Chevy II leaf spring question

69ss396 · 07-09-2008, 06:47 AM

We are having some problems with the front end of the leaf spring moving. I think it is the
Frame where it has the big hole on the outside and it uses the big cup washer is the problem we tried to use aluminum spring bushings and we could not get them to tighten up so we switched to a polyurethane bushing and it tightened up but it is still moving and letting the tires get into the spring. Any help from anyone?
Thanks

Paul Merolla · 07-09-2008, 12:05 PM

If you're talking about a '62-'67 deuce, I just asked the same question on a nova site and got a good answer. They machined a washer out of 3/16" plate with a "step" in it that fits the big hole, then welded it to the perch. I'm going to do something like that on my stocker project.

69ss396 · 07-09-2008, 01:04 PM

Nice picture, We have a 67 Sedan we run at Super Chevy Events in the DOT class. we are having problems with the front of the springs moving. I think that is what we need to remedy our situation. I think we may plate both sides of the frame where the spring eye goes into the frame where that large hole is.
Thanks

Rich Biebel · 07-09-2008, 03:06 PM

Check the hole in the plate for elongation.........if it's worn nothing stops the bolt from moving forward and backward in the sloppy hole. You can weld a plate with a properly sized hole over the worn one and then the bolt fits tight with no slop.....

bob gonier · 07-12-2008, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

Check the hole in the plate for elongation.........if it's worn nothing stops the bolt from moving forward and backward in the sloppy hole. You can weld a plate with a properly sized hole over the worn one and then the bolt fits tight with no slop.....

YUP......... I just put split mono's and caltracs on my 66 nova and both sides holes were badly worn out . I did a similar fix as Rich described and its better than new.

bob

Grant Eldridge · 07-13-2008, 05:45 AM

We ran into one of these at the shop where that entire front spring perch/cup was loose in the chassis. The spot welds had loosened or torn and you could move the whole thing, it had also torn vertically, you could move it back and forth. Hard to believe, but the entire thing is originally just a sheet metal structure spot welded into the car in a few spots up inside and is really flimsy if you ever see it separately. I'd suggest doing some fabrication and creating additional support and reinforcement if there's any horsepower going through it, there's really almost nothing there. It was engineered for a four cylinder back in 1962 and never upgraded, from what I've seen on that car....Amazing that they put the 327/350hp combo into that flimsy setup....

gymracer01 · 07-13-2008, 03:39 PM

That was not all that was flimsy about those cars, but I loved them. I bought one new in 66 (L79). I put some good slicks on it and playing around with it, you could drop the clutch at 5500 or so and a person in the backseat could watch the gap between the side windows grow. Fun car, wonder I didn't kill my self in it with the stupid stuff I did.
Jim N.

james schaechter · 07-13-2008, 05:51 PM

Paul's picture shows it all. That factory washer looks like a freeze plug out of an Allis Chalmers and is about as strong. We had the same problem with our stocker. We also felt that the cool part and the bad part is the flimsiness of the car. Light, but not strong. We put a full moly cage with sill bars in it. Overkill I know, but I think it will help the car stay together and is definately better if something stupid happens.

07-09-2008, 06:47 AM	#1
69ss396 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mt. Orab OH. Posts: 5 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Chevy II leaf spring question We are having some problems with the front end of the leaf spring moving. I think it is the Frame where it has the big hole on the outside and it uses the big cup washer is the problem we tried to use aluminum spring bushings and we could not get them to tighten up so we switched to a polyurethane bushing and it tightened up but it is still moving and letting the tires get into the spring. Any help from anyone? Thanks

07-09-2008, 12:05 PM	#2
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 597 Likes: 207 Liked 232 Times in 57 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question If you're talking about a '62-'67 deuce, I just asked the same question on a nova site and got a good answer. They machined a washer out of 3/16" plate with a "step" in it that fits the big hole, then welded it to the perch. I'm going to do something like that on my stocker project.

07-09-2008, 01:04 PM	#3
69ss396 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mt. Orab OH. Posts: 5 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question Nice picture, We have a 67 Sedan we run at Super Chevy Events in the DOT class. we are having problems with the front of the springs moving. I think that is what we need to remedy our situation. I think we may plate both sides of the frame where the spring eye goes into the frame where that large hole is. Thanks

07-09-2008, 03:06 PM	#4
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question Check the hole in the plate for elongation.........if it's worn nothing stops the bolt from moving forward and backward in the sloppy hole. You can weld a plate with a properly sized hole over the worn one and then the bolt fits tight with no slop..... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479

07-13-2008, 05:45 AM	#6
Grant Eldridge Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 124 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question We ran into one of these at the shop where that entire front spring perch/cup was loose in the chassis. The spot welds had loosened or torn and you could move the whole thing, it had also torn vertically, you could move it back and forth. Hard to believe, but the entire thing is originally just a sheet metal structure spot welded into the car in a few spots up inside and is really flimsy if you ever see it separately. I'd suggest doing some fabrication and creating additional support and reinforcement if there's any horsepower going through it, there's really almost nothing there. It was engineered for a four cylinder back in 1962 and never upgraded, from what I've seen on that car....Amazing that they put the 327/350hp combo into that flimsy setup....

07-13-2008, 03:39 PM	#7
gymracer01 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Middle Tennesse Posts: 46 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question That was not all that was flimsy about those cars, but I loved them. I bought one new in 66 (L79). I put some good slicks on it and playing around with it, you could drop the clutch at 5500 or so and a person in the backseat could watch the gap between the side windows grow. Fun car, wonder I didn't kill my self in it with the stupid stuff I did. Jim N.

07-13-2008, 05:51 PM	#8
james schaechter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 1,934 Likes: 1,103 Liked 1,241 Times in 253 Posts	Re: Chevy II leaf spring question Paul's picture shows it all. That factory washer looks like a freeze plug out of an Allis Chalmers and is about as strong. We had the same problem with our stocker. We also felt that the cool part and the bad part is the flimsiness of the car. Light, but not strong. We put a full moly cage with sill bars in it. Overkill I know, but I think it will help the car stay together and is definately better if something stupid happens. __________________ James Schaechter 3163 STK