rear leaf springs & shackle kit for '77

[BillyBob]

My rear leaf springs look like an S-curve - half smile, half frown. Detroit Spring has specs for '64 Studebaker Avanti HD springs and can fabricate. Question: will these "fit"?

Follow-on question: what is source for shackle kit?

...can I 'assume' if spacers between axle & spring are replaced, correct driveline angle will be maintained?

[Gunslinger]

Studebaker listed a heavy duty spring for R1 and R2 and a different Heavy duty spring for the R3 and R4. I would assume their listing is for one of those.

You do have options. You can take your car (or just the springs) to a spring shop and have your leaf springs rebuilt...probably about half the cost of new. You can buy a new set from Detroit, or you can do as I ended up doing...have a set of composite springs fabricated by Flex-a-Form. I did that and they are excellent. It took a little over a week to receive them...they have Avanti specs on file. They weigh about eight pounds each...nearly a combined hundred pounds of weight off the car. They came with new bushings as well.

They cost only a few dollars different than new steel units from Detroit...maybe even a few dollars less than theirs, plus shipping was minimal considering their low weight. I sold the original springs on Ebay to offset some of the cost of the new ones.

If you need new shackles, you should be able to get them from Studebaker International or Nostalgia Motors. You should be able to get new U-bolts at NAPA or a similar supplier.

There's no reason the correct driveline angle won't be maintained with correct spec leaf springs.

Edited August 15, 2007 by Gunslinger

[BillyBob]

Studebaker listed a heavy duty spring for R1 and R2 and a different Heavy duty spring for the R3 and R4. I would assume their listing is for one of those.

You do have options. You can take your car (or just the springs) to a spring shop and have your leaf springs rebuilt...probably about half the cost of new. You can buy a new set from Detroit, or you can do as I ended up doing...have a set of composite springs fabricated by Flex-a-Form. I did that and they are excellent. It took a little over a week to receive them...they have Avanti specs on file. They weigh about eight pounds each...nearly a combined hundred pounds of weight off the car. They came with new bushings as well.

They cost only a few dollars different than new steel units from Detroit...maybe even a few dollars less than theirs, plus shipping was minimal considering their low weight. I sold the original springs on Ebay to offset some of the cost of the new ones.

If you need new shackles, you should be able to get them from Studebaker International or Nostalgia Motors. You should be able to get new U-bolts at NAPA or a similar supplier.

There's no reason the correct driveline angle won't be maintained with correct spec leaf springs.

Great and thanks! Will call Flex-a-Form tomorrow.

Studebaker Intl has shackle kits.

Someone really bought your old springs?

[Gunslinger]

Yep...someone did buy the old leaf springs. They fit Larks and Lark station wagons as well, so anyone interested in an original type repair or restoration can have the leaf springs rebuild by a competent shop for less than new springs.

I was more interested in making improvements in my car so I went with the composite leaf springs. So far, I have nothing but positive things to say about them.

Whatever I sold the old springs or other old parts for, it's better than trashing them and no one would have gotten any use out of them. Studebaker and Avanti parts can be tough enough to come up with without trashing parts that can be put back into the "food chain", so to speak.

[SBCA96]

These "Flex-a-Form" springs are the tapered fiberglass ones and resist wheelhop?

Tom

[Gunslinger]

The Flex-A-Form leaf springs are tapered at the ends and thicker in the middle if that's what you mean. I've only had my car back a couple of weeks and haven't really tried it out much, but it does smoke the tires very nicely in several gears. I haven't noticed any wheel hop or squat...just the spinning if I'm not careful pulling out.

[BillyBob]

Flex-A-Form ordered yesterday (HD rate) at $425 delivered - one week for delivery. Springs are remaining bits before front spring spacer removal (have new upper/lower anti-squeek pads). Will install new front & rear shocks, replace shackle and U-bolts at same time. Was concerned about dropping front end and how it would affect engine fan-to-fan shroud clearance (now about 5/8 inch)- now convinced clearance should not change.

[BillyBob]

...still looking for Flex-A-Form springs ordered and paid-in-full on August 24. I called this past Tuesday (Sept. 11) - "order's been lost, thanks for calling - will be shipped Sept. 13". Let's hope . . .

...still looking for Flex-A-Form springs ordered and paid-in-full on August 22. I called this past Tuesday (Sept. 11) - "order's been lost, thanks for calling - will be shipped Sept. 13". Let's hope . . .

[SBCA96]

That sucks .. I hope they get their act together. Other orders are dependant!

Tom

[Gunslinger]

When I ordered my leaf springs from Flex-A-Form, the guy I talked to told me there would be a delay of only a few days and they were delivered when promised.

Hopefully what you're experiencing is abnormal and it's corrected quickly.

[BillyBob]

Car's been in the shop a couple of weeks. Was able to get past front desk today to find center bolt is nothing more than Grade 5 bolt (5/16 inch?) with 'rounded' head. 2 problems - 1) 'rounded' head is not high enough to engage in anti-rattle strip, and 2) 'rounded' head is not sufficient OD to fill anti-rattle opening (concern for 'moving around' (?) ). Mechanic's first talk with 'spring shop' was of little help in resolving - tho they haven't given up. Yet. Was this an issue for you? Got detail too late to call Flex-A-Form. It's on my agenda for tomorrow.