Leaf vs coil springs
I have a couple of C20 72's, one with leaf springs and one with coil springs. Curious why someone would want to order up leaf over what I assume is the normal for stock coil springs.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Curious as to what other optional equipment your leaf spring truck has. It might have been set up for a slide in camper.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
My personal preference is for a leaf sprung truck. Better and more stable loading. Easier to upgrade with either an airbag or overload. I had a coil sprung short bed years ago with a big block in it and it wanted to hop all the time when I got on it. I converted to leaf and it got rid of the problem
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
Plain Cheyenne package Z84 leaf spring 350 CI (3OTT) 4.10 rear gears tach belt molding sliding rear window white dark olive tinted glass am radio black vinyl custom trim chrome rear bumper |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
For heavy loads I am in agreement that the leaf spring is the better tool, but for unladen drive ability the coils seem the better choice. For running exhaust, the leafs win far and away. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Most people would agree the leaf spring system is more durable than coils, the reason it is used on 1 tons as standard equipment. From an engineering point of view, the leaf spring system attaches the axle to the frame at 4 points, the coil system attaches the axle to the frame at 3 points. When it comes to stability, 4 points is better than 3.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Leaf springs are cheaper to manufacture and install, probably better for hauling heavy weight also. Coil springs and trailing arms have a better ride and handling. Nascar uses a coil spring trailing arm setup also drag racers like a modified coil spring trailing arm setup. When it comes to pickups I believe the main reason for leaf springs was cost, cheaper and faster to install.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
My grandfather's 69 GMC C25 has leaf springs and Dana 60 rear axle. It is otherwise low option. It was a farm truck and routinely used for hauling a bed full of grain or hay. I assume he desired the leaf springs for load handling.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
NASCAR did use the trailing arm suspension for nearly half a century but the ‘car of tomorrow” or whatever they call it no longer has it.
And the new Ram 1/2 ton trucks are coil in the rear… Clearly there are merits to both but I think the leaf wins out for load control with reasonable height and ride compared to the coils in an HD application, but the coils win the ride and drive in the 1/2 ton world. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
As I said before I believe leaf springs were mainly a cost saving thing. You will be surprised at what a auto manufacturer will do to save a few bucks. I remember seeing brand new trucks coming into the dealership with rusty spindles, balancers, an other parts just to save a little paint. I thought it was pretty cheap of them to be able to open a hood of a brand new truck and see rusty parts with no paint. I even had to rattle can a few trucks before the customer would buy them. I believe I remember chevy going back to coil springs around 2011 but I don't think it lasted long,$$.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Pretty sure all the Chevy 67-72's came with coil and trailing arms (not 4x4), leafs were an option as noted on the spids. Spids dont mention coils because thats how they came.
GMC may be a different animal though. More upscale than your Chevy and while Im not positive I thought Ive seen mention here on the board that leafs were very common on the GMC. And now that Ive posted these two thoughts I'm sure someone will let me know how wrong I am haha! |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
My 72 lists almost nothing on the SPID, but it does list leaf spring. It's originally a 307, th350 PS, PB truck.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
For the most part, all '67-'68 U.S. built GMC pickups had rear leaf springs and Dana-Spicer rear axles. Chevy 4X2's had coil springs and Corporate/Eaton rear axles but leafs were optional. Starting in '69 it seems that you could order either truck either way. Remember that a SPID label lists what was optional, so you may not see leaf springs listed on a '68 GMC but you would see leafs listed on a '68 Chevy so equipped.
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
To my knowledge there remains no physical evidence that GMCs were standard with anything other than coils, and instead there is evidence that GMC dealerships did not fully understand the different suspension/tire options available and how those played into GVW calculations. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
1 Attachment(s)
From the 1970 Chevy brochure.
It looks like the leaf springs were something like a heavy half ton option. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
The exception of course is C30 where coils were not offered. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
I was attempting to use some type of logic.
Should have know better. LOL Thanks for the education/information. |
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
Quote:
|
Re: Leaf vs coil springs
I don’t doubt that “most GMCs came with leaf springs”. Mere popularity of equipment is not proof alone of it being standard equipment, however. I’m all for someone producing pages from a GMC Data Book to prove me wrong. I was looking at the ‘71 info kit and have no reason to believe the other years are much different. As for my comment on the salesmen, maybe they were different in years passed, but these days I wouldn’t count on them knowing every available option for each vehicle on the lot.
All this speculation and talk is in good fun, and I enjoy it. I want the record to be just as straight as anyone else. |
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:01 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com