EATON Detroit Spring

The leading manufacturer of leaf and coil springs for the street rod and restoration industries

We Help Maintain American Icons by Manufacturing Leaf and Coil Springs Right Here in America

Phone: 1 (313) 963-3839
Fax: 1 (313) 963-7047

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Products
    • Leaf Springs
    • Coil Springs Mustang II Springs
    • Shocks
    • Attaching Parts And Hardware
    • Installation Kits
    • Leaf Spring Shackle Replacement Kits & Parts
  • Applications
    • We Manufacture Leaf & Coil Springs For...

    • Restorations
    • Resto-Mods
    • Street Rods
    • Modern Vehicles
    • Custom Design
    • Makes We Have Available Online

    • Allstate
    • American Motors
    • Buick
    • Cadillac
    • Chevrolet
    • Chrysler
    • DeSoto
    • Dodge
    • Edsel
    • Ford
    • Hudson
    • International
    • Kaiser-Frazer
    • LaSalle
    • Lincoln
    • Mercury
    • Nash
    • Oldsmobile
    • Plymouth
    • Pontiac
    • Rambler
    • Studebaker
  • Spring Tech
    • Learn About Leaf & Coil Springs
      • EATON Detroit Spring Podcast
      • Spring Tech Videos
      • Replacing Springs
      • Ride Height
      • Ride Quality
      • Custom Spring Design
      • Spring Manufacturing
      • Browse All Tech Questions
    • Spring Tech 101

      We have been manufacturing springs for American vehicles for over 80 years. Our process and expertise has been continuously refined and improved over the century and our Spring Tech section reflects some of that specialty knowledge.

      Browse our many articles, watch videos produced in partnership with AutoRestoMod, and learn all about your spring suspension here.

  • About Us
    • About EATON Detroit Spring
    • Customer Showcase
    • Facebook
    • YouTube Channel
  • Order Here
    • Lookup & Purchase Your Vehicle's Parts
    • Request A Quote
    • Email Our Sales Team
  • Click to Call Now: 1 (313) 963-3839
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Products
    • Leaf Springs
    • Coil Springs Mustang II Springs
    • Shocks
    • Attaching Parts And Hardware
    • Installation Kits
    • Leaf Spring Shackle Replacement Kits & Parts
  • Applications
    • We Manufacture Leaf & Coil Springs For...

    • Restorations
    • Resto-Mods
    • Street Rods
    • Modern Vehicles
    • Custom Design
    • Makes We Have Available Online

    • Allstate
    • American Motors
    • Buick
    • Cadillac
    • Chevrolet
    • Chrysler
    • DeSoto
    • Dodge
    • Edsel
    • Ford
    • Hudson
    • International
    • Kaiser-Frazer
    • LaSalle
    • Lincoln
    • Mercury
    • Nash
    • Oldsmobile
    • Plymouth
    • Pontiac
    • Rambler
    • Studebaker
  • Spring Tech
    • Learn About Leaf & Coil Springs
      • EATON Detroit Spring Podcast
      • Spring Tech Videos
      • Replacing Springs
      • Ride Height
      • Ride Quality
      • Custom Spring Design
      • Spring Manufacturing
      • Browse All Tech Questions
    • Spring Tech 101

      We have been manufacturing springs for American vehicles for over 80 years. Our process and expertise has been continuously refined and improved over the century and our Spring Tech section reflects some of that specialty knowledge.

      Browse our many articles, watch videos produced in partnership with AutoRestoMod, and learn all about your spring suspension here.

  • About Us
    • About EATON Detroit Spring
    • Customer Showcase
    • Facebook
    • YouTube Channel
  • Order Here
    • Lookup & Purchase Your Vehicle's Parts
    • Request A Quote
    • Email Our Sales Team
  • Click to Call Now: 1 (313) 963-3839

Diagnosing ‘Wiggle’ At High Speeds

Mike,

First of all I want to thank you for letting me ask a question.

I have a ’56 Belair with an LT-1, 700R Trans. This car did have a 454 in it when I got it. Anyway, since removing the 454 and installing the LT-1, I am having problems with the rear-end wiggling back and forth at speeds of 55 mph and up.

The car has a Ford 9″ with ladder bar suspension. I am wanting to remove the ladder bar and go back with leaf springs.

First of all can this be done, and I would like to keep the rearend I have.
-Doug

Doug,

If it were not for people asking us questions we would be out of business. The question we most like to answer is “Can I buy some springs?”

But we also answer other questions, like yours.

2 things come to mind about the wiggle:

  1. How tight were the u-joints on the driveshaft? The correct way to tighten them is to slowly turn the nuts until the lock washer goes flat, then turn 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn more, 14 to 17 ft./Lbs. max. Anything more than this will distort the bearings. If yours were tightened more than this, replace them, the bearing cups are distorted.
  2. The suspension bushings, both front and rear. They were unloaded and then reloaded during the engine swap. This could have allowed them to take a different position and if they had excess wear, the looseness could be showing in the wiggle.

Unless extensive modifications were made to the frame, I see no reason why you could not go back to leaf springs.

Yes, you can buy both the springs and attaching hardware here.

To find the proper spring for your vehicle, go to our spring lookup page or give us a call.

The correct springs do vary by body style and duty.
-Mike

Filed Under: Spring Ride Quality, Tech Question Tagged With: Leaf Springs, Restoration

OEM Replacement & Custom Springs

  • Classic Cars Springs, Hot Rods, & More
  • Over 24,000 OEM Spring Blueprints
  • 166,000+ Stock Spring Applications
  • Design Staff Available For Custom Applications
  • Spring Experts Since 1937
  • Made in Detroit, Michigan
  • Made in the U.S.A.

How To Order Springs For Your Vehicle

To find the correct springs for your vehicle, you need to provide as much information about your car as possible. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all spring.

We try to make this easy by providing many ways to order your springs and send in as much information as possible:

  1. Call Us at 1 (313) 963-3839
    For Quickest Order Completion
  2. Fill Out Our Quote Request Form
    To Spell Out Details
  3. Browse For Parts Online
    To Browse By Make, Model, Body Style, & Engine Size

Listen To Our Classic Suspension Podcast

Franz Estereicher on Early Corvette Suspensions

Franz Estereicher on Early Corvette Suspensions

Subscribe to the EATON Detroit Spring Podcast

Apple PodcastsAndroidRSSMore Subscribe Options

Need Spring Wisdom?

Just ask the Spring Guru!
We love helping with any leaf or coil spring problem.

WARNING:

This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

  • About EATON Detroit Spring, Inc.
  • Custom & Replacement Leaf Springs
  • Custom & Replacement Coil Springs
  • Consumer Policies

Contact EATON Detroit Spring

  • Request A Quote
  • Order Online
  • Ask Suspension Questions To The Spring Guru

Locate & Connect To EATON Detroit Spring

EATON Detroit Spring, Inc.
1555 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48216
Phone: 1 (313) 963-3839
Fax: 1 (313) 963-7047
Email: inquiries@eatonsprings.com

Content Copyright 2018 EATON Detroit Spring, Inc.