EATON Detroit Spring

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

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      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.

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MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Products
    • Suspension Parts
      • Leaf Springs
      • Coil Springs
      • Shocks
      • Attaching Parts And Hardware
      • Installation Kits
      • Leaf Spring Shackle Replacement Kits & Parts
    • Street Rod Suspension Parts
      • Mustang II Front End Springs
      • 48 Inch Truck Springs
    • Allstate - Chrysler
      • Allstate
      • American Motors
      • Bricklin
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • Chevrolet Truck
      • Chrysler
    • Daimler - Ford
      • Daimler
      • DeSoto
      • Dodge
      • Dodge Truck
      • Edsel
      • Ford
      • Ford Truck
    • GMC - Jeep
      • GMC
      • Honda
      • Hudson
      • Hudson Truck
      • Hummer
      • International
      • Jeep
    • Kaiser Darrin - Nissan
      • Kaiser Darrin
      • Kaiser-Frazer
      • LaSalle
      • Lincoln
      • MAHINDRA
      • Mercury
      • MG
      • Nash
      • Nissan
    • Oldsmobile - Rambler
      • Oldsmobile
      • Plymouth
      • Plymouth Truck
      • Pontiac
      • Rambler
    • Sterling - Willys
      • Sterling
      • Studebaker
      • Studebaker Truck
      • Toyota
      • Willys
    • Request A Custom Quote
    • Search For Parts Here
  • Spring Tech
    • Learn About Leaf & Coil Springs
      • Spring Tech Articles
      • Tech Questions
      • Spring Tech Videos
      • Featured Elsewhere
      • EATON Detroit Spring Podcast
      • Buy Ford Manuals
    • 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.

    • Browse By Topic
      • Leaf Springs
      • Coil Springs
      • Attaching Parts
      • Ride Height & Stance
      • Ride Quality
      • Manufacturing Springs
      • Replacing Springs
      • Modifying Springs
      • Ordering Springs
  • About Us
    • About EATON Detroit Spring
    • Customer Showcase
    • Send Us Photos Of Your Ride!
    • Free Stuff For Car Shows!
    • Facebook
    • YouTube Channel
      • Spring Tech Videos
  • Order Here
    • Lookup & Purchase Your Vehicle's Parts
    • Request A Quote
    • Email Our Sales Team
    • Dealer Information
  • Find Parts That Fit Your Vehicle
  • Click to Call Now: 1 (313) 963-3839

How Important Is The Spring Saddle?

Hi Mike,

Hope you can answer my question. Here’s the break down…

56 chevy truck.

This truck has been completely disassembled and reassembled.

A 3″ drop front straight axle was installed.

The original caster shims were reinstalled but the truck had bad bump steer (2 deg).

Took it to an alignment shop, they added a 4 deg shim which brought caster to +2, bump steer still unacceptable…

So I am installing new front springs, as they were the originals, and putting in 8 deg shims…

Here’s the problem.

The spring center bolt “locator pin” does not reach the locating hole on the axle AND….the spring “saddle” on top does not reach far enough out to catch the U bolts because of the angle of the axle, to reach the saddle the U bolts are angled.

Question #1: How important is the spring saddle?

Question #2: Can U bolts be used that are flat where they contact the spring?

I know I need to get new u bolts.

Question #3: Are there center bolts available that will reach thru the shim?

Let me know if you need more info, or I can just call.

Thank you,

Ed

Ed,

I think you are going about solving your problem the wrong way.

No amount of shims will correct your incorrect steering geometry.

I think you need to take a good look at the relationship between the drag link and pitman arm as the suspension moves up and down.

Ed Stevens writes a very good in depth article as to the cause and cure of straight axle bump steer: here it is over at Naxja.org.

He explains it much better than I could.

But to answer your other questions, the spring saddle is very important.

While u-bolts can rest directly on the spring’s main leaf, and they do on some vehicles right out of the factory, stress risers can form where the u-bolts hit the plate.

A saddle, even a thin one, separates the axle from the u-bolts stopping any stress risers.

We do have center bolt head extenders.

They are sleeves which slide over the center bolt and come in varies sizes for different center bolt diameters.

Mike

Filed Under: Tech Question Tagged With: Installing Springs, Leaf Springs

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OEM Replacement & Custom Springs

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

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