Author Topic: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience  (Read 3610 times)

Online 67gta289

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Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« on: July 23, 2013, 08:12:36 AM »
Unfortunately my original leaf springs were beyond repair.  Starting life in SJ with a DSO of SJ and remaining in Nor Cal for 9 years, the following 4 years in Detroit had its toll.  Even using the bottom leaf was not viable once I noticed the hair line crack that was confirmed when the center bolt was removed.  So I'll document the journey here for others that might find themselves in a similar state.  I work a mile away from Eaton so was able to visit their shop (pictures later).  Since they make spring sets in groups, mine were sitting on a shelf.  They paint them to prevent rust.  I paid an extra $75 to have them disassembled and shot peened to remove the paint.  They put the clamps and rubber pieces in a box for me, since I requested to take the springs disassembled.  A few days later I applied gun blue based on a process found in the library section of this website (thanks, Jeff).  The spring clamps that Eaton provided were nearly identical to the ones I procured from Jim Cowles.  Dimensions on a future post.  The rubber spacers associated with the spring clamps were the only thing that would be visibly different (to a trained eye), and I'll provide dimensions and pictures of that also. 

For detail, let's talk about the main spring components.  The three longer spring components are actually visibly identical.  Nothing jumps out as being different.  Later on I'll measure thickness and width, but don't expect any real issues based on my eyes.

That is not the case, however, with the bottom leaf.  There are, from my observations, three differences to note.

1. There is no part number or date stamp.  I guess that should be expected.  I'm on my own if I want that detail.  Picture #1.
2. The ends of the spring are squared off compared to my originals that are rounded.  See picture #2.  I'll be looking into fixing this.
3. One end of the original spring has a "bump", whereas the reproduction does not.  It looks like the bump is there to prevent the clamp from sliding off.  I'm going to talk to Mike of Eaton about what he can do for this.  On picture #3 on the left are the bottom leaf (new/old), and to the right are the next leaf up (old/new).  Note that the "bump" on the bottom leaf has a much different profile than the center two leafs (leaves?)  I suppose one could say that looking at the bumps on the center leafs there is a visible different in profile there as well.  The reproductions are more rounded.  Dimensions and details later.

Also let me put a plug in requesting anyone that might have C7ZZ-5556-AE paint stripe colors to share that.  My colors were long gone. According to Eaton the colors are not listed on the original spring drawings, but I'm going to try to get a look at the drawing myself.

More to come.
John
67 289 GTA Dec 20 1966 San Jose
7R02C156xxx
MCA 74660

Offline CharlesTurner

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2013, 09:55:18 AM »
I've wondered why they can't get the lower leaf correct, when they do the others right.

You can try soaking the lower leaves in evapo-rust, the paint stripes or dots will probably show.  I just restored a pair of '65 leaf springs by soaking in evapo-rust and installing new clamps.  Look surprisingly nice, I touched up the spray dots (SJ car) in the original locations.
Charles Turner - MCA/SAAC Judge
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Offline ruppstang

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2013, 11:41:44 PM »
Hi John here are my SJ 68 HCS springs and stripes. Too bad I lost my SJ 67 Nov. 04 66 GTA pics.
Marty

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2013, 02:13:07 AM »
Hi John here are my SJ 68 HCS springs and stripes. ..........

How late of a car? Odd/different to see the spring markings there on a 68
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline ruppstang

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2013, 08:42:53 AM »
Jeff it was built at SJ on July 16 1968. I plan to have it at Indy, will you be there?

Offline RadBOSS

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2013, 03:38:14 PM »
Doesn't the build sheet indicate the colors?

Offline Bob Gaines

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2013, 04:18:20 PM »
Doesn't the build sheet indicate the colors?
typically yes if you are lucky enough to find it.
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Eaton Detroit Spring leaf spring experience
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2013, 02:14:06 AM »
Doesn't the build sheet indicate the colors?

Depends on the year  of production or application. And in some cases we don't have buildsheets from every month (springs sometimes changed two or three times during a year for the same application) or from every body style and set of options. In those cases we might have documentation of a color matched to a documented engineering number and can cross reference that way to help out a builder/owner

Unfortunately not everything is easy ;)
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)