Got new Springs today

[jmsaunders]

Got a HUGE surprise when I crawled under the 72 yesterday to check the trans and rear end pinion angles (having an aweful shake at 65 mph). While under there I see the following. The first is the coil on the driver's side and the second is the coil on the passenger side. If you look closely both are snapped at the top!!!!

[suspect]

those breaks don't look fresh at all. how long has the shaking been going on?

[jmsaunders]

I've had it about 3 weeks so I guess its shaken for as long as I've had it lol. It only does it on the highway and the PO said that he's only had it on the highway once and that traffic was passing him.

Me being who I am I put a tach on to make sure I didn't rev it to high and threw her immediately on the interstate to see what she has. For a 40 odd year old girl she does well (but she also has her quirks that'll be fun to chase down and remedy).

For now she's only driven for short 1-5 mile trips within town until that guy with the large brown box comes knocking on my door. Then I'll change the springs and put her through her paces again

For those interested I got them from LMC and think its a great deal. I'm leaving my truck stock height and only doing subtle mods (plan for now at least lol) and a set for the front and rear was only 130.00 they were 160.00 every where else that I looked. Also I picked up the rear coil clamp sets for 25.00. Seemed like a good deal since I'm building a DD. Here's a link to the page with them http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=137

[suspect]

this is what my front springs looked like when i took them out. they're getting replaced with bags. the rear spings looked warped. changing springs probably should be the first thing changed on anything 40+ yrs.

[jmsaunders]

Originally Posted by suspect

this is what my front springs looked like when i took them out. they're getting replaced with bags. the rear spings looked warped. changing springs probably should be the first thing changed on anything 40+ yrs.

I agree. 1st order of business is getting it safe. I wish I could afford to go to bags but I have another truck that I'm building right now and this one is meant to be a daily driver. It just seems like these trucks are meant for bags with minimum fab work. It just seems so much easier to replace coils with bags than it would be to replace leaf springs with bags. However, once the 54 is up and running and my DD then I get to make this one fun.