# LEAF SPRINGS **URL:** \ **Category:** Wanted\ **Created:** [June 28, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552 "2010-06-28T17:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/1 "2010-06-28T17:39:04Z")
Need a good set!The closer to Seattle the better (for shippping costs). ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/2 "2010-07-01T04:23:34Z")
Hollanders Interchange said this '63 Plymouth could donate the springs I need. ![PICT0001.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/1/10cabe7be79d2a51d91cde3ad2bc9ac1900d0766.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/3 "2010-07-01T04:24:57Z")
Spent two hours removing the springs… ![PICT0016.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/f/fea5d3e621f6c96966d6e732e813dfd36f4fcb55.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/4 "2010-07-01T04:27:00Z")
…returned home to find an email waiting for me , from a very reputable source, saying these springs arent going to fit! (I sent the source a request for specifics) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Denver\_59\_Fin\_Conver](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/denver_59_fin_conver/32/24_2.png) [@Denver\_59\_Fin\_Conver](https://59plymouth.net/u/Denver_59_Fin_Conver)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/5 "2010-07-01T04:54:42Z")
Bummer, What would be the problem? Too long? or is the locating pin to big? You could drill your shock/leafspring plate bigger to accomodate them. I am going to measure the E body and B body spings I have for my other two cars to see what that legth is. Lots of guys have switched E body/B Body and even C body springs to our era of cars with good success. But maybe it will raise the ride height to much again. John Q. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/6 "2010-07-01T13:28:59Z")
will you check your cvt front perch brackets…are there three mounting bolts or four? These leaf springs are 6-leaf, Fins59 in WIsconsin thought 6’s wouldnt break, as did his 5’s. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/7 "2010-07-01T18:01:43Z")
Hi Roger - Since my car is up on the lift I got some measurement for you. 57" long. approx. 2-1/2" wide. 5 leaf. front perch 4 rivits. rear perch 3 rivits. 20-1/2" from center of front bushing to centering pin. approx. 35" from center of rear bushing to cntering pin. approx. Hope this helps. Let me know. Dick. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/8 "2010-07-01T18:17:32Z")
that is not encouraging, Dick. These springs are just lying on the ground right now, as arced as they can get. They are 2 1/2" wide. The front bracket has four bolts. The overall center-to-center is 53" Center of front to center pin = 20" Center of rear to center pin = 34 1/2" Think I’ll just go crawl under a rock. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/9 "2010-07-01T18:20:26Z")
Of course even though your car is “off the ground”, the springs are still stretched/under stress by being attached to shocks and such… Tom Fox measured 55" on his convertible-on-the-ground-ready-to-roll. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/10 "2010-07-01T20:31:30Z")
I forgot I have a 2" lowering block between the springs and axle, maybe thats the difference. Dick. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/11 "2010-07-01T20:58:42Z")
Dick, Thanks for the report anyway. Over at [Forwardlook.net](http://Forwardlook.net), BHWINC (he used to post here) tells me these donor springs should work, because I also thought to grab the front mounts. (The front bushings are larger in '63.) He says shackles and new bushings for the donor springs are sold at Napa for $27 per side, so I think I can get all necessary parts for right around $100. I already have shackles, so maybe all I need to buy is rear bushings. However, I do not have a lift, and my garage is pretty cramped, so I don’t know if I care to attempt the swap myself. 😐 The salvage yard did not offer me a receipt. Obviously he isnt reporting that sale to the govt, or his boss. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/12 "2010-07-10T22:45:35Z")
