The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Overload springs?

Just curious if anyone else has seen a set of springs like this. They are on my '53 3100 and I have not been able to find any other photos on line of similar items. I am assuming they are overload springs and the funny part to me is, at the top of the bend in the frame is thick layers of plywood bolted to the frame to act as a frame bumper!

Overload springs?

Another photo of the spring

They were aftermarket from places like Western Auto and there were a lot of them around on 1/2 tons, I don't remember seeing a piece of plywood bolted to the frame. That was probably some farmer jerry rigging.

The plywood thingy should be hard rubber, i doubt the plywood will soften the impact much!

I have some on my 49.

Thanks for the responses! It is funny that "farmer jerry- rigging" was mentioned with respect to the plywood pieces. I read that part while I was talking to my dad about the ply wood stuff and he had just stated that it sounded like something his dad, a farmer would have jerry-rigged himself!

Brain Moore, just curious but do yours have rubber bumpers up top or quality plywood pieces such as mine?

My half ton had extra springs but not like that. They were leaf springs that fastened to the top of the axle. I took them off.

A friend of mine just bought a '53 rolling chassis to build into a driver. He has the same thing on his chassis but nothing between the frame and overload springs.

Dave

according to my grandpa who was a certified gm tech back in the day when i bought my 54 3104 he called it a heavy half it's got 10 leaves and the the standard had 8 leaves but it was an option you could get on any model you just had to order that spring set. those are aftermarket overload springs my 54 has them also they work too i have filled that bed with sand and gravel many times and with the 4 speed it was no problem one has a gross wt of 4200 with the 8 leaf springs and 4800 with the 10 leaf that's what my shop manual says also

The 10 9 leaf springs on a 3100 came with the 15" wheels/tires and the 16.5 wheels/tires Regular Production Options RPO273 & RPO282.

I have those exact same springs on my new restoration. Its a dealer installed item in 1950 anyway. You can still get new rubber bumpers from Chevs of the 40s. I have two sets. One for each resto. I really cant imagine them adding much extra capacity, but they are conversation pieces!

http://devestechnet.com/Images/Restorations/1950B/D50b00656lg.jpg

Does that now qualify as a Camper Special? LOL!

Deve,

How do you know the springs were dealer installed?

There was also an RPO (unless we are referring to different things)?

One of the previous owners who died recently told me he got his from the dealer. No evidence whatsoever other than that. He was very sincere and told me everything about his truck. Great Guy, sorely missed. What is an RPO?

Regular Production Option (ordered with the truck and installed at the factory).

GM Accessories were bought from a dealer and installed "after market" - by dealer, owner, service-station, friend, etc.

As I said, it's anecdotal. But that's what he said. No way to verify I'm afraid.

So the OL springs from the OP (Original Poster) are NOT a GM designed item?
Are these OL Springs a GM designed item?
I never could find any GM documentation on them.
Are they a:
A. GM RPO?
B. GM Accessory?
C. Aftermarket item? (Designed by someone other than GM)

I have never seen the OP's type of OL spring before.

Not saying they aren't an official GM design, sold by GM through the dealer system, which is what my late friend was certain they were, or the dealer got them somewhere else. I don't think he knew for sure.

You see them from time to time on Ebay. I don't need another set so quit looking years ago. The ones in your picture are more mainstream, wish I knew more about them.

If the dealer for some reason installed the GM 10-leaf spring pack normally bought as an RPO on the original truck, you might assume the dealer installed GM springs were the same as the factory installed RPO.

I do no know how to determine in your 10-leaf 3100 spring pack is an RPO 10-leaf rear spring pack. The 10-leaf option provided 350 lbs of extra load per spring pack.

I do not see GM using the term "over load".

The RPO springs were ordered by the dealer and installed at the factory.

Replacement spring packs could be ordered from GM by anyone - as a part - and installed by anyone.

NOTE: the GM RPO higher weight capacity springs were 9 leaves (standard springs had 8 leaves)

Whether or not either of the overload springs are original, one of you guys need to take one of those sets off and send them to some one who really needs them. PM me for details.
Carl

I corrected some information in my posts above: the standard number of 3100 springs was 8 leaves. The numbers of leaves in the RPO is listed as 9 leaves.

If that is correct, the 10-leaves units were not the GM higher weight capacity RPO units.

According to this info it depended on the year of the 3100.

1948 Chevrolet Specifications
Standard: 8 leafs
Heavy Duty, RPO 254: 9 leafs

1953 Chevrolet Specifications
Standard: 8 leafs
Heavy Duty, RPO 254: 9 leafs

1954 Chevrolet Specifications
Standard: 8 leafs
Heavy Duty, RPO 254: 10 leafs

1955 1st Series Chevrolet Specifications PDF Page 83, Source: GM Heritage Center
Standard: 8 leafs
Heavy Duty, RPO 254: 10 leafs

1954 RPO Page RPO 254 is missing
It shows it in 1953 and 55 1st pdf Specifications
1953 RPO Page
1955 1st,RPO Page, PDF page 113

1954 Chevrolet Salesmen Data book
Standard: 8 leafs 1450 lb
Heavy Duty, RPO 254: 10 leafs 1800 lb

If that is correct, the 10-leaves units were not the GM higher weight capacity RPO units.
I'm not sure what you mean by that statement?