track springs are 1" arch and 120lbs spring rate. I havent seen an arch for the hotchkis springs but the rate is 130lbs. So wouldn't it be safe to assume the MP springs would sit lower?
autoxcuda
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No. I would not assume that. It may be true. But I would not assume it.
Because you don't know the free arch. Also advertised and measured spring rates can very when it come to leaf springs. When we raced leaf spring cars we would get measurements within 10-20 lbs with same part number spring. Measured with a Longacre leaf spring rate machine. I know Hotchkis has one of those same machines in thier shop. Firm Feel might too.
Also the Hotchkis spring have a mid-eye front and mid-eye rear bushing area. So that drops them about 1", but that should be accounted for in the free arch measurement.
i know dick pretty well,i have about all his parts on my car.i had talked to him about his springs before i got the flex forms. now i have to call him and eat crow. i am sitting almost 3" lower than stock,best guess. it may be a street lynx,or i have another deal i am trying to work out more extreme.
72BBSwinger
Well-Known Member
The p4529415s are the +1", the p4529414 are the 0 arch just for clarification. I have the 415s and they sit about 3/8" higher than my old Super Stockers with 2" lowering blocks. I have very little miles on them and I bet they settle a bit more.
Yeah the 415's are +1" and 414 are 0"... 72BBSwinger what is your suspension set up for the rear? What front spring mount are you running? I've read to use an aftermarket mount with the circle track springs... Stock length shackles? Springs relocated? Can you post a larger picture of your car I think you could help me pull the trigger on ordering these... Do you have any measurements for height of the car also do they feel stiff enough?
Here's a pic of my car with three people loaded up for a car show. I like the empty height but loaded up it's too low...
View attachment 08-156.JPG
Here's a pic of my car with three people loaded up for a car show. I like the empty height but loaded up it's too low...
View attachment 08-156.JPG
blown71duster
Well-Known Member
I ordered a set from Eaton springs, I liked the way the dust ya duster looked and they had the specs from the original order for them, so just ordered a set of those.
http://www.eatonsprings.com/
http://www.eatonsprings.com/
72BBSwinger
Well-Known Member
I have the springs moved in and just used the hole that was already there so my axle is 1/2" rearward. No big deal. Here is a pic but not with those springs in, the wheel now is about 1/4" below the wheelwell now.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
So what kind of springs is Firm Feel selling?
i don't want to hijack your thread,but i have an update on my springs. i talked to mark at flex-form today. he was very receptive to my problem. long story short,he said he was going to start making another set for me and hopefully i can have them in two weeks. we leave for RTTS april 4th!
Firm feel is selling the mopar performance oval track springs I think they just sell two 415's for street use whereas they would be staggered 414 and 415 for track but I'm guessing on that. I'm not quite ready to oreder mine, just had a tree fall and need a chainsaw instead of leaf springs. Wracks, thats good they're making you some new ones for free I hope. My car is mostly going to be street driven so I think I'll stick with steel springs for now.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
The rates are confusing. Mark sells a 225 lb spring, the Hotchkiss spring is 130lb, and the OE spring is 110 (340 spec). I'm not sure why the rates vary so much. If anything the high rate would induce some serious oversteer depending on the rear bar and the rest of package. I'm trying out some 102lb springs with my old 1" rear bar.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Mark is the guy from Flex a Form.
yea,that whole spring rate thing confuses the hell out of me. i understand you want the car "balanced" front to rear. i told him that the short time i drove it that it was loose in the rear and he said i may need a higher spring rate. :banghead: i am running a 1 1/4 front bar and a 1" rear bar. you are going to be at RTTS right?
72BBSwinger
Well-Known Member
If the rearend wants to come around all the time dont you want to stiffen the front?
mark called me from flex form today. springs ship tomorrow! he said i may have to remove my rear bar to loosen up the rear a little. we'll see. jersey race will be learning the car all over again!
Rice Nuker
Let the Coal Roll!
I bought the firm feel road race springs about 3 years ago. Still have not finished my car. I was and am still a little confused by the rate. They (FirmFeel) measured the rate back then by putting a 200# man on the spring upside-down on the floor and seeing how far the spring deflected. Said it moved an inch, so it was about a 200# spring rate.
When I got the springs, the Mopar P/N on them matched the circle track springs on Jegs for 85 bucks each. So I spend a ton on circle track springs. The springs are 1/2" longer in the front section than factory which may require you to have a different hole in the front hanger. To me the springs seemed soft on the car but I have not driven it and it is not fully built so I don't know the final ride height.
I want to run offset hangers so I cant run these springs. I need factory length front segment.
Here is a thread I started about my firm feel springs that had some informative posts:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=107069&highlight=firm+feel+road+race
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When I got the springs, the Mopar P/N on them matched the circle track springs on Jegs for 85 bucks each. So I spend a ton on circle track springs. The springs are 1/2" longer in the front section than factory which may require you to have a different hole in the front hanger. To me the springs seemed soft on the car but I have not driven it and it is not fully built so I don't know the final ride height.
I want to run offset hangers so I cant run these springs. I need factory length front segment.
Here is a thread I started about my firm feel springs that had some informative posts:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=107069&highlight=firm+feel+road+race
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I make the correct hangers to work with the Mopar circle track springs. Part number is AR118. www.arengineering.com then click on spring hangers. Firm Feel usually has the hangers in stock or Mancini Racing will have them also.
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