[BaadAssGremlins] Re: 77 AMX leaf springs wanted

["Dan M." <vegadan@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well, I got the springs in, but I noticed that the spring pads or 
perches that are welded to the bottom of the axle, do not contact 
the top of the spring, like the original springs did.  There is 
about 1/16" gap between the top of the spring and the bottom of the 
pad.  I tried unistalling and reinstalling the springs, but it 
didn't help.  I noticed that the stub that is on top of the spring 
which fits into the hole in the axle pad, is taller than the 
original spring.  I also noticed that the stub has a brim where it 
enters the sprimg (the bset way to describe the stub and brim is 
that it looks like a derby hat).  I thought about trimming the stub, 
but because of the brim, the pad will still not come into conatct 
with the spring.  With this gap, will the axle rotate on 
acceleration?  Should I place some pieces of the old springs between 
the pad and the spring to close up the gap?  Any help would be 
appreciated since this has turned into a big pain.

Thanks,
Dan

--- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Dan M." <vegadan@...> wrote:
>
> I tried installing just the bushings in the eyelet, and tightening 
> up the shackles.  The busihngs did tighten up some in the eyelet, 
> but I felt it was still a little loose.  Then I got the idea of 
> putting just a strip of the red rubber in the eyelet with the 
> bushings, insted of making a full sleeve.  When I put in about a 
1" 
> wide strip and installed the bushings, things tightened up pretty 
> nicley without getting too snug.  I was able to rotate the shackle 
> about the bolts by hand, which is something I couldn't do with the 
> full red rubber sleeve.  So, I'm thinking that this is the way to 
> go.  Any comments?
> 
> Thanks,
> Dan
> 
> --- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Dan M." <vegadan@> wrote:
> >
> > Ok, I just got off of the phone with Espo and I'm not sure what 
to 
> > do.  According to the person that I talked to, the leaf eyelets 
> are 
> > made with a tolerance of about +/- 1/16".  I guess that all 
> > manufactured items have tolerances, but it seems a little 
> excessive 
> > since the bushing pretty much giggles around in the eyelet.  I 
was 
> > told that once the shackles are tightened, the bushing will 
expand 
> > to make up the space.  Supposedly, they have answered this 
> question 
> > before, and have never had a problem.  Now I'm wondering if 
> my "fix" 
> > is the right thing to do (after it's already in the car!).  When 
I 
> > said that adding the red rubber made things snug, I really meant 
> > snug!  The only way that the the bolts would pivot inside the 
> > busings (even after adding grease to be able to assemble them) 
was 
> > once the springs were bolted in, the weight of the car forced 
the 
> > spring flat so that the shackle would rotate around the shackle 
> > bolts.  I will check the "bushing expansion" theory tonite.
> > 
> > Dan
> > --- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Dan M." <vegadan@> 
wrote:
> > >
> > > Doc, my car is a 6/4 speed amx.  It doesn't have a front sway 
> > bar.  
> > > I was thinking of adding both a front and a rear sometime down 
> the 
> > > road.  The car is not really fast, but it is a lot of fun to 
> > drive.  
> > > Plus, I have plans for some minor mods for some extra hp.
> > > 
> > > Onree, you are correct, this is a question that I will contact 
> > Espo 
> > > about, since I bought everything from them.  Unfortunately, 
they 
> > > won't be in their office until Monday, and I was hoping to get 
> the 
> > > car on the road this weekend.  I imagine that I would have to 
> wait 
> > > for them to send me another pair of springs, or bushings that 
> will 
> > > fit the ones that I have, but I figure that as long as my 
> solution 
> > > is ok, I will get it together this weekend, and then call them 
> on 
> > > Monday and see where it goes.
> > > 
> > > Thanks for all the input guys.
> > > 
> > > Dan
> > > 
> > > --- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Onree <onree@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > This may seem obvious, but why not address this question to 
> the 
> > > folks at
> > > > ESPO??? Did you get the bushings from ESPO also? Suppliers 
get 
> > > away with
> > > > this stuff because we let them.
> > > > Onree
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > on 4/28/06 11:36 PM, Dan M. at vegadan@ did write:
> > > > 
> > > > > Ok.  I got home today and my new springs were there to 
greet 
> > > me!  I
> > > > > was so excited.  I started to put them in, but I realized 
> that 
> > I 
> > > had a
> > > > > problem.  The rear spring eyelet is slightly bigger than 
the 
> > > lower
> > > > > shackle bushing.  The eyelet is about 1 1/16" in diameter, 
> > while 
> > > the
> > > > > bushing is 1".  I measured the old spring's eyelet, and it 
> > > turned out
> > > > > to be 1" also, so I think maybe Espo made a mistake.  So 
my 
> > > questions
> > > > > are, has anybody else encountered this, and what did they 
do?
> > > > > 
> > > > > I went to the hardware store and got a piece of red 
rubber, 
> > 1/16"
> > > > > thick.  I fashioned a sleeve that fit inside the eyelet, 
> that 
> > I 
> > > then
> > > > > slipped the bushing into.  It was all very snug, so I had 
to 
> > use
> > > > > grease to get it all together.  It fit real snug.  Any 
> > comments 
> > > on
> > > > > this solution?
> > > > > 
> > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > Dan
> > > > > 
> > > > > --- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, AMC74HORNET@ wrote:
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> Hey Dan that's what we are all here for to help each 
other. 
> > > Using old
> > > > >> springs would have been a waste of time and money. I have 
> had 
> > my
> > > > > yellow
> > > > >> 74 Hornet since it was new 32 years ago so I have an idea 
> on 
> > > many
> > > > >> problems that most Gremlin. Hornet owners have had since 
I 
> > have 
> > > had
> > > > >> them. On my 2 1/2 year old orange 74 Hornet project I 
have 
> > had 
> > > a few
> > > > > I
> > > > >> never had on the yellow one. I am still learning after 
all 
> > these
> > > > > years
> > > > >> and being a professional mechanic for over 40 years.
> > > > >> You will love the new springs. Be sure to use a good 
brand 
> of 
> > > HD gas
> > > > >> shocks too, you won't be sorry.
> > > > >> "Doc"
> > > > >> 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>






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