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Rear Leaf choice - SS or XHD or?

Malicious

Malicious

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Hi all,

About to start buying the pieces I need to do the suspension over. At the moment I'm trying to decide on whether to go with the SS leafs or the XHD leafs.

From what I've read, a matching pair of SS leaf springs will give me a lop sided stance. I don't actually want a lop sided look, so I'll run two of the same side SS leafs if I go that route, but I'm wonder which way I should go?

I'm after a cruiser that can occasionally track and drag well. Which is why I was thinking of going a pair of the same side SS springs. Are the SS leafs particularly harsh? or just firm? I'm used to a fairly firm ride, but I don't want to be feeling every bump in the road.

Then if I go SS, which side has the less leafs, is it the drivers side (PN# P3690455) or the passangers side (PN# P3690454)?

Looking for about stock height. Thinking I want a slight forward rake, but if I can have the option to drop the rear down an eyelet and run the rear low, that would be great.

There rest of the set up will be .96" torsion bars, 1 3/8" front sway 7/8" rear sway, undecided on the shocks as yet...

I'd love a set of Caltrac's or 'Assasin' traction set up eventually but it just isn't in the budget at the moment.


Thoughts? Anyone of have an opinion?


Cheers!
 
I Run The Super Stock Springs On My Plymouth! I Think They Have 6 Plies On The Left Side And 7 Plies On The Right! I Also Use 3-Way Competetion Engineering Air Shocks Which Are Made In Place Of The Old Super Stock Shocks Which Are No Longer Available. Also Use A .096 Torsion Bar And Front Sway Bar On The Front. Spring Ride Is Firm!
 
Mine has SS springs, and I'd say the ride isn't over the top harsh, and it was just barely perceivably lop sided. Stance was a bit high though so I put 1" lowering blocks in last year. (Pretty sure pass side has extra leaf.)
 
I believe the SS springs require an adapter for the front bracket because the SS were A body springs. I recently purchased the XHD B-body springs from Summit, they're 6 and 7 leaf springs. With my friend helping we got them on in a little over an hour. Summit's pricing is hard to beat and the basic shipping is free (you pay the over weight charges). Added Bilstein shocks from PST and an adjustable pinion snubber. The car isn't road worthy yet so I can't comment on the ride but I sure hope it's firmer! My original springs were worn out 4 and 5 leafs and the car floated over the road.
 
St Louis Spring Co built my leaf springs. I think I paid about $330-$340 shipped. I ordered mine for my 66 Belvedere w/ a couple inches of added lift and they fit the stock shackles locations. Ride is nice and gives the SS look.

http://www.saintlouisspring.com/
 
Give Springs n Things a call. They are made in the US and seem to please everyone with price and quality. I thought about Firm Feel and Summit but after reading complaints about quality I plan to order my new springs from Springs n Things. They can arch them evenly so you don't get the unwanted lop sided stance you're talking about.
 
The SS springs: pass side 8 leafs, driver side 6 leafs. The extra leafs on the pass side are positioned towards the front i.e. 8 front/6 rear. The pass side sits a little higher than the dr.side. The ride on the street is fine. It sites a little higher in the rear so you will need a longer shock. I think like 2" longer travel than stock.
 
Thanks guys, I've been digging through some older threads as well trying to find extra opinions. I did notice that a lot of people noticed the SS springs raised the rear a fair bit. How much taller then stock will the SS springs be? Or whats the height of the rear with the SS springs? floor to top of wheel arch seams the most appropriate measurement...

I know I can use the higher spring mount on the hanger, but there was a lot of talk about it stuffing the pinion angle - so shimming would be needed. Wheres the best place to get shims etc?

The B-Body upgrades book I have mentions using the same leaf springs on both sides for 'auto cross' etc. Which is why I was going to go that way, looking for all round performance rather then straight line stuff. Has anyone on here done it? Does it lead to noticeable twist in a hard launch?

Thinking that twin passenger XHD's (7 Leafs) or Twin Drivers SS springs (6 Leaf) might be the way to go.

