rear spring dates

[KGlowacky]

I assume some of you already know this BUT for me and hopefully some others it will be news. I am in the process of rebuilding my rear leaf springs for my 56 wagon. After taking them apart and removing all the scale and dirt I found a date and I assume a part number on the smallest leaf. They are as follows: 10-55 (some sort of mark,(looks like the Keystone state logo) in front of it) and the following number below it 536511. I assume a part number. From the date it looks like these are the orignal ones. Also here what I did to clean them up. Disassembled them, Started to sand blast them but it was going to take way to long so I got my 5" air grinder out with some 24 gritt and removed all the rust I could. Now I am appling some rust remover and neturalizer I bought at the Auto paint store to get them to apoint where I can lighty paint them and put back together. I have been told this rust solution will stop the rust from coming back.

[silverhawk]

Nice! Thanks for posting! I got to do mine eventually, lets see how long I can put that off, haha!

BTW, I thought your wagon had a independent rear suspension?

[KGlowacky]

You are correct. Currently it has a 84 corvette independent rear sup.. I had to flare my rear quaters to make it work. I am considering going back to a org. type rear end(8.8 ford to be exact) and go back to the org. rear quater look. I want to run 15" wheels and org hucaps. It currenly rides nice BUT the low profile wheels and tires gives it a rougher ride then I would like. I think going back to 15" rubber with the wide sidewalls will help a lot. Also the Corvette rearend is so wide only the corvette wheels will currently work. Very very limited.

[rockne10]

I think removing the rust by hand is a better idea than sand blasting. Sand blasting does heat the metal and will make sheet metal more brittle. It's effect on spring steel is probably nil but, spring steel is the last thing I would want to be brittle.

[s2dwagon]

Hi Ken,

I did the same thing to the leafs on my 55 wagon. I also got some of the plastic insulators that go between each leaf from one of the vendors, I can't remember which one (S.I. I think). I couldn't find the exact clamps that hold the leafs together, but I was able to get some generic ones from a spring shop for around $2.00ea. (takes 4) and it all went together like new.

I love your wagon, BTW!

Scott

[PackardV8]

I also got some of the plastic insulators that go between each leaf from one of the vendors, I can't remember which one (S.I. I think).

FWIW, most any local plastics shop can sell you a sheet of .050" or similar thickness polypropolene. Cut it into strips the same length as the leaves. It will smooth out the spring action.

thhnx, jack vines

[KGlowacky]

Went to Houston today to a spring shop that has been in buisiness since 1912. They sold me the exact plastic liners for $1.25/ft, 4 unversal clamps for $2.50 ea and two center bolts for $2.00 ea. Measured my bushings and said order them from SI, we don't carry them in stock. Sometimes it is nice to have access to the big city.