Author Topic: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts  (Read 2465 times)

Offline OldGuy

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Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« on: February 15, 2018, 12:06:11 PM »
Guys, I'm in the process of restoring/detailing my rear leaf springs. Upon disassembly, I noted that the spring insert closest to the shackle eye-between the main leaf and the "second" leaf was a different shape (see photo) than the customary hex-shaped insert. Is this typical (and/or correct)? I haven't detailed any rear springs since Fred and Barney were driving around Bedrock so my memory is lacking on this detail.

My springs are the C4ZA-5556-S variety produced in October of '65.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Frank

Offline evantugby

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2018, 02:23:35 PM »
My same exact leaf springs have the round inserts.  I went to a local spring store to have them press in some new bushings and asked for a couple inserts since I had one or two missing.  They gave me the hex inserts.  Therefore I thought my round inserts were stock and the hex were new.  One of us will be wrong and if its me I'm okay with that.  I'm here to learn! 

:)

 
1966 GT, 6T09K13, Born 23 Oct 1965

There is no statue of equality in liberty harbor, there is a statue of liberty.  We are different this way.  -CK

Offline rrenz

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2018, 07:46:33 PM »
Not sure about 65 however when I disassembled my Jan Metuchen 66 springs they were all of the hex shape.
Ryan
1966 C Code NJ Springtime Yellow
C-4 Automatic
Build Date Jan 21st
2001 3.8 Mustang Convertible
2004 40th Anniversary

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2018, 07:57:37 PM »
The hex ones on the right
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline OldGuy

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2018, 11:41:52 AM »
Jeff, have you seen the round insert anomaly before? I'm confident that my springs have never been apart before. They are complete with original dirt, sloppy sprayed-on undercoating overspray and the original rusty round hole spring clamps.

In the distant past on other Mustang projects, I remember all 4 spring inserts were of the hex type. This set of spring inserts has me baffled.

Thanks for the feedback.

Frank

Offline evantugby

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2018, 12:21:08 PM »
My round spring inserts are worn out and almost completely flat, i'm pretty sure they are original on my metuchen 66 kar.

I'm wondering if some plants used round inserts too.
1966 GT, 6T09K13, Born 23 Oct 1965

There is no statue of equality in liberty harbor, there is a statue of liberty.  We are different this way.  -CK

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2018, 06:11:35 PM »
Jeff, have you seen the round insert anomaly before? I'm confident that my springs have never been apart before. They are complete with original dirt, sloppy sprayed-on undercoating overspray and the original rusty round hole spring clamps.

Not that I recall.  Just for the heck of it and to do our diligence How are your springs stamped?  Horizontally or vertical to the long length of the spring?

Exploring it its a spring plant variation.

One of the reasons we typically ask (missed this time  ::) When and where your car was assembled
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline OldGuy

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2018, 06:45:52 PM »
Jeff, my springs are stamped perpendicular to the length of the spring (or parallel to the rear axle).

The car is a San Jose car assembled sometime between mid November to mid December, 1965.

It doesn't appear like my round spring inserts are unique as evantugby said his car had similar (only one per spring) inserts.

Thanks for your reply and continued interest in all things Mustang.

Frank

Offline evantugby

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2018, 07:03:00 PM »
my springs C4ZA5556-S (295E5 date) stamps run perpendicular.   

I pulled out three round inserts and noticed they all say "F" up top (hidden by shadow in picture) and each one had a different number:  5, 24, 10.  I could not tell a difference between any of them. 

Car was assembled 23 Oct 1965 at Metuchen. 

« Last Edit: February 16, 2018, 07:05:31 PM by evantugby »
1966 GT, 6T09K13, Born 23 Oct 1965

There is no statue of equality in liberty harbor, there is a statue of liberty.  We are different this way.  -CK

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2018, 07:07:19 PM »
Jeff, my springs are stamped perpendicular to the length of the spring (or parallel to the rear axle).

The car is a San Jose car assembled sometime between mid November to mid December, 1965.

It doesn't appear like my round spring inserts are unique as evantugby said his car had similar (only one per spring) inserts.

Thanks the marking  would be consistent to what we see as a supplier for San Jose that year.

Yes but the  finding the same detail does not automatically make the detail original. We see this all the time.  If you both had Michelin tires we wouldn't accept them as being original to the car ;)

His car was built at a different plant on the other side of the country and the plant was (for many parts) supplied from different suppliers. Since yours is San Jose I've likely seen tens of thousands of examples

Since these items often fall out or become worn it would not be unusual if the cars were serviced while being used as daily transportation for these to be replaced by a service station. I know we used to take them out of peoples cars and use them as Frisbee's around the service bays when we were kids   ??? Kids do stupid things

Just thought of another thing. Did you find these at the loose spring or under the clamped leaf?

This might be the source of the difference since we don't see the clamped spring insulator (and I believe that is what you were referencing in the original post)  as often as the unclamped

evantugby
So you found only one version on your spring looking at the pictures your posted
« Last Edit: February 16, 2018, 07:11:02 PM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline OldGuy

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2018, 09:55:35 AM »
Jeff, these WERE at the loose end of the spring which explains how they could/would have been replaced without disassembly of the spring. The originals were probably lost or ended up as Frisbees back in the day.

Thanks again for your insight.

Frank

Offline evantugby

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2018, 10:14:52 AM »

evantugby[/b][/u] So you found only one version on your spring looking at the pictures your posted[/color]
[/quote]

Huh?
1966 GT, 6T09K13, Born 23 Oct 1965

There is no statue of equality in liberty harbor, there is a statue of liberty.  We are different this way.  -CK

Offline OldGuy

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2018, 10:40:29 AM »
evantugby, please elaborate on you question. I don't know what you are asking.

Offline evantugby

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2018, 11:11:37 AM »
I wasn't following what Jeff's comment to me was about. 
1966 GT, 6T09K13, Born 23 Oct 1965

There is no statue of equality in liberty harbor, there is a statue of liberty.  We are different this way.  -CK

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear Leaf Spring Inserts
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2018, 03:44:09 PM »
Jeff, these WERE at the loose end of the spring which explains how they could/would have been replaced without disassembly of the spring.

Looked at a few more sets yesterday on cars I went to visit. All hex  on those cars .   Just sharing


I wasn't following what Jeff's comment to me was about.

Was just confirming that you found only the round style on your springs. Picture showed only three insulators
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)