My Springs are Sprung

Hmm. Looks like there's a lesson to be learned here: Never push your van sideways by applying tons of pressure to the side of your rear wheel!

Is that whats been causing that sound you've been hearing?

Looks good Don!!
B.W.

I am curious what you used to strip the springs down to shiney metal?

Kakster

The before vs after is quite a contrast. Was this a project you did today in only one day? Man I feel slow if thats the case. Also is the favorite color the can your hand reaches first?

My 68G only has two leafs on each corner, did yours originally have two?

Mine need to be rebent, and I guess a few leafs added..

Or is there another car that I can pull the springs off of that will bolt right in? And if the front and back spring sizes the same?

The 2nd Gen Chevy Vans, 1967-70, came with 2 wider leafs in their springs, while the 1st Gens, 1964-66, like mine could have 7 leafs. You could have yours re arched or have new ones made at a spring shop. This guy Harry here sure took care of his front spring problem,,,,but he wanted to go up with his van,,,,,,

I'm not ready to start working on the springs yet, but would like to know what I'm up for when I am ready.

My plan at the moment is to put wide 15" Rims with a low profile tire all around. I'm guessing I will need to raise it all around so they don't rub the fenders.

If it better to raise with longer springs, or blocks?

At the moment my 2nd Gen. has 5.5" from the bottom of the frame to the top of the differential tube, 6" shackles, and no arc in the springs. But mine might be off a little since its currently on four jack stands, and the front is higher then the back.

The springs on my 68chevy are looking a little weak these days, and I will be moving to 15” rims in the near future, so I’m kind of keeping an eye out for spring options.

Poking around a pick a part yesterday I found a couple of 2.5” wide springs lying in the back of an old pickup. I don’t know what kind of car their off of, and they are 5’ long, where my van springs are 4’. A guy at the yard told me I needed to measure from the center pin out to make sure the axle centers in the wheel well. But if I just add the smaller spring pieces to my original springs, it should me fine. They would just come off the center pin so it wouldn’t matter. Right?

What else should I consider, do I need to worry about the center pin, or plastic inserts, being different if these happen to have come off of a Dodge, or Toyota, or whatever? Or are they all made pretty much the same?

I know I will need a longer center pin, longer U bolts, probably bushings, and plastic inserts.

Do I need to worry about alignment when doing this, or does it all kind of bolt back into place?

Mine has 2 in front, 2 in back, and almost no arch at all. I figured I could add a couple to what I have now and be good for a while. Dont know that I can re-arch the old ones myself, but I might not need to with a couple of more in there.

I am tearing into whats left of my springs right now. front didnt go bad at all for removal, but on the rear , the front bolts are frozen in pretty solid and Im trying to figure a way to save the 2 top leafs and not ruin the sheetmetal spring mount.

Right now I'm thinking sawzall,, any better ideas?

G-Man wrote:Heat the bolt then touch the threads with a candle. The wax suck up the threads.

I have NEVER heard that one before G-man. That actually works?!

I've got '67 Z28 Camaro 15" rims and wide tires on my '67 108 van, no problem with the tires rubbing the inside of the fenders or wheel wells. When I got the van it had well worn 225/60-15 tires. I replaced these with 215/65-15 tires. They are 1/2" taller and seem to steer a bit easier. Next time I might go to 235/60-15 tires - same height as the 65's but as wide as the 225's were.