I bought a set of CalTracs for my car a few months ago, and I figured I may as well replace the leaf springs at the same time. Since last Monday was a holiday for us, and not one in the USA, what better time to order them. I talked to a few guys, and everyone seemed happy with the 4 leaf springs from ESPO Springs & Things in Pennsylvania. $195/pair + Shipping and duty, I had them within 5 days, well worth the cost. They were banded together, and wrapped very well, and look to be of very good quality. First thing to do was get the rubber bushings out of them, since the CalTracs use a solid front bushing, and I wasn't about to wait another day and take them down to the local spring guy to get them out, I read a few posts about burning them out...I wasn't into that, so I drilled them out. Wasn't that bad, but if you look real close, you can see my drill smoking..which is OK, since I won this drill around 1991. So then I had to get the steel collar out, I used my sawzall to just cut through the steel, then tapped them out. Next, I had to install the aluminum bushings, without wrecking them, so in the freezer they stayed over night. After their night in the freezer, they tapped right in easily with a 2X4 and a hammer. Then of course, they weren't the correct color. So a quick coat of Seymour Cast Blast. Then from there is was pretty easy, follow the instructions, and re torque everything back down. This is where the car sat before the new springs And this is after It didn't even take me 4 hours in total, and I'm more than happy with the increase in height, the car always seemed kinda low in the rear, after about the 1st year it was back together.
wow the height came up a lot..do you know if they will sag much?..my car leans back and to the driver side HARD.. looks like i got hydraulics and i'm in a 3 wheel motion. after my new engine/tranny is in ill be looking to get a set of springs.
Funny thing....when I got my springs from Espo....they just came zip tied together from UPS. No wrapping at all....just springs. P.S. No "box" either I suppose.
Looks like a nice quality part there. Do they offer a mid or reverse eye option with those springs? PS. you don't really need to actually burn the eyes out to avoid all the drilling. Just heat up the end enough to allow the rubber to grease up and slide out easier, is all. Course.. your way does avoid flaking paint from all the heat though.. so there's that. Mapp gassing it with a little torch works slick and easy just like my first girlfriend.
Nope no beer. Just S#@$ happens sometimes and its only a piece of metal. Cars can become trivial pretty fast. Know for sure in a few weeks. Ill keep you guys posted.
Before and after pics. Hey Dave, how about a couple before and after pictures, of the whole car? :bananaman
I'll roll it out once it stops raining. I just went an re-adjusted the CalTracs, since the instructions aren't really that great, and reading more around the net. I got the car down and other 1/2", I may have had them a little tight...
