General Spring

[Omni]

Good Morning All

My'65 Newport (4 door sedan) is in need of either the rear spring rebuilt or replaced. They are basically flat. I replaced the original (!) rear shocks with some coil overs. That helped but I would still like to renew the springs themselves. I plan on driving this car so the trunk will be utilized.

I have contacted 'Springs and Things' but they are unsure when there supply will be replenished. A web search found General Spring based out of Kansas. I have contacted them to see where their products are produced. They show a 8 leaf for a replacement. Mine are 5.

Has anyone dealt with this company? If so what are your thoughts?

Thanks for your time
Omni

 

[Omni]

Just got this reply from General Spring:

"They are manufactured in several places, none are made in China."

That in its self speaks volumns...

Omni

 

[Toolmanmike]

Espo is in Pennsylvania. They are great to deal with.

 

[Big_John]

Espo is in Pennsylvania. They are great to deal with.

ESPO is "Springs and Things". I agree, they are great to deal with and my first choice.

 

[Big_John]

They show a 8 leaf for a replacement. Mine are 5.

I don't think that's what you want. 8 leaf springs are for trucks, it would destroy the ride.

 

[mopar1934]

I have dealt with general spring in Kansas. It all in All was a good experience.. the springs are still firm after 6 years.

 

[Rainy Day]

I have used general spring several times with great success. They typically have the correct springs in stock, and ship very fast. They also have correct ubolts for our cars.

 

[volksworld]

I've used eaton detroit spring in the past for my chevy pickup (sorry)...havent tried them for c body leaves though...

 

[Knebel]

I'm following this. Their leaf springs for my fury are only 149 a piece... seems pretty good!

 

[Wonderwagon]

I've used Detroit Eaton, response was quick. Liked how they turned out

 

[Knebel]

Eaton is 295 per spring.... plus shipping. If you're budget oriented that might kill it. I was Just looking and thought it was for the pair but nope...

Just my 2 cents.

 

[DirkRhodie]

Please correct me but aren't they designed to be relatively flat as opposed to a bow like bend.. I'm sure I read something to this effect in the original factory workshop manual

 

[Detroit_Lives]

leaf springs do sag over time, the way to check is to measure distance from the ground to the bottom of the bumper at the front and rear. There's a factory height spec so you can compare yours to spec and know how bad the sag is. on the other hand some people like em low...

 

[Big_John]

leaf springs do sag over time, the way to check is to measure distance from the ground to the bottom of the bumper at the front and rear. There's a factory height spec so you can compare yours to spec and know how bad the sag is. on the other hand some people like em low...

Where can this spec be found?

This question has been asked a lot and I've never seen a proper answer.

 

[Detroit_Lives]

Where can this spec be found?

This question has been asked a lot and I've never seen a proper answer.

like everything else; google it. I found this info for my 65 Polara at oldride.com in their research library, I was wrong about the distance to the bumper tho, it says height 57.2 inches. They don't list the spec for 65 Newport that I could see.

 

[Big_John]

like everything else; google it. I found this info for my 65 Polara at oldride.com in their research library, I was wrong about the distance to the bumper tho, it says height 57.2 inches. They don't list the spec for 65 Newport that I could see.

What you have there is the nominal overall height checked at an unknown position (presumably the highest point) on the roof. BTW, that's in the FSM.

That would tell you nothing about rear ride height. Not to be argumentative, but to illustrate, I could jack the rear in the air and put the front bumper on the ground and come up with a figure that measures 57.2 at the high point of the roof.

I suppose you could set the front torsion bars using the factory spec (difference between points on the lower control arm) fit the car with OEM bias tires of the proper size and diameter. (radials would "squat" a touch) and then measure to a high point on the roof. I think the "stack up" of tolerances and subtle differences might still bite you though.

What is needed is a simple measurement along the lower part of the rocker. Most of what I've read has been (in theory) that the rocker should be parallel with the floor. But I've never seen or read that as a "spec" of the car as it came off the line. HD leaf spring options may throw that theory off and the T/A Challenger and AAR Cuda had two different size tires which gave a forward rake to those new cars.

Someplace, somewhere, there is a ride height spec for each car as it came off the line. In other words, the QC inspector would look at the car and say it's too low or too high and/or tilted up or down. The front t-bar adjustment could be checked, but there has to be some other spec for height for the rest of the car... Or even level when the t-bar adjustment is correct. Different option tires and leaf springs would make things difficult and I can't see gauging to the roof as practical either.

 

[Omni]

Good Morning All
Talked to ESPO (Spring and Things) and was able to get a ship date. So I decided to go with them.
Spring are 7 leaf $330/pr
Shackles w/bushings $84/pr
U bolts $20 set of 4
Eye Bolts $8/pr
Shipping $136 (Thank you Brandon)

Should arrive around Christmas.
Omni

 

[Omni]

Good Morning again.
Found this in the '65 FSM:

 

[Big_John]

Good Morning again.
Found this in the '65 FSM:View attachment 496818

That give a side to side difference spec (no height spec though). Good stuff to know. It does also show that a slight reverse arch is OK and I've seen some springs replaced because of this.

 

[1970cat]

there was a company ( can't remember the name) that produced crash sheets for body shops. they must have needed that info for pulling frames , etc.