The rear end of my P20 Club Coupe sits lower to the ground than it should because the rear leaf springs are weak and I would like to correct the problem.? At the same time, I will be adding a trailer hitch so as to be able to pull a teardrop trailer with a tongue weight of about 150 pounds.?
I have searched this website for other questions about rear springs but haven't found much info here.
I have taken the springs off my parts car to have them re-arched (so as to minimize the down-time on my coupe) but cannot find any specs on the springs in my service manual.? Having never had springs re-arched before, I don't know what instructions to give to the spring shop.
Any suggestions???
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Bill Ward ???
I am no expert but in three times in three different cities I have taken leaf springs into springs shops and found that they had the specifications available. Not sure if they were making it up, if they had books, or what. But whatever they had the work turned out okay for the car I was dealing with. In each case my instructions was that I wanted the springs repaired to original factory specifications.
So you might want to just call the shop you are planning on doing the work and see if they know the specifications they need for your application.
(The most recent time I had this type of work done was about 20 years ago and there might be a loss of "institutional memory" in that industry so I guess I can't say that the shop should know. But there might still be a chance.)
I second Todd. I took my springs to a spring shop and they had all the specifications for rearching them. Make sure to go someplace that has an oven so they can also temper the springs. Having them arched is one thing. Keeping the new arch over times is another.
Quote from: Bill Ward on April 13, 2009, 03:41:41 PM
...I will be adding a trailer hitch so as to be able to pull a teardrop trailer with a tongue weight of about 150 pounds....
Bill Ward ???
Hi Bill-
Good to see your name turn up on the forum... Hope you are doing well.
Funny you should mention a hitch, I was looking over Joe Romey's hitch design for the P20 today. I printed his design full scale onto cardboard with my plotter to take it home and see how it fits on my '50. I want to add a receiver hitch to use a bike rack on the back of the car, and to possibly pull a tear drop some day.
Curious how you are adding the hitch to your car, and any details you have to share. Would like to see the tear drop too!
Best,
Pete Anderson
Hi Bill,
This won?t help but I thought I might commiserate.? ?I have a similar problem with my P15.? I bought leaf springs from Andy B. and new front coil springs from Kanter.? Needless to say the back of the car sits 2 inches higher then the front of the car.? So who sent me the wrong stuff,? Kanter or Andy ???
Oh well,? maybe a mismatch with the front & rear tires might straighten everything out.? Oh! My.., did I say that?? Maybe some leaf springs from Andy B. in Connecticut might fix your problem.
Chet?
PS.., Hi Pete, hope things are going well.
I go with the guys who said the spring shops will have them.
Now,the question is,"Do you trust the spring shop to do a good job?"
If all else fails,you can probably buy them new from J.C.Whitney. That's where I bought the rear springs for my P-15 coupe,and I bought then new cheaper than I could have my originals redone.