Why don’t things ever go smoothly for me? Today I began the leaf spring change-out. I removed one spring, and discovered in the process that the front brackets (perches) are riveted to the frame (Dick had mentioned this earlier, but I guess I didnt make note), so I am not readily able to remove these brackets and bolt on the replacement ones (salvaged from a 1963 Belvedere). I made some measurements, and the 1963 front brackets wouldn’t fit on the 1959 anyway, but the '63 spring will fit into the '59 bracket with a tiny bit of clearance. Oh well, I thought, just bolt the '63 springs to the '59’s front brackets. Well, the '59 uses a 1/2" diam bolt, whereas the '63 uses a 5/8" bolt, so I’d have to enlarge the holes. In addition, I do not have enough rear bushings. So I took a break and went shopping. I went to Napa, then National, even the Dodge dealer. Napa can sell me two complete shackle assemblies, with bushings for $27/each, but all I need are the bushings. National knew of a spring company in Tacoma, WA that sells all sorts of bushings, but they are closed on Saturdays, so I left it to National to get back to me with price on bushings…if it’s close to $54, I will just order the shackle kit from Napa. Pictures follow… ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/13 "2010-07-10T23:28:22Z")
PICT0001.JPG[/attachment] ![PICT0002.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/f/fbc7507319e8155c40184aee7c1c05019de60c89.jpeg) _Existing bracket, riveted to car, with 1/2" pivot bolt_ ![PICT0005.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5d3ade2c3dfaabc8066ac4811bd9d82e92ce27e9.jpeg) _My lowering blocks. I will have to re-use these "U" bolts, as I think I’ve lost the originals_ ![PICT0001.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/7/78bafef38aadeb53af8e2151d2a64e37d43b0703.jpeg) _the 1963 front bracket is a"bolt-on" style, with 5/8" pivot bolt. This bracket is too large to replace the '59 bracket_ ![PICT0003.JPG](https://59plymouth.net/uploads/default/original/2X/7/7272e4368fefd5d97e4ec369d0bcc5b543ab77b7.jpeg) _Proof it is riveted on_ ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/14 "2010-07-11T01:45:17Z")
The Internet is just great! I Google’ed “Mopar leaf spring bushings” and discovered Summit Racing sells the complete set of 8 shackle bushings for 1963 Plymouth- for $16.95 (shipping not included). 😃 I am soliciting comments on taking the irreversible step to enlarge the existing front perch holes from 1/2" to 5/8". ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/15 "2010-07-11T13:04:57Z")
Roger - You may want to check and see if the Summit Shackle kit for a 59 has the same OD on the bushing as for the 63, then you can use the 1/2" bolt and not have to drill. Dick. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/16 "2010-07-11T13:06:29Z")
Or find another set of 63 springs and keep as spares!!! Dick. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/17 "2010-07-11T15:16:17Z")
Dick, The shackle diameters are the same for '59 and '63. My problem is with the leaf spring bushing, at the front of the leaf spring. The '63 uses larger O/D bushings, with 5/8" thru-bolt. If I could find a larger O/D bushing with 1/2" thru-bolt, I would not have to do any drilling. Summit’s on line catalog does get specific enough to tell me the thru-bolt size on their parts, but I assume they are exact 1963 replacements (i.e. 5/8" thru-bolt). There is no listing for '59, maybe because the 1/2" thru-bolt is not a very common application? ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/18 "2010-07-11T19:00:00Z")
I understand, what about a piece of steel or Stainless steel tubing that’s 5/8" OD x 1/2" ID cut to proper length and inserted into the rubber bushing. I would hate to see you drill the mount unless you absolutely have to. Dick. ---
**Author:** ![rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/rogerh/32/9_2.png) [@rogerh](https://59plymouth.net/u/rogerh)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/19 "2010-07-11T19:06:46Z")
Nice to hear that comment, Dick, because the idea did occur to me, but I wasn’t sure it was “do-able” or even reasonable. I REALLY don’t want to forever change the front perch hole size. I guess I will venture down to the hardware store to see what I can find for sleeves! ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/user_avatar/59plymouth.net/dick_koch/32/19_2.png) [@Dick\_Koch](https://59plymouth.net/u/Dick_Koch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552/20 "2010-07-11T19:22:24Z")
Even Brass or copper. Dick. [Next page](https://59plymouth.net/t/leaf-springs/1552.md?page=2)