leaf springs

[G.Lucas]

I am in need of raising the back end of my 1955 fleetwood.Am I beter to order new leaf springs or have the old ones re-arched with an extra leaf added in?Cost will be higher on new leaf springs, is it worth the extra hassel?Thuoghts and opions please.Thanks,G.L.

[Porter 21919]

George,

Find a good reputable spring shop and theyll take care of you, that is their expertise.

Not Cadillac related but years ago I bought a used Ford (ugh) E350 cube van for my business, one leaf cracked, my garage sent me to a spring shop and they replaced the cracked spring and added another leaf.

If new springs cost more you answered your question.

Most leaf springs nowadays are for trucks, not cars , for a later model truck new springs might not hit the wallet so hard.

HTH, good luck, with custom springs you can get the desired ride height too, just find a good spring shop.

Porter

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday George,

I might add to what Porter said in as much that if you let the Spring place do all the work, they can get the desired height you want, without you having to mess with taking the springs back and forth till you get what you want.

They have the required hoists and jacks to do the task, with ease and simplicity, and they can custom match to your needs.   That is, they can increase the strength of the springs by tempering and so forth if you desire the ability to carry heavy loads, or light loads, etc.

Plus, if you are a light person, and carry a really heavy person in the passenger seat all the time, or vice verca, then they can in-build the springs to suit that.   Or, if you travel alone, all the time.   Nothing worse than a leaning car.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Porter 21919]

Bruce,

You hit the nail on the head, not neccesarily the part about custom to allow for different consistent load ratings on one side or the other but if you can find a good spring shop they will take care of you, give you the proper load rating and ride heigth that you want no prob. The factory springs dont suit all, that is why we have spring shops and new leaf springs are not exactly flying off the shelves for old Cadillacs.

Having said that I might install air shocks on my 67 CDV Rat Rod, if I ever get that far with the project, the coil springs on all four corners are probably shot anyway. Unless I decide to go with custom Stampie lowering springs, maybe the old springs have already lowered the car. LOL

Porter

[mike mason]

If you are considering modifying the leaf springs, why not look at the fiberglass springs used on Corvettes--and other cars; lighter, simpler, longer lasting, dont know about cheap.

[Denise 20352]

  Everyone seems to want heavier springs, bigger rims and smaller tires these days.  I would be more interested in having the springs made softer. I like my springs so soft that I can feel the back of the car drop when I fill up the tank with gas.  

  Has anyone tried such a modification?  I recall reading that changing springs, shocks and tires wont make a car ride much better than it did from the factory, but that doesnt make much sense to me.

-densie

[Porter 21919]

You can install softer springs on your hearse.

The 84 C4 Corvette rode like a truck, the springs were too stiff.

A friend of mine bought a new 88 Vette, it rode nice, the engineers realized softer springs and stiffer shocks would yield comparable if not better handling.

The only problem is getting the more sophisticated shocks for older cars.

Stampie likes his car low, down in the weeds.

Porter

[denise]

  I found an interesting website about coil springs.  Its a motorcycle site, but this article is about the springs in general.

http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/tech/2002spring/ TARGET=_blank>http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/tech/2002spring/

  I thought it was interesting that you make the springs stiffer by cutting coils off of the spring.  They dont say anything about the effect on the carrying height, though.  It would have to lower it.

  Now I just need to figure out how to add coils to a spring and make it softer.

-densie

[Porter 21919]

I dont know about that, the ends of the coil springs are specific for the mounting.

I read some street rod guys will heat them with a torch and let them collapse, doesnt sound too smart to me.

A friend of mine has a 36 Packard hearse that was sub framed with a Camaro front end, the car has a 454 Chevy engine.

He ordered new springs since the car sat too low in the front due to the weight of the big block engine.

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Densie and Porter,

The problem with simply cutting coil springs is that you are actually shortening the total length of the spring.

Even though you are lowering the car, the ride becomes stiffer, and the suspension movement can bottom out sooner than later.

It is similar to shortening a leaf spring, until it becomes too short and too tough to flex.   The reason Coil springs were invented was to take up less room than full leaf springs.   The mountings arent as far appart and they are more compact.

The modern springs are constructed from a length of wire that is tapered in its length, and coiled, so that they become progressive in their compression and can cater for differing loads and conditions.

Heating coils to gain lowering is totally wrong, and dangerous.

Lastly, the springs that are in the cars that come from the factory, are the best the factory can make for the vehicle concerned, having regards for the totally different useages that the purchasers put them through for the life of the car.   They are a compromise.   The factories will sell heavy duty springs to cater for those buyers that always carry a load, but they cant be expected to do more than that, unless they are custom-building vehicles for specific individuals.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Rhino 21150]

One thing you folks forget FREQUENTLY is that a huge array of parts for Cadillacs can be bought at your favorite Chevy dealer. Springs are included, at substantial savings. My local Cadillac dealer also sells Chevy and the parts guys know how cheap I am. Since Chevys are far more popular you could just ask at the counter if his special order springs can work on your car. I have Chevy springs on the rear of my Olds, I requested same squish rate as original with two extra inches height. Took four days to get them, $35 for the pair of rear coils. I used to carry a lot of weight in the trunk. Paper, its much heavier than bodies... And Auto Zone had Gabriel High Jackers air shocks for $65 for the pair. On the other hand they may refer you to the nearest spring shop.

[G.Lucas]

I had the spring shop rearch the leafs.They fond 2 broken springs so they were replaced.Also replaced 2 on the others side to balance.One extra leaf was also addad .What a differance in height and ride quality!George.

[Porter 21919]

I love it when a plan comes together.