Rusty Bowtie
General Category => Early Chevy/GM Discussion => Topic started by: vette59jdwl on February 18, 2015, 11:24:31 AM
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OK guys I have heard lots of ideas ?????My Question which one is the best idea. I have heard of using some sort of Teflon sheets that you cut and place these between the springs ,Some guys take one or two springs out to soften the ride.
I have also heard of some guys taking the springs apart and using fiberglass screening and coating them with grease then putting the spring on top and doing that to the next spring and wrapping them all with electric tape.
I have also heard of drilling the ends of the springs and putting in these Teflon Buttons and i do think that drilling that case hardened spring might be a little difficult
So having said all that What is your opinions on this subject, a guy like me is using elliptical springs front and back so will need HELP thanks vette59jdwl
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Been going thru that this week. Drilling the leaf springs really isn't that bad, you need a "cobalt" bit, drill slow and lube, lube and lube. The cobalt bits work great on hardened steel, they cost more BUT can be re-sharpened.
I am using the thin steel shims that are between the leafs for a 2001 Blazer since they are 2.5" wide, figure the factory put the shims in to make a gap for the springs buttons.
As far as spring buttons (AKA: leaf spring insert) you can find them on ebay, Rockauto etc.
Link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181631623859?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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that really simplifies the process to getting a much nicer ride out of our leaf springed early Chevys.
Beats grinding and rounding the ends, the painting the springs. Waiting for the paint to harden, then insert the Teflon 1/32 thick tape. If you want to do that, HORTONS used to sell it.
Also TOURING TYPE radial tires with very flexible sidewalls to absorb the road flaws will also help the ride quality.
mike ................... 8)
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I was talking with Glenn C Rarick last evening and he mentioned that he went ahead and purchased a roll of the Teflon for the springs I am pretty sure that he said he had something like 500 feet of the stuff I forgot to ask how wide. I know that my old chevy springs are pretty narrow compared to the Dodge D-50 rear springs..Has anyone used fiberglass screening and greased these between the springs and then taped the springs with electrical tape. vette59jdwl
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The stock springs on my son's 37 are 1-3/4" wide...
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The Posie's springs on my car have a pocket on each end to hold the moly-nylon button. The buttons reduce friction between the springs. I like the ride and handling I get with them.
Tom
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I went the way of rounding and tapering the ends of the springs on the grinder, painting and then using the plastic insulation between the leaves that you buy on a roll from Speedway. I also used a bunch of stainless steel clamps to keep those leaves tight and in line when I do those firey, smokey burnouts ;D Anyway, the springs are functional and look good, neat and clean Well worth the time to me..
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Here's what I did. Didn't take that long and what a difference, no binding, squeaking.........
Before and after, minus the stainless steel clamps
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Choper did you but anything between the springs Or did anyone take some of the springs out of the pack. I am using stock 1932 chevy springs front and back at the present time. thanks vette59jdwl
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I'm using the stock 32 springs in the rear as of now I've done nothing to them, I wanted to see how it road before I did anything.
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Vette, yes, it's a little tough to see in the picture but I used a leafspring liner from Speedway. You get a 20' roll for about $17.00. I also think I did away with one leaf, from 7 to 6 leaves. My springs were made by a local spring shop. I took them an original and said give me a set like this only shorter with a lower radius, blah, blah. Anyway, I wound up taking the front leaves about 4 or 5 times to have them "tweeked" by the shop until they were just where I wanted them. Same with the rear springs. The shop was great.
Here's some not so great pictures of the springs and the insulator/liner.
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Vette, I'll count my leaves when I get home and let you know. I also had the eyes reversed, that dropped the car a good two to two and a half inches.
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Here's what I did. Didn't take that long and what a difference, no binding, squeaking.........
Before and after, minus the stainless steel clamps
TOP QUALITY JOB ROUNDING AND SMOOTHING THE ENDS OF THE SPRINGS, JUST LIKE THEY SHOULD BE TO STOP THE LEAVES FROM DIGGING INTO EACH OTHER..
MIKE........ 8)
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The two biggest issues with my '53 pickup are front springs and 2 miles of rough road. In an attempt to get a decent ride height and retain the stock axle I have broken many sets of springs in the past 30 years. 1 set of Posie's, 2 sets of Patrick's, 2 sets of mono leafs, and several sets of stockers with leafs removed. I've done them with and without, liners, paint , and grease. I hate the idea of IFS with bags but I may have to go there or go back to stock height. There is just too much weight and too many rocks. It is after all a ranch truck first and a hot rod second. ??? We bagged my son's Stude just for the same reasons and it worked well but it was already IFS. Chopper yours look very nice. I'm sticking with a somewhat stock front end on the roadster.
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You need to make friends with someone who has a road grader and have them make a few passes on the road per 1/2 year.
lmao
mike............. 8)
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I wish it was that simple. It's not all on my property and some is on US Government land (like 86% of Nevada). :(
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Vette, I have 5 leaves in the front and six in the back. The car rides great for me.....so far, I only have a couple hundred miles on it.
