Ken - I was in AutoZone today and spotted leaf spring helpers exactly like I have on one of my 59 SF and Desoto. It's part #11-1020 for around $33.00. They are mounted on the underside of the rear half of the spring and are rated to add 1,000 to 1,500 lbs. more capacity depending on where you mount them on the spring. Rearward for less capacity and forward for more capacity. See pitchuh.
Dick.
Great information. I will stop in our local Auto Zone tonight. Thanks so much to taking the time to forward the info. I will let you know how I make out.
Was going through my service manual and came acrosss a notation I made back on 6-16-01 when I replaced my rear springs.
Before replacing springs, the distance from the bottom of my rear bumper to garage floor was - drivers side - 15 1/2"
Pass side - 16 1/2". This was with a 1/4 tank of gas.
After replacing old springs with my parts car springs - distance on both sides was 22". Nice difference in the stance of the car. Don't know what it is now because I got rear axle out, replacing it.
I picked up a set of the leaf spring helpers last night at AutoZone. Thanks for supplying the part number. He couldn't find "59 Plymouth Fury in his computer (That was after doing a verbal questionaire re: Body Style, Engine, 2 or 4 barrel carb, a/t, ps pb everthing but the color). Gave him the P/N and there they were. He is a nice young guy. Said he uses them on his truck.
I will give you an update after I get them on.
Thanks again for leading me in the right direction.
Dick: Had my mechanic install the helper springs from Auto Zone ($32.99). Usually my son & I do these projects (he has a lift) but it's hard to find the time when we are both available. He charged me $30.00 which included greasing the car and lubricating all the bushings. The car sits perfect. First time I could get up my drive way without polishing the undercarriage. Had spent about $700. replacing the leaf springs that didn't change the height at all.
And for the record, my car was sitting low before I drove John Q to Carlisle last year.
Dick Koch wrote:Ken - Glad it all worked out. I've been thinking about it, maybe John Q. rode in your car before you got it. "Just sayin".
Dick.
Ken and I were going so fast in his 59 that we had some "lifting action" on the underside and floated to Carlisle!.
Come winter, everyone would want a solidly built guy like me in the car for better traction in the snow! (Dick, I Know you have no idea what snow is but if you did, you would wish I was in the car!)
I just finished installing new rear leaf springs on my Sport Fury. Purchased springs from Eaton Springs in Detroit. After installing, my Fury was at a much better stanch height. (Old springs were bent downward on the ends and I could see daylight between some of the leafs - none were broken) A while before I decided to purchase new springs, I purchased a set of shocks with spring coils that would give my old springs additional support but never installed them. After installing the new leaf springs the height stanch was much better but I noticed the new springs under load were just about horizontal. Knowing that even new springs will most likely sag a little after a year or two of use, I remembered those coil spring shocks that I had sitting on my shelf. While I had the car up in the air, I decided to go ahead and also install the new Monroe coil springs shocks in combination with the new leaf springs. After installing, the Fury body height did not change but the coil spring shocks added more load capacity. After installing, I took the Fury for a spin and it was unbelievable how much of a firmer overall ride and handling the car had. (The old setup with the original leaf springs gave the car a softer ride along with the lower stanch.) After installation, I thought I would have to do an alignment and raise the front-end of the car up, but the fury looks pretty darn level in the front as it is, so I can forgo the cost of a new alignment.
Not sure what I am going to do with the old springs. They can be re-shaped back and re-used or I can keep a couple of the leaf's as backups ( more
support) or I could donate them to guys who are into forging for making knives and such as I understand the spring material is good for that.
I recently installed new rear leaf springs and also new coiled helper spring shocks on my 59 Sport Fury. I am pleased with the results but have come across an article regarding Coiled Helper Spring Shock absorbers that I think Fury owners that have rear coil helper spring shocks should be aware of. It concerns being able to change your rear tires. These helper spring shocks are typically shorter in overall length than the original non-coil-spring shocks when fully extended. The only time a fully extended shock comes into play is when you have to change your rear tires. As you jack your car up, the car body rises vertically from the axle for tire removal. If you have oversize tires different from the orig factory size, you may not be able to remove the tire because of the clearance between the brake drum and the body wheel opening, because once the shock is fully extended the axle cannot move any further for additional clearance. That means you will have to disconnect the bottom of the shock from the attachment arm on the leaf springs to get a larger clearance between brake drum and body wheel opening. (Imagine being stuck on the roadside with a flat rear tire and having to disconnect the bottom end of the shock to get additional axle clearance) I have on my Sport Fury BF Goodrich 225/90-R14 tires which
have a wide tread (i.e. tire is fatter) so I will be doing a practice rear tire change out to see if my present setup has enough clearance to remove/install tires. It might require me to go back to the standard gas shock for extra length. I found the article on this problem in the Forward Look web site as some MOPAR owners have run into this situation.
Okay, Eaton springs have many different springs available, with rounded spring ends. I over-extend them with a Jack shove in a wooden shim and cut off the round ends if the customer wants the total original look. Rick
You are correct, Eaton Springs supplies different size leaf springs. I ordered the original springs for my application and it did raise my car up to
original height. (My old springs were sagged over the years) Eaton Springs can form (bend) the rounded ends of their springs up in 1" increments
above the standard to raise the car higher to whatever you want. I chose the standard height.
Schlaag, Regarding your original shocks w/o helper springs, you can buy a helper spring kit from NAPA or any parts house and install them on your shocks. I did that on my 60 Desotos original shocks and it made a huge difference. It would bottom out with two passengers in the rear but not anymore.
Thanks Dick for the information. I did not realize the springs could be purchased separately for existing shocks. I had already purchased the combination spring/shock and had them on the shelf for many months before I decided to install them along with my new leaf springs. My first task is to see if my wheels will clear present setup. If they do I am good to go. If they don't then I will re-install last set of shocks and buy the separate
coil springs per your information. I am afraid I made the assumption when purchasing the combination shocks with springs that they would extend out to same length as originals. Thanks - it is good to know there is an alternative.
