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View Full Version : rear springs or AAL for my 69?


miked
02-27-2001, 11:15 AM
since the verdit is still out on rusty's 4 spring setup for the pre 73 wags and the fact that they are not available - i need rear springs now i'm trying to figure out the best of my options.

i can:

1) get a cold re-arch my existing springs with 5 leaf spring pack ($90) and put a rancho add a leaf softride in ($39)

2) re-arch my existing spring pack ($90), have them add an additional leaf into the pack to stiffen the spring pack up (extra $30 per spring from A1 spring in Oakland)

3) purchase a 10 leaf pack that came off of a 2406Y gladiator truck (7000GVW) that was built with a higher spring rate (238/400) than the stock pack (140/250) for $50 per spring from the boneyard and see if i still need the AAL later after install and test drive. the 10 leaf pack spring seems to measure out the same, but the guy at the boneyard said that they ran a brass bushing vs rubber and that kind of confused me, never heard of brass bushings in spring eyes. don't know if they will mate up with my spring hangers correctly. the TSM shows a 10 leaf pack with zerk fittings on the hangers which i don't have. will i need to upgrade my spring hangers?

i'm leaning towards option 3, but I'm not sure if the brass bushing issue is really a problem or not. Also i'm just not sold on any of the options as really being the long term solution that new springs would provide. i guess since new springs are not an option i should just get over it.

would love to hear input on what y'all think is the best course of action here.

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Mike D'Ambrogia - San Ramon, CA
69 Custom Wagoneer - The Firetruck (http://www.tworock.com/mjd/firetruck.html)

Built 350 w/ Buick 4 barrel manifold, 600 cfm quadra-jet, RV cam, 10:1 - Pertronix ignition - 8mm plug wires
MSD coil - rebuilt TH400 w/ B&M shift kit - Powr-Lok rear end - Factory A/C - Herculiner over new floorboards - Complete rewire with American Autowire Power Plus kit - LPG/Propane install coming soon!

[This message has been edited by miked (edited February 27, 2001).]

joe
02-27-2001, 12:22 PM
Mike, just my two cents here but I've had springs re-arched before and they lasted a summer before sagging again. This was on a truck used as a truck. If you never haul anything in your Wag they'd prolly last somewhat longer(?).
Don't know about springs from a 7000 GVWR J-2000 either except the Wag/Truck frames are very different so I'd think the springs wouldn't "bolt up" and may even be a bit stiff on an unladen Wag even if they would fit. For new good quality springs I'd have National Spring build you a set.

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Regards,
-joe
63 2-dr Wag, 73 J-4000, 82 CJ-8