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Sorry for the late comment but I am Glen Rarick's son and I can't remember how wide the tephlon is but I did a set of leafs for a 1935 roadster and I had to cut about half an inch off the width. I usually cut them as close as I can then put them together and trim extra off and touch up with paint and I believe I used 5 leafs also. I cut the tephlon about a 1/4 inch longer than the sprint on each one. We are not using leaf springs in the front. I don't really know if this is the right way to do it but that is the way dad showed me. I am only 39 so I am still learning everything so any knowledge I can pick up here would be greatly appreciated. thank you
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Sorry for the late comment but I am Glen Rarick's son and I can't remember how wide the tephlon is but I did a set of leafs for a 1935 roadster and I had to cut about half an inch off the width. I usually cut them as close as I can then put them together and trim extra off and touch up with paint and I believe I used 5 leafs also. I cut the tephlon about a 1/4 inch longer than the sprint on each one. We are not using leaf springs in the front. I don't really know if this is the right way to do it but that is the way dad showed me. I am only 39 so I am still learning everything so any knowledge I can pick up here would be greatly appreciated. thank you
Welcome to the forum.. suspect that I drive by your Bowtie Shop in Theresa en route to my son's house also in LaFargeville? He lives down the road from your dad.
Ed
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Sorry for the late comment but I am Glen Rarick's son and I can't remember how wide the tephlon is but I did a set of leafs for a 1935 roadster and I had to cut about half an inch off the width. I usually cut them as close as I can then put them together and trim extra off and touch up with paint and I believe I used 5 leafs also. I cut the tephlon about a 1/4 inch longer than the sprint on each one. We are not using leaf springs in the front. I don't really know if this is the right way to do it but that is the way dad showed me. I am only 39 so I am still learning everything so any knowledge I can pick up here would be greatly appreciated. thank you
Welcome to the forum.. suspect that I drive by your Bowtie Shop in Theresa en route to my son's house also in LaFargeville? He lives down the road from your dad.
Ed
I work right out of my dads shop. All the cars I will be doing are his and most will be sold. I do all his sandblasting and about 2 yrs ago I started learning how to actually build them and love every minute of it. should have started 20 years ago. As soon as I learn how to do it I will be posting cars for sale. they are all projects but full cars not missing much. This is a great site for someone like me that wants to learn and there seems to be years of experience here. I will definitely be a permanent fixture here lol
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Welcome aboard.Glenn and I are buddy's across the pond
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You can help your dad move some parts on this forum also...I have been in the shop and have seen some of the inventory :P
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FYI Only:
I found the best price online for the "leaf spring inserts" at Rock Auto
http://www.rockauto.com/
As an example you can search Rock Auto by part number 924070
These are the set of (4) leaf spring inserts for the 95-2005 Blazer and others at $5.09 plus $4.81 priority postage...best price I could find.
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Welcome aboard sedan1933, let's see some pics of what you are working on.
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Thanks ED i am looking into that ,and also going to round the ends on the springs when it comes time to redo the rear end and also the front end thanks again vette59jdwl
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Sedan1933. Would that be the PONTIAC sedan delivery you are calling yourself after or something else. We keep missing each other maybe this Friday. I should be at your dads place before noon .I have to go over to the watering hole lol lol vette59jdwl.
Ps I have to find me a timing chain for a Yamaha Kodiak 400 so i think my first stop will be Can-am Evans Mills vette59jdwl
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I have a 1933 Chevrolet Master Sedan that I got from my dad last fall. Have not worked on that yet trying to get some of his stuff done first and get money to build my own. I did a lot of work on that sedan delivery tho and will be putting it back together now that it isn't sold. We hope to have him driving that this summer if everything goes as planned. I will post some pictures of the things we are working on as soon as I can get some taken. We have someone else that does some for him as well and that guy is finishing up a 1932 landow phaeton and then he will be finishing up a 1956 2 dr hardtop Belair for him. The 1956 will be for sale as soon as it is done. For anyone that doesn't know Glen we have around 80 to 85 cars and LOTS of parts so please if you need anything give him a call or shoot me a message and I will talk with him and look around. I would like to get as many cars out there as we can because a lot of the younger generation(by younger I mean younger than me) show no interest and its going to be a lost art someday. Sorry for all the typing but when it comes to cars I can talk for hours.
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Well Sedan1933. I dont think that will ever happen street rods, hotrods, and restomads is American as apple pie.North America would have to be over run by South Africa and maybe mongolia before streetrods would be deleted and that is not going to happen any time soon..OH I think we do go through phases.like anything else times are low or times are tough,our priorities change but then they bounce back and we get at it again.The stuff,parts,junk,clutter your dad has will always be worth its weight in gold,especially with the internet so cloose at hand.In the blink of an eye i can contact some guy in California.and in 60 seconds or less i can give a guy ion conneticut the price of whatever hes looking for.I have some contact here in CANADA that have as much if not more than your dad and older stuff as well. and that stuff isn't going anywhere soon,Mind you at 70 plus the only thing thats going anywhere would be me. The clock keeps ticking oh well we all have our little secretes and mine is in LaFargville vette59jdwl
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when it comes to vintage parts or cars its always about $$$$$$$$$ . Anybody can ASK whatever they want, but doesn't mean its going to get sold.
There is a lot of dreamers out there with unrealistic price expectations. We all run into them. One only has to watch AMERICAN PICKERS on a weekly basis to see asking prices on some items is PIE IN SKY ideas.
mike 8)
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I could not agree more MIKE i was needing a timing chain for a Yamaha Kodiac 400 there was one in Montreal the guy would not take canadian money wanted $19 us and $19 us to ship it and $5.30 taxes came to $45 bucks US and i purchased it out of the US for $20 US and free shipping GO FIGURE vette59jdwl
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Hey Sedan1933 welcome,
would really like to see some pictures of what your working on. I know what it's like not have them, as you get started and just don't take the time to take pictures until after you finished.