The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Leaf Springs - Rearched or Replaced

One of the things on my bucket list is the leaf springs on my K 10. I would prefer to get originals re arched. Any body have any comments on rearching leaf springs? Are new ones comparable (or preferable) to the old original steel?

I got new springs for my '51 1/2 ton and I couldn't have been more pleased. Just like the originals, made in USA, and had the bushings already fitted. Oh, and they were about 1/2 the cost of getting the originals re-arched.

Here is a link to SDTrucksprings:

Springs for K10

Can't comment on the K10 springs but the springs for an AD were OK.
Kurt

I punched the make, model, year and they don't have em, Thanks anyway!

I can't imagine why it would be so expensive to re-arch a spring. If you are on a budget, you can easily do it yourself. Big truck shops usually have the equipment to do it if you don't want to try it on your own. The last time I had it done it only cost me 80 bucks, and that was for both sides of the rear and they even took the springs off my truck for me. After I saw how they did it, I now do it myself with a large mall, two tree stumps, and a little elbow grease. Take your time and disassemble all the leaves. Establish which ones are too flat. Usually, the bottom of the stacks require no reshaping...just the top two long ones are usually the culprits. Place a single leaf between two uprights (I have two oak chopping blocks)...two pieces of iron would be even better...about a foot apart, and hammer several blows right in the center of the spring with a large mall. This will make an almost imperceptable bend in the spring. Move the spring about 6 inches and do it again. Then, move it the other way 12 inches and do it again. You want to bend the spring a very small amount in about 4 places until the right curve starts to come back. The more places you make a small change in shape the better. It makes sense to match both sides at the same time, but usually its only one spring on one side that is out of shape, so I take the "good" spring apart and use it as a sample and just re-arch the weak side to match the good side. The benefits of doing it this way are two fold. One...the biggest expense is that of a new center bolt because it is usually so rusted that you have to grind it off. And two...the rearched spring is actually stronger than it was originally. Me and my friends used to arch 4 wheel drive springs this way back when it was cool to have a high truck back in the 70's. Everybody else would buy expensive lift kits and we just smiled as we thought of all the money we were saving. Those trucks are still standing tall today. Arched this way, they won't fall back down or collapse...no need to even consider that. While you got 'em apart, you can sandblast them, put plastic liners between the leaves, replace the spring-eye bushings, or do just about anything you want and really feel good about all the money you are saving. At least that's the way I see it...it's all about the money. Hope this helps somebody save some. Jim

...as info.

http://www.eatonsprings.com/rearching.htm

Yes, call Eaton Detroit Springs and ask them questions, and ask them what new springs might cost.

I think that I might have tried re-arcing my own springs many years ago (but, I never had to do so). Now, I spend the money and have no nagging doubts about having done it correctly and about safety.

I was just trying to save you some money. I agree with everything the Eaton spring Co. said with the exception of "cold-setting" to be the wrong way to re-arch a spring. I've lived long enough to see my re-arched springs stay up for 40 years. I took metalurgy in college and I can tell you a re-arched spring by the cold method is as strong or maybe stronger than the originals. Don't believe everything you hear when somebody is trying to sell you something...I am a stickler for things dome right. I like the project ot stay under my control. If I got my springs back from a pro shop and they weren't matched perfectly, I'd be upset. If I do it myself, I can match each leaf on each side identically as I go and the results wil be perfect. And NEVER worry about 'em coming back down! They won't. I'm not putting Eaton down at all. If I had the money, I'd go that route. But...