68-70 Charger - Leaf Springs Upgrade?

[JoeyGowdy]

The leafs on my Charger are flat (frowning actually) so I'm thinking of tossing the 4 leafs and upgrading to 5 leafs, so would these work well:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360098119118

[The70RT]

Those should work. If you want MoPar ones, Summit has them.

[1BAD68]

I bought some on Ebay awhile ago and am very happy with them, you can read my thread here...
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33321.0.html

here's the place I bought them...
http://stores.ebay.com/McVeighs-Truck-Springs

[The70RT]

I bought some on Ebay awhile ago and am very happy with them, you can read my thread here...
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33321.0.html

here's the place I bought them...
http://stores.ebay.com/McVeighs-Truck-Springs

I looked, they don't have any listed now 

[JoeyGowdy]

I looked, they don't have any listed now 

Err... yes they do:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350102448547

[The70RT]

I looked, they don't have any listed now 

Err... yes they do:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350102448547

I looked in the their eBay store.....just 11 applications. I guess you looked under list whatever difference that made.....sorry. They aren't any cheaper than Summit because the shipping is twice as high. Summit has the mopar brands not necessarily saying they are any better.

[1BAD68]

before I bought them I did some research and found that the Mopar brand springs were actually made in Mexico (not sure if they are any more though) and lots of guys complained about them sagging pretty quickly. I can say from my own experience of about a year with these springs that they gave my car a 3" lift and after the first drive they settled about 3/4". The strange thing is that when its hot outside they come back up 3/4" and in cold weather they settle again.

[The70RT]

before I bought them I did some research and found that the Mopar brand springs were actually made in Mexico (not sure if they are any more though) and lots of guys complained about them sagging pretty quickly. I can say from my own experience of about a year with these springs that they gave my car a 3" lift and after the first drive they settled about 3/4". The strange thing is that when its hot outside they come back up 3/4" and in cold weather they settle again.

............

[Hemidog]

one more  for the mopar performance leafs!

[gasoline_24]

Do you use the stock mopar ones or the upgrade ones from summit?

[Charger-Bodie]

Ive put in 14 sets of the MP xhd replacements from mopar over the years and I have never had a problem with settling....So yeah another vote for the Mp XHD units from mopar.

[Hemidog]

Do you use the stock mopar ones or the upgrade ones from summit?

If you're talking to me, the summit ones...

[Ghoste]

I bought a set of the Hemi springs from Eaton.  Not cheap but no complaints of any kind.

[gasoline_24]

I probably wasn't clear on my post.  Summit has two different sets of Mopar springs.  One is listed as factory replacements the others state they are racing springs.  Which ones have you guys used?

[Ghoste]

I guess mine would qualify as replacements.  I know there are some people who run those Super Stock springs on the street but they must make for one stiffly sprung ride.

[The70RT]

I just went with the stock ones from Summit. Of course it will be a while before they will be tested. I figured stock was all I needed.

[Charger-Bodie]

I just went with the stock ones from Summit. Of course it will be a while before they will be tested. I figured stock was all I needed.

Yes ,But when you say stock , you mean replacement XHD Springs (Hemi Suspension) , Right?

[The70RT]

I just went with the stock ones from Summit. Of course it will be a while before they will be tested. I figured stock was all I needed.

Yes ,But when you say stock , you mean replacement XHD Springs (Hemi Suspension) , Right?

Correct, not the super stock.

[JoeyGowdy]

Just curious, anyone here have your leafsprings & shocks in your Chargers mounted on top like this (ignore the fact that this is for the new dodge truck):

[Charger-Bodie]

Why would you want to go through all of that?

[JoeyGowdy]

Why would you want to go through all of that?

I've got to replace the flat wornout leafs that are on it anyways, a little extra work won't hurt... I suppose the question would be are there any downsides to having it setup on top rather than on bottom (other that the obvious jacked-up look) ?

[69charger2002]

did it to my jeep CJ. pretty cool if you want to put 38's on a car???

[JoeyGowdy]

did it to my jeeppretty cool if you want to put 38's on a car???

