Rear Leaf Spring Question

I'm just about done with the subframe. Today I finished taking it out, degreased it, blasted and wirebrushed it, and painted it with Eastwood's chassis black. Looking Good!!:cool: !! Finished up the control arms yesterday with poly bushings, Moog ball joints and more Chassis Black! Tomorrow I'm hoping to finish taking out the rear springs and mounts, more Chassis Black, and clean everything underneath up before re-installing everything along with the subframe connectors.

Whew!:beer:

I'm thinking about using new rear springs; the old ones are pretty rusty. The ones I have now are multileaf, but it looks like there is a choice of multi-leaf or mono-leaf for '71 Novas. Are they interchangeable and if so is there any preference for multi- v. mono-leaf springs?

Here are some pics! :D

You can interchange springs, but you will need more/different parts. The mounts on the axle are different, but if I remember correctly you can just add a spacer if going from multi leaf to mono leaf. The U-bolts are different. The leaf spring pads are different. The leaf spring plate that has the mount for the shock is different. Probably a couple other things are different that I do not remember.

As for which is better, I don't know enough about suspension engineering or characteristics of a car during launch or cornering to be able to tell you. I would say one would be better for straight line racing while the other for cornering, but I would probably be wrong.

The axle mounts are different between mono a multi leaf springs. If you old ones still ride good and the car sits level, why not just get them sandblasted and repaint them. I disassembled the ones on my 70 and sandblasted them. I used a good antirust primer and painted them chassis black. That was about 5 yrs ago and they still look good today. On the other hand with todays technology a lot of the cars with the new tech monoleaf springs are supposed to handle and ride very good. Your control arms and subframe look good. They look just like mine except for my bushing are black.

I got it out this afternoon...MAN is that thing HEAVY!! A lot heavier than the 7 5/8 10-bolt I put in my Sonoma!

So, after looking at everything I think I may take your advice Mr. Quick!!:D

The springs (4-leaf) appear to have the same arc and only some surface rust. Howsomever ... can you tell me how you got the front bushings out and the new ones in? I haven't pulled them apart yet (I just pulled the 3 bolts and dropped the spring mount) but they do not appear to be split like the rear bushings.:confused:

Dave

On my 70 I burned the rubber out with a torch then collapsed the outer sleeve with a chisel and punch to get it out. When I put the new ones in i cleaned the eye on the spring with sandpaper to get rust out, then greased the eye and the bushing up and beat it in with a hammer. On my 72 I just took them to a spring shop and had them press them out and install the new ones.

Hmmmmmmm ... sounds like you got civilized! :p I'm not sure if I can get away with torching them out in CA. I think I'm on thin ice with my neighbors :eek: !

Thanks for the advice!!

Dave

You will get some smoke out of burning them and you will get smell and the rubber burns slow. If you neighbors complain, just tell them you got some bad steaks at the market and your cooking them on the grill for the dog. But seriously, for no more than it cost to take them to a shop, it was worth it. It's hard work getting those bushing out. I did this in my garage when I lived in Denver. I live in Ca. now

...tell me how you got the front bushings out and the new ones in? I haven't pulled them apart yet (I just pulled the 3 bolts and dropped the spring mount).... Dave

You're killin me here!!!! Us East-Coasters never get those 3 bolts out with the clips breaking - then you have grind off the head of the bolts, or cut down through the floor, or curse and swear for a few hours... :mad:

M

Us East-Coasters never get those 3 bolts out with the clips breaking - then you have grind off the head of the bolts, or cut down through the floor, or curse and swear for a few hours... :mad:

M

I used this same procedure...it's in the Haynes manual :D

Me too... you forgot "throw tools in a PO'ed rage." That's step 11 in the Haynes book.

Kev

You mean that red-brown stuff? What do you call it ... ummm ... oh yeah! Rust!! I've heard of it. LOL :D

Truth is, the engine was blowing so much oil that the whole underside is coated in about 1/4 inch of home-grown rust preventer.

I may try burning out the bushings. Shop rates in the Bay Area are about $90 an hour. It cost me $170 to have the bushings and ball joints pressed out and new one pressed in on the control arms. :eek:

Dave

Take a drill and drill a bunch of holes that way you dont have to worry about the neighbors