Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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#470704 06/10/22 12:00 AM
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I completely restored my 31 a few years back as most know but wasn’t really happy with the drivability going down the road. The car was kind of squirrelly if you hit a bump and it was constantly wandering. I checked bearings, tie rod ends, drag links, (I have NOS cups, springs, and caps in my extras! No, none are for sale, sorry), and had rebuilt/adjusted the steering box. My car did sag to the passenger side a fair amount and tended to bottom out with four people in the car on a decent hard bump. Talking with my brother, we both felt the 90 plus year old springs needed to be replaced. I ordered a couple set from Steve at the Filling Station and after a few months they came it. Detroit Spring makes them and after seeing the name on them expected them to be nicely made. Unfortunately they weren’t. The eyes had been formed with what looked like vise grips as they were all chewed up around the eyes and the new pins I ordered with them ( already pressed in) were damaged with two of them having deep gouges in them like the back up mandrel used when pressing them in was too small. Luckily I had some new pins so I pressed them out and installed mine. I also had to reset the other two as the ends were not evenly spaced. I took some pictures but haven’t called Steve yet as he should know the condition of the springs as they arrived to me. I cleaned up the chewed eyes with a file and primed/painted them up. I really don’t understand why they were made so poorly as I installed a set from Steve about six months earlier on a 30 I’m working on and they were perfect.(a few hundred cheaper at the time also!)
With the new springs in the car, the car sits 2” overall higher than it used to. The rear tires are no longer up inside the rear fenders as much as they were making the car look much nicer. With my left arm recovering from shoulder surgery, I finally got a chance to drive it this past weekend. What a difference in the handling of the car now as there’s virtually no more wandering and I can drive down the road with just one hand versus the two handed death grip I was using. I am very pleased with the results. I do have one question though as I remember reading about the front axles should have wedges underneath the springs to help with caster (I believe it’s caster) and I have none on my car. Should it have wedges and if so, where can I get them? What degree should they be?

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Last edited by Chistech; 06/10/22 12:10 AM.
Filling Station - Chevrolet & GMC Reproduction Parts


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Ted glad the springs worked out. and man you were right about the tool death grip marks!! figured they would at least clean up the pins ?!?


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Ted, You should have wedges but I sold the last set I had and don't know where you would go to get them. If Gary doesn't have them I bet you if anybody could make them!
I can't believe they shipped the springs with the pins gouged like. I would have thought there was no way they would think that was acceptable.

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There is no way that the springs should have left the manufacturer in that condition. Where is the pride in doing a good job?? If we continue to accept inferior workmanship then that is what we will continue to receive. I believe that they should have been sent back at least for new pins. Apologies for the rant. I hope all will work out for you.

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Most front end shops that do trucks with leaf springs will have some shims. Generally 2 deg +/- is all you need.


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Ted,

Call Palmer Spring in Providence,RI. http://palmer-spring.com/

I bet they have shims. Glad to hear the shoulder is better.

Charlie


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Hard to believe that not only the manufacturer shipped them but also the Filling Station. As mentioned above most good truck spring shops should have the shims . I use Donovan Spring and equipment in Londonderry NH. 603-669-2250.


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The wedges were used to increase or decrease caster for proper wheel alignment.

So I'm wondering why you would want to add wedges and change your wheel alignment if you are perfectly satisfied with the way the car steers/handles now?


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Thanks for all the comments and here’s some answers to your posts.
1. I wasn’t going to send them back because of freight cost plus I had new pins I could install.

2. While I’m very happy with the way the car is driving, I believe it still could be a tad better. I believe a manual steering box car is supposed to rotate back to almost straight after making a turn and proper caster should help with that and better tracking. My car doesn’t want to rotate back on its own much and the steering box is NOT too tight. It’s worth the try to see if there’s a difference.

3. The axles are dropped shipped so I came assume Steve never sees them so that’s why I need to make him aware of the issues. These days with help hard to get I’m willing to bet the guy who assembled mine was either new or someone not very qualified to do the job. With the cost of springs, pins, bushings, plus installation of the pins/bushings, and freight, the cost was just under $2000 so it was an expensive repair. The quality and workmanship definitely should have been much better.

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Sorry to hear about your experience with the condition of the springs. I am glad that you were able to correct the problems.

Even more important it is great that your shoulder is going better.

I agree that caster is what makes a steering wheel return to center. In these old cars it is also called kingpin axis inclination.

My suggestion is that you should take the car to a shop that aligns solid front axle vehicles. I would be concerned that just adding shims without knowing what caster you have now could create issues. Too much caster will increase steering effort.


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Hi Rusty

King pin inclination is indeed one of the factors in the tendency of the steering to return to center (the main factor actually), along with caster.
But king pin inclination is not the same as caster. :-)
Caster is the rearward (at the top normally) slope of the king pin.
King pin inclination is the inward slope (toward the center of the car) of the top of the pin.

This inward slope means that as you steer off center, the car is actually slightly lifted, and the weight of the car then tends to return the steering to neutral (straight ahead) along with the caster.


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Thank you for that clarification.


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For the price I would expect much better on the springs. I am lucky and there is a spring shop in town. Had them make a complete set for my friends 28 Durant and just came in at $1000 CDN for all four complete with bushings. I need them to make some main leaves for my Chev.

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I just ordered leaf springs for my 1930 4-doors sedan. I hope I will receive them in a better state !

By the way Chistech, could you send me pics of your leaf springs mounted. I am not sure my old ones have been mounted in the right way.

Thank you and kind regards,

Edmond


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I realized I never posted this. Steve and I had a long talk. As I suspected and stated, he knew nothing as to how my springs were made and why they had been done poorly. He’s been using the same spring shop for years and had never had a quality complaint. When he called the company he was told they had hired a new guy but have since let him go. I’m sure moving ahead the issue won’t happen again. Steve is a very conscientious business owner who always wants good products and happy customers. I apologized to him for not telling him about the issue first. The post was meant to be about the quality of work being done these days and not about steve and his business.

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Originally Posted by Edmond
I just ordered leaf springs for my 1930 4-doors sedan. I hope I will receive them in a better state !

By the way Chistech, could you send me pics of your leaf springs mounted. I am not sure my old ones have been mounted in the right way.

Thank you and kind regards,

Edmond
My 31 is in storage already but you really can’t mount the springs wrong. One end excepts the pin and the other the bolt. The bolt goes in from the outside of the frame so the grease fitting is reachable easier. The shackles go over the pins with the grease fittings facing out. The shackle bolt goes in only one way if you look closely at it with its tension washer. There is a spacing on the tension washer listin the service manual. Then you bend over the nut keeper on the outside of the shackles.

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Thank you.
Did you tell the filling station of the issues you had with the leaf springs ?


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Originally Posted by Edmond
Thank you.
Did you tell the filling station of the issues you had with the leaf springs ?
See my earlier post, Steve owns the filling station.

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Hello
I am waiting for my new leaf springs. Until now I put grease in the springs axles . Do I have to put grease or oil ?
Thank you for your help.


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Originally heavy oil was used but chassis grease is okay.


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Thank you Chipper.

I received my new leaf springs from Filling Station today, they look fine. I hope they will work fine :)

Have you any advices if I have to "paint" them with some protection and if do I have to lubricate them with something ?


Edmond

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