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Leaf springs - Bought her a present
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 9:18 am
by morgan
Bored of weighing up the alternatives and recognising that I already fitted a full on front end rebuild with appropriate Hotchkis hemi-spec torsions and wilwood discs etc I had a bit of a fuggit moment and just bought Charger a pressie.
Hotchkis B-body geometry correcting (??) rear springs.
Arrived yesterday (airmail. HEAVY!) so had a quick unpack last night.
First impressions OK, seems to come with everything you need to fit (bushes, ubolts, grease, hangers). Finish seems a bit rough and ready (see pic3) but then I suppose its only a spring - get a grip Morgan...
Pic2 is interesting. Geometry correcting seems to mean 'Drill the mount off centre' which is why I guess they ride 1" under stock height. I presume I could fit it upside down and go for the jacked up look
Anyway, as usual it'll take a while, but thought it might cheer up your snowy February. New parts. Yay !
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 10:22 am
by Blue
I notice the way the spring eye is rolled is different too. It places the bolt in line with the leaf, you'll notice the stock spring is above that, so that will probably lower it another 1/2". I anticipate your future post looking for taller tyres.....
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 11:03 am
by Bilko
I bet the shipping cost more than the springs!
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 11:09 am
by Blue
It probably didn't, have you seen the price of hotchkis stuff
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 11:22 am
by morgan
Taller tyres - nah, she is hung like a lowrider at the moment. 1" drop will still be wayyyy higher. Saggy with age. Happens to us all...
Ref costs - Spring kit was $550. Shipping was $215 airmail (64lb weight I think. Might have been 64kg!). Plus whacked for duty of course.
I took the view that by the time I had mucked about with retempering, rebuilding, refinishing etc then costs/time would be racking up. Plus, realistically, (through no good judgement of my own I hasten to add) Charger values seem to be healthy. I am just progressing the job I started...
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 1:32 pm
by Scooby
Looks good Morgan look forward to your million questions
post up pics as you go .
Rich
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 2:03 pm
by DaveBishop
The £330 I paid to wasp 18 months ago for my A body ones was a good price then good luck fitting them I think you will see a difference they say that it lowers the car one inch
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 4:22 pm
by morgan
Scooby wrote:Looks good Morgan look forward to your million questions
post up pics as you go .
Rich
Aw Rich - you know you love all my endless question threads...
DaveBishop wrote: The £330 I paid to wasp 18 months ago for my A body ones was a good price then
Yep - I reckon. Thats half what I had to pay. Buy some more :-)
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 6:23 pm
by Carl
Be interesting to see the difference in height, maybe measure before and after fitting?
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 15 6:45 pm
by Adrian Worman
Same as I used onmy Chally, I didn't have to have to drill anythin tho?
Combined with their T bars and poly bushes they work brilliant tho
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 15 8:35 am
by morgan
Adrian Worman wrote:Same as I used onmy Chally, I didn't have to have to drill anythin tho?
Combined with their T bars and poly bushes they work brilliant tho
Thats reassuring. Yeah, when I finish this I reckon its about as far as I will take this. All of the suspension will be finished, all refinished and rebushed and hotchkis supporting it all round front and rear.
If it can take the ol' 'Worman Abuse Cycle' then I reckon it must be quality kit
Will pop in at some point when it warmer Ade. Still looking to get her up to that tuning place round the corner to get stinky carb/timing sorted out once and for all. Will come check your kettle.
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 15 12:34 pm
by MrNorm
Nice! Hotchkiss do some good stuff
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 15 3:55 pm
by morgan
Well, made a good start. And so far, not a million questions either. Got the old springs out in half a day - was expecting it to be horrid. They are pretty much the last 'really crusty' bit of the car.
Anyway, few pics so far. I am not at a bit of a break whilst I paint up the bits that are going back on. Axle remains scabby but i am not too worried about that as chances are it will be changed in the future...
Will keep updating.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 15 3:58 pm
by morgan
couple more
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 15 4:08 pm
by Dave999
if you had orginal mopar U bolts they would have been flattend round the base of the U to help stop crushing the axle tube and had a waffle pattern to help grip....
i.e quite good
whether that outweighs the benefit of some nice brand new ones i don't know.....Probably not, given the age...but chrylser obvioulsy put in a bit of time and effort with something as simple as a u bolt...
Dave