Which rear leaf spring is which?

Webley1991 · May 20, 2012

I picked up a couple of newish looking rear leaf springs secondhand for a decent price. Now I have the problem of which one is which as they are specific to the side of the vehicle they go on. Is there any easy way to tell?

Thanks for any info.

crashbox · May 20, 2012

Is there any numbers on it? The ones ending in 88 are fitted to the drivers side.If 89 then passenger sides. The drivers side springs are firmer as they have to support the driver plus the fuel tank.

blue beasty · May 20, 2012

Wof ya got

109 springs aren't handed so far as I know...........some of the cheaper 88 springs aren't either

Webley1991 · May 20, 2012

It's an 88. The springs that are on it at the moment are rusted beyond recovery with the leaves pushed apart. I will have a look tomorrow to see if I can see any numbers on the "new" set I got.

crashbox · May 20, 2012

They usually come with stickers on them but not stamped on the springs.

gipsybilly · May 21, 2012

If you sit them on level ground together, the drivers side spring will sit higher. if they are both the same it wont matter which is which.

Webley1991 · May 21, 2012

Thaks for the replies. The springs appear to have been used on the road but not for very long. When I cleaned the muck off the top leaves today I found the numbers printed on the leaves in white paint. They are the ones ending in 88 and 89 as crashbox said.

Webley1991 · May 21, 2012

Another question, what size socket is needed to get the shackle bolts undone? I mesured the heads with a vernier and they come out to an unusual size that I've never seen before.

jamesmartin · May 21, 2012

7/8 for nut ,13/16 bolt

Webley1991 · May 21, 2012

Thanks for that. There is alot of underseal on the bolt so that made the vernier read oversize.

Webley1991 · May 23, 2012

Another question on the springs.

Am I right that the axle and plate that the shock attaches to should have a hole for the ends of the bolt that holds the spring leaves together?

crashbox · May 23, 2012

Yes, there is a hole in the flat base plate to allow the bolt holding the spring leaves together to seat into it.

Webley1991 · May 23, 2012

The springs waiting to be fitted have a bolt through the middle which holds the leaves together.

The top and bottom of this bolt sticks out from the springs. What I am asking is whether there are holes which give clearance for this.

The top of the bolt I am talking about can be seen to the right of the coke can in this photo.

1393d1170193832-alternate-leaf-springs-chevy_12in_leaf_springs_5.jpg

Webley1991 · May 23, 2012

I posted that as you typed your reply. I presume there is also somewhere for the top of the bolt to go?

crashbox · May 23, 2012

See these photo's.

crashbox · May 23, 2012

There is a hollow section under the part where the spring mates with the axle. See photo.

Webley1991 · May 23, 2012

Thanks for that, that explains it.

crashbox · May 23, 2012

No problem.

Which rear leaf spring is which?

Webley1991

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blue beasty

Leaks an prone to bits dropping off

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