Err, no - just thought it might help with the jacked-up look - any downside to it?   

Know of any other Chargers that have had this done?   

[Ghoste]

A good way to upset the front to rear suspension geometry.  Raising one end and not the other upsets the cars balance with the center of gravity higher in the rear.  Watch a 70's funny car clip and see how well they handle.

[The70RT]

If you want it higher with HD or stock springs just put on some air shocks.    I had them on mine when I had 50's on it, I only needed it higher when friends rode in the back.

[69charger2002]

did it to my jeeppretty cool if you want to put 38's on a car???

Err, no - just thought it might help with the jacked-up look - any downside to it?   

Know of any other Chargers that have had this done?   

err-no. that's why they invented air shocks...   

[Ghoste]

Well that, and so that you could put a two ton load in the back of a 1/2 ton pickup.

[JoeyGowdy]

err-no. that's why they invented air shocks...

Umm, I already added a set of Monroe Max-Air Air-Shocks MA757 (dang things keep loosing air ):

Well that, and so that you could put a two ton load in the back of a 1/2 ton pickup.

That reminds me... wasn't there a photo of a jacked-up Charger pulling a boat in it's hayday ?

[Rolling_Thunder]

Why would you want to go through all of that?

I don't see any benefit of doing that from a suspnsion system stand point

[Mike DC]

Using pumped-up air shocks can bend/break the stock rear shock crossmember (above the axle, welded in between the subframe rails).

It ain't gonna happen right off the bat or anything, but if you're band-aiding a worthless set of leaves and holding half the rear end weight on the air shocks you're eventually gonna get in trouble. 



If the leaves are dead and you don't wanna spend the coin for new ones, just get old-school spring helper leaves from the parts store instead of using major pressure in the air shocks.  The helper leaves are ghetto but they still work as well as they did 30 years ago. 

[JoeyGowdy]

True, it's been sagging really low lately, went ahead and purchased the springs a couple days ago (should arrive any day):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360098119118

[The70RT]

True, it's been sagging really low lately, went ahead and purchased the springs a couple days ago (should arrive any day):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360098119118

A little more money you could have went with the XHD from summit (ones used on R/T & Hemi cars). The ones in the auction state heavy duty but look like an average spring used on non R/T models to me. XHD have 6 & 7 leafs.

[JoeyGowdy]

A little more money you could have went with the XHD from summit (ones used on R/T & Hemi cars). The ones in the auction state heavy duty but look like an average spring used on non R/T models to me. XHD have 6 & 7 leafs.

Part Numbers for the XHD leafs from Summit?

[The70RT]

A little more money you could have went with the XHD from summit (ones used on R/T & Hemi cars). The ones in the auction state heavy duty but look like an average spring used on non R/T models to me. XHD have 6 & 7 leafs.

Part Numbers for the XHD leafs from Summit?

I goofed....I got them from Jegs. I almost got them from Summitt but checked Jegs at the last moment and found out shipping was cheaper. They are Mopar brand - left P4452983, right P4452982. The springs are 107.99 each.

[JoeyGowdy]

The springs finally arrived today - check out the arch difference:

[The70RT]

Good deal. Looks like you will benifit from them greatly.

[squeakfinder]

Wow. Quite a difference, thanks for posting the pictures.

[Steve P.]

You should measure the difference in them just the way you have them in the pics.

[JoeyGowdy]

The old spring in that picture was sagging about 4 inches lower than those two new springs.

The car now sits up 30" in the rear and 26" in the front (measured from ground to center of fender-chrome).

[JoeyGowdy]

A closeup view of the front tire with a ruler to measure the height:

[JoeyGowdy]

A closeup view of the rear tire with a ruler to measure the height:

[Ghoste]

Now you have some space to get some big tires in there and fill up the wheel wells. 

[JoeyGowdy]

Now you have some space to get some big tires in there and fill up the wheel wells. 

Yep, planning on putting 295/50/15's on my 15x8.5 American Racing Vectors
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,50001.msg553819.html#msg553819

[375instroke]

That's way too high.  You need at least a 4" taller tire to fill up that wheelwell.