Stole an idea from the Dukes of Hazzard

[keith88]

I had put air shocks on my charger when i bought it last spring to help correct a sagging rear end. Than i started reading about how that can possibly break the shock mounts not to mention the terrible ride it gave it so i tried something else. I remember reading on how they would put spring helpers on the General Lee when they jumped it to raise the rear. 1st a bought a set of helwig over the top spring helpers that made it just above stock, I wanted a little higher so i picked up a set of 1500 lb under the spring helpers and added them, it raised it another 2" just about where the air shocks were with out the possible damage issue.Very happy with the results here's a couple shots but its been put away for the winter so i really cant test it until spring.

[Shakey]

Looks pretty good from here!

Have you considered painting them black? 

[Homerr]

Why wouldn't you just fix the problem - i.e. get your springs re-arched or get a new set?

[lukedukem]

Why wouldn't you just fix the problem - i.e. get your springs re-arched or get a new set?

Money. New springs = about 300 bucks. Spring helper = about 50
Plus install was probably easier than removing amd installing new leaf springs.
It's just a guess, not sure

Luke

[keith88]

Why wouldn't you just fix the problem - i.e. get your springs re-arched or get a new set?

Money. New springs = about 300 bucks. Spring helper = about 50
Plus install was probably easier than removing amd installing new leaf springs.
It's just a guess, not sure

Luke

That is correct Money, i have other things to spend the money on in this car for now this works great and at some time in the future i will put in new springs  on and maybe change the rear at that time to. It has only cost me $90 to  fix it like this.

[moparnation74]

We all sometimes have to do temporary fixes.  I would paint them black as well and be done with it.  Drive it and enjoy it.

[keith88]

The plan is in the spring to put a new exhaust on it(i have already bought a set of glasspacks)when i take the old exhaust off i plan to wire brush the underside off and paint it black and plan on painting the springs and helpers at that time.

[RallyeMike]

Now all you need is a hitch and a bass boat

[JR]

Since you arent driving the car for the winter months anyway, I'd of put the 90 bucks back in savings and bought the proper springs in a couple months instead of doing a JC Whitney fix.

[JT01]

I have brand new springs on my General Lee and put the helpers on mine just for looks though because I wanted my General as close to the original as possible

[keith88]

Since you arent driving the car for the winter months anyway, I'd of put the 90 bucks back in savings and bought the proper springs in a couple months instead of doing a JC Whitney fix.

The spring weren't that bad that it is a need to do now thing, plus I'm not going to change them until I'm ready to change the rear any way. I have way to many things i need to do to it to waist any more money then i need to at this point. Plus it wasn't a JC Whitney fix.. it was a Amazon one.

[TUFCAT]

The leaf springs are matching the wheels now.

[jww426]

Instead of the federate Battle Flag, make a decal of your home state's flag and use it instead of a stripe.
JWW

[keith88]

The leaf springs are matching the wheels now.

As dose the color!

[Homerr]

http://danburyautospring.com/

[keith88]

Thanks for that link i will save it especially since i live in CT. How ever I'm not sure that a new set of springs would solve my whole issue seeing that I'm looking to have a higher than stock in the back ,chances are i would still need helper springs to get it where i would want it even with a new set of springs. I am not looking for level... I'm looking for it to be higher in the back than it should be.

[tan top]

 nice looking charger 

[1974dodgecharger]

Since you arent driving the car for the winter months anyway, I'd of put the 90 bucks back in savings and bought the proper springs in a couple months instead of doing a JC Whitney fix.

I agree, lol.....u probably bought and spent alot of money on this car anyways and then cheapen it with helper springs, lol...thats like buying the best suspension upgrade u can and then opting for cheap bolts. 


Looks good though.....

[1965gp]

Man- people can be rough on this board.

I like the stance- and have no problem with it as a fix to get the look you want. I would paint them black and then enjoy it.

[Mike DC]

 

Nothing wrong with cheap fixes as long as they don't ultimately cause more damage.

Bolt-on helper springs won't hurt anything, not if the leafs are destined to be tossed later anyway.  Whereas air or coilover shocks would put additional stresses on more important things. 

[Kern Dog]

Who is the stupid looking dude on the wall above the trunklid? The one with the "Freddy Mercury" 1970s porn mustache?

[JR]

Man- people can be rough on this board.

Strongly disagree here. This is by a large margin the most polite board I've ever been a member of. Check out corner-carvers, NASIOC, Pirate 4x4, and sometimes TCL to see what a mean board really looks like. Those guys can be brutal.

Ive never seen anything meaner here than some occasional 5th grade name calling. They run a tight ship here.

[XS29L9B2]

NICE

[Ghoste]

The funny part is, the ship isn't run all that tightly, the mods allow a great deal of latitude here.  Go to Moparts and you get a rough crowd and some heavy handed moderation to wash it down with.

[keith88]

Who is the stupid looking dude on the wall above the trunklid? The one with the "Freddy Mercury" 1970s porn mustache?

Watch it ... its from my camaro days. still one of the best nascar drivers ever. Besides he did drive a charger early in his career.

[Ghoste]

He did indeed.

[keith88]

Its all good everyone is entitled to there opinion,I understand some people would do it differently and that's fine. But there is other things that i want to do and seeing that my credit card has grown to over 2 grand to fix stuff that i was never told about i do it my way until i have the money to do it other wise, this way i can still drive it and fix and change the thing i want to. Even if i was to put new spring on it now i still would have to use the spring helpers because the springs alone would not give me the stance that i am looking for so whats the difference. Its all good .