Could I add a Caltrac or 'Assassin' traction devices to either set up later? Found mixed comments when I searched.

Also, thanks to the guys that mentioned custom made ones, but I'm based in Australia. So some where like SUmmit where I can get MP springs for a good price and bundle the postage cost with other products is just more financially sensible. I'd hope that mopar performance springs would be good enough quality any way!
 
I just received some xhd leafs from summit. I'll be adding some add-a-leafs to the leafs for some lift. These new leafs are beefy. I still haves originals on the car. Will post some pics when project is done
 
Watermelon, That would be fantastic if you could! Also is your car running? Could you pass on some comparison seat of the pants comments on the ride quality to?
 
IMG_1715.jpg

Just installed the XHD's a couple of weekends ago. Like Watermelon said, they're beefy. I painted the rear end with Rustoleum's engine gloss black while it was out of the car.
 
Springs sometimes are a matched set. I have used the SS springs in autocross racing and they do have traction. I have butchered a set of SS springs for a different car AMC and they did not have traction. Same SS springs are reset back to stock and now on my 65 Coronet. With SS spring do not expect to be able to run a rear sway bar. The Kit Car used a set of springs that were the same left to right, in many years past.
 
Been sick so I haven't had a chance to have a good look over the current suspension until last night. Looks like my current springs only have 4 leaves?? That would certainly explain why the back end is so bouncy! Shocks are obviously gone as well, but there is just no stiffness in the rear. But the front spring hangers look to be in really good nick which is good.

So at the moment I'm thinking I'll go with the XHD springs. I just need to decide if I go with two of the same or the matching offset pair.

CoronetDarter: Hows the car sitting in the rear? is it Even? Have to you taken it out for a drive? does it feel like it has a bias to one side when cornering?
 
Malicious said:
Been sick so I haven't had a chance to have a good look over the current suspension until last night. Looks like my current springs only have 4 leaves?? That would certainly explain why the back end is so bouncy! Shocks are obviously gone as well, but there is just no stiffness in the rear. But the front spring hangers look to be in really good nick which is good.

So at the moment I'm thinking I'll go with the XHD springs. I just need to decide if I go with two of the same or the matching offset pair.

CoronetDarter: Hows the car sitting in the rear? is it Even? Have to you taken it out for a drive? does it feel like it has a bias to one side when cornering?
Click to expand...

I wish I could give you an answer but the car is going to be up on jacks for quite a bit longer. Upgrading the front suspension and adding disc brakes with in the next few weeks. After finishing the front end I'll at least be able to drop the car down on 4 tires to see how it sits. No engine or tranny in it though.
 
watermelon said:
My Net is on jacks for a while too. Doin a front disc upgrade
Click to expand...

Cool - who are you going with? After a lot of research I decided to go with the 11.75" rotor kit and could only find two vendors that supplied that size (not including the ultra-expensive vendors): Ram Man and Dr. Diff. In the end I went with Dr. Diff because after a week and a half of playing phone tag with Wayne @ Ram Man i had to move on. Cass at Dr. Diff walked me through the entire scenario; very helpful. I should get my parts next week.
 
I put a set of 68-70 B-body XHD springs on my 65 Sport Fury. Even though the springs were different, left and right, the car sits evenly. I have a set to put on my 65 Belvedere as well.
 
Badvert65, how's the car handle in the corners? any bias to either side?

I'm just going off of what that b-body upgrade book suggests, in running a matching pair for improved 'circle track' work. Happy for it to roll either way.
 
CoronetDarter said:
Cool - who are you going with? After a lot of research I decided to go with the 11.75" rotor kit and could only find two vendors that supplied that size (not including the ultra-expensive vendors): Ram Man and Dr. Diff. In the end I went with Dr. Diff because after a week and a half of playing phone tag with Wayne @ Ram Man i had to move on. Cass at Dr. Diff walked me through the entire scenario; very helpful. I should get my parts next week.
Click to expand...

Cass is the man! I bought a 4 wheel disc kit from him. He always responds same day. Prices are competitive.
 
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