add a leaf spring

[moparleo]

Getting your car serviced is like going to the Dr. You don't have a Dermatologist doing heart surgery. Most auto technicians have a favored area of comfort and you find that out pretty quickly after working with them. Guys that do brake and suspension repair generally don't like diagnostics and engine tuning. You don't jump into a customers car unless you have someone qualified to do that service unless you like putting other peoples fires out. If the tech wants to broaden his/her skills, I would send them to classes and seminars to get a grasp of what they want to learn and if the tech was capable and willing to put in the time to learn, I had no problem getting the proper instruction. I was working on cars before most of the employees that I had were born. There is a different mind set today than we had back in the pre computer, fuel injected age. Most guys today don't want to get their hands dirty. I would hire guys from tech schools like UTI and Wyotech as apprentices. About 90 percent didn't make it past the first 30 days.
Instead of calling them mechanics, they want to be known as "technicians". Most guys today are nothing more than part installers. They really don't know much about the whys and whats about what they are repairing. There is a huge vacuum for qualified " mechanics, technicians " in the world today. Just that everybody that goes to a trade school today wants to work for BMW, Mercedes, Ford, who ever is sponsoring the school. A major letdown when they find that the big guys probably won't hire them. The really good techs don't need a job , they are working. The wanna bies go from place to place like Pep-Boys, Midas, Sears etc...It would nice to hire someone just like your self, if you could find him.

 

[74 challenger]

Hey Neil do you think 2 leafs is to much. I thought I would install 2 and see how it looks. If to high I can just change it to one. I dont want it way up in the air but I dont want the tire in the wheel well. I was planning to use the 2nd and 3rd leaf. Leo were can iI get the new nylon pads?

 

[moparleo]

I would contact one of these companies and see if you can buy the parts from them.
http://www.yellowpages.com/columbia-sc/leaf-springs

 

[Chryco Psycho]

not sure , I have mixed spring packs in the past but it depend what you are starting with generally 1 is all I have used except for adding extra 1/2 leafs on the front end

 

[74 challenger]

added the springs today. Kind of odd the top spring is the old bottom is the new one, old has more arch to it ? Added 2 springs and this was the result. Took about 6 hrs and took off the air shocks.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Well it raised the rear alright , you have to decide if it is too much

 

[ramenth]

I like it.

 

[moparleo]

Looks good. Recheck your headlight adjustment though.

 

[74 challenger]

Thanks guys,I like the look. Still dont know why the old spring had more arch to it. Mopar springs are made in Mexico , guess everything is made in Mexico.

 

[70Hardtop]

I do this all the time , generally I use the old main leaf & just trim off the rolled ends & put it up to the main leaf in the new set , it will raise the rear approx. 1 " , you will need new center bolts , I use a c clamp to hold the pack together & you need to use a clamp on the front end , I typically use a bolt on clamp , this will stiffen the front section of the spring pack aiding traction

That is exactly the method I used for mine and worked very well. However I didn't want the ride height increased so I lowered the main springs (now two on each side) by a set of calibrated belts with a large hammer. There is a technique I was given by somebody and you can measure the difference with a tape measure and it is quite accurate. Made the driver side 1/3 inch higher to compensate for driver body weight