[keith88]

He did indeed.

Thank you for posting that picture . BTW i have  and am selling my diecast collection to get money to put into the charger .

[Homerr]

Thanks for that link i will save it especially since i live in CT. How ever I'm not sure that a new set of springs would solve my whole issue seeing that I'm looking to have a higher than stock in the back ,chances are i would still need helper springs to get it where i would want it even with a new set of springs. I am not looking for level... I'm looking for it to be higher in the back than it should be.

They do re-arching of your existing springs, should be about $100.  They can arch them higher than stock if you want.   

[keith88]

Thanks for that info and i probably will do that but not until i get an 8 3/4 rear 1st to put in it at the same time .That will be a ways down the road tho want to get it repainted 1st and take off the vinyl top, and that's several years down the pike. But thanks a ton for the info on that i would not have known otherwise.

[myk]

The funny part is, the ship isn't run all that tightly, the mods allow a great deal of latitude here.  Go to Moparts and you get a rough crowd and some heavy handed moderation to wash it down with.

Is there even a need to go to Moparts?  I get all of the information I need about my fat Dodge right here...

[bill440rt]

No need to completely remove the springs to change the rear. Disconnecting them at the rear hangers does help though. Changing leaf springs is easier than you think.
Personally, I would have saved my pennies and just did it right the first time. With MP leaf springs hovering at about $200/pair, it's a pretty cheap fix as it is. Now you'll be spending $300 and doubling your labor.
But hey, it's your time & money.  

[myk]

Yeah changing springs seems pretty straightforward; it looks as if the hardest part might be stubborn bolts...

[c00nhunterjoe]

That looks high as heck... lol. Wonder if it will settle any over the winter? What size tires are on the rear?
While its a temporary fix, i bet it will ride 100 times better then the air shocks did!

[keith88]

Like i said I will change the springs in time but I plan on putting an 8 3/4 rear in at that time ..its down the road but not high on my list at this point dont want to be doing it more than once if i dont have to. 
As for the tire size its 245 rear & 235 frt,and yes I expect it to settle a little but no more that 1/2 ' or so that is what happen with the 1st set i put on.

[Mike DC]

Are the MP springs still sagging too quickly, like they were a few years back? 

[bill440rt]

Are the MP springs still sagging too quickly, like they were a few years back? 

I have them on two of my cars, one about 15 years ago and the other about 4. Neither have shown any signs of sag.

[Ghoste]

Have heard of a couple of other people reporting good luck with them recently too.  I wonder if the metallurgy changed or if there was truly a widespread problem to begin with?

[b5blue]

Over 3 years and still waiting to see any drop......

[Dino]

Sorry for the hijack but is there an easy way to find out if the springs need replacing?  The car feels firm but what the heck do I know?   

[Ghoste]

If they are arched or flat you are fine, if they arch the wrong way then they're shot.

[Dino]

That obvious?  I guess they're fine then, they are still arched under load.

[keith88]

Hey mine are arched..... now

[myk]

Sorry for the hijack but is there an easy way to find out if the springs need replacing?  The car feels firm but what the heck do I know?   

I was told that as long as the ride height is satisfactory (even) along with ride quality, then all is good.  Meanwhile, my Hotchkis leaf springs just came in and I can't wait to get them on...

[Mike DC]

The complaints several years back were that the MP springs were visibly sagging down from where the started pretty quickly.  But I haven't heard this complaint again in a while now. 

[5hunert]

Heck, all you really need is a good set of shackles.

[keith88]

Thought of that to but been told that will mess the springs up  in time as well ,didn't think that was the way to go in my case.

[TUFCAT]

The complaints several years back were that the MP springs were visibly sagging down from where the started pretty quickly.  But I haven't heard this complaint again in a while now.  

The pair on my car sagged almost immediately. They've been on since '06 and I still hate the look ...sagging was the reason I replaced them in the first place...

[bill440rt]

Heck, all you really need is a good set of shackles.

Is there such a thing??   

[Mike DC]

     
IMO long rear shackles can be a style choice these days. 

Tons of cool street machines had them back in the day.  They were visible poking out below the quarters of old NASCARs.  Etc. 

[Dreamcar]

Thanks for that info and i probably will do that but not until i get an 8 3/4 rear 1st to put in it at the same time .That will be a ways down the road tho want to get it repainted 1st and take off the vinyl top, and that's several years down the pike. But thanks a ton for the info on that i would not have known otherwise.

I think the red with black vinyl top combo looks great. If it's on your fender tag, i'd keep it.

[davidcam69]

Back in high school and being a broke teenager, I use to rebuild old wore out springs by using another pair of old springs. If I remember correctly, a longer leaf would give you more arch and shorter ones made it stiffer. I once cut off  both ends of the main leafs and combined them with sagging 66 Valiant. It set up so high I had trouble getting the shocks back on and had to go with a shorter leaf. It worked and nobody knew the difference.         

[keith88]

Thanks for that info and i probably will do that but not until i get an 8 3/4 rear 1st to put in it at the same time .That will be a ways down the road tho want to get it repainted 1st and take off the vinyl top, and that's several years down the pike. But thanks a ton for the info on that i would not have known otherwise.

I think the red with black vinyl top combo looks great. If it's on your fender tag, i'd keep it.

Thanks for the thought but Its orange not red and the car was born Blue ( found that out when i redid booster for the brakes) And i am missing the fender tag ...god i wish i got it with the car, so its full steam ahead.