Rear leaf spring question

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scott657

scott657

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Im considering new leaf springs for my 68 Valiant(360 orig /6)
The V8 springs have a 5/8 bolt front bushing, While the /6 car has a 1/2 bolt bushing.
I have the 1/2" bolt bushing. Can I drill the spring pocket to 5/8 or is there anything else to consider.
At general spring there is a 50 dollar difference (the 5/8 being less expensive). otherwise they appear to be identical
 
scott657 said:
Im considering new leaf springs for my 68 Valiant(360 orig /6)
The V8 springs have a 5/8 bolt front bushing, While the /6 car has a 1/2 bolt bushing.
I have the 1/2" bolt bushing. Can I drill the spring pocket to 5/8 or is there anything else to consider.
At general spring there is a 50 dollar difference (the 5/8 being less expensive). otherwise they appear to be identical
Click to expand...

You are correct that other than the bushing eye they are identical.
Drill baby drill.
 
It baffles me why there would be a difference like that in the first place
Thanks TB
 
scott657 said:
Im considering new leaf springs for my 68 Valiant(360 orig /6)
The V8 springs have a 5/8 bolt front bushing, While the /6 car has a 1/2 bolt bushing.
I have the 1/2" bolt bushing. Can I drill the spring pocket to 5/8 or is there anything else to consider.
At general spring there is a 50 dollar difference (the 5/8 being less expensive). otherwise they appear to be identical
Click to expand...

Drill out the holes in the spring bracket, then find a good hardware store and get the same length bolts in grade 5 or 8 in the same length as the original 1/2" bolts...

If you get them too long, they will hit the frame... :BangHead:
 
scott657 said:
It baffles me why there would be a difference like that in the first place
Thanks TB
Click to expand...
Easy, Everybody forgets that A's started out compact & light as possible, the TF6(904) trans, /6 (orig. supposed to be Al-U-minimum), the steering gear Al box, etc. all to
make the new compacts light as possible. The V-8's & larger bodies came way later and the components got upgraded as needed, all early A's have a small eye bolt, but
later Slantys came with smaller bolts still while V-8's got upgraded, later they all had large bolts..........
 
scott657 said:
Im considering new leaf springs for my 68 Valiant(360 orig /6)
The V8 springs have a 5/8 bolt front bushing, While the /6 car has a 1/2 bolt bushing.
I have the 1/2" bolt bushing. Can I drill the spring pocket to 5/8 or is there anything else to consider.
At general spring there is a 50 dollar difference (the 5/8 being less expensive). otherwise they appear to be identical
Click to expand...
Talk to them at General Spring, they can tell you the exact size bit and set you up with all the hardware too.
 
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