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[TomLine]

Car running great, tooling down the street and BANG.

The bracket that holds the leaf spring to the frame is kaput.  Just took it to a garage.  Not sure what's involved or what to look for on this one.  Will I need new shocks? What should I check the garage does correctly.  The front bracket (I think) is broke, but the frame looks in good shape. That had me worried.  Wish I had taken a closer look.

[Dippy.org]

[Reggie]

Car running great, tooling down the street and BANG.

The bracket that holds the leaf spring to the frame is kaput.  Just took it to a garage.  Not sure what's involved or what to look for on this one.  Will I need new shocks? What should I check the garage does correctly.  The front bracket (I think) is broke, but the frame looks in good shape. That had me worried.  Wish I had taken a closer look.

Is it the lower U-clamp?  They can rust out because the ISO-pads hold moisture.  Post some pics of the carnage and we can figure out what needs to be done. - RR

[fifthcrunch]

ditto.  what breaks most often is the lower spring mount.  but every case is different.  if it is the front spring hanger, it's a relatively easy job.  are you sure it is the hanger?  other possibilities are broken spring, broken eye bushing.

[Mike]

Ive never seen the spring clamp rust and break unless the rest of the car was in as bad shape. Always seems to be the bolt eyes for me.

[Reggie]

It could also be the u-bolts.  Here is a pic of TomP's Dip when the DS one broke.

[fifthcrunch]

some people will do anything to lower their car.

[MoparDan]

 

[88 dippy]

some people will do anything to lower their car.

 


i just had worn out 4 leafs after i put in 5 leafs from a 5A all was good

[TomLine]

Must be where the spring connects to the axle.  A rectangle shaped piece of rubber fell out too.  Garage mumbled something about U bolts.

[Reggie]

Must be where the spring connects to the axle.  A rectangle shaped piece of rubber fell out too.  Garage mumbled something about U bolts.

That was probably the ISO-pad.  Here is a pic that shows the top and bottom pads inside the U-clamp.  The leaf spring goes between the two pads. - RR

[TomLine]

Okay here's what's broke. Where do I get parts?

[8D5 Gran Fury]

Just ask in the forums...I'm sure somebody has that bracket, heck, maybe you could even find the sway bar brackets and the rear bar. As long as you have to go there, may as well improve it!

[Butch]

Replace those rubber spring isolators with polyurethane, like
8D5 Gran Fury said, may as well improve it.

[Reggie]

That's the U-clamp (or U-plate), which has rusted away.  It's the bottom half of the ISO-CLAMP setup that holds the lower rubber pad against the bottom of the spring.  ART sells them.

http://www.autorust.com/2008cat.pdf

One caveat is that I was never able to find out the height of the one that ART sells, so you might call them and ask.  The 5-leaf cop car setup takes a taller lower U-plate than the civilian setup.  (see my earlier photo with the tape measure). The civilian U-plate height is 3" from top to bottom.  The HD or "cop car" U-plate height is 3.25" from top to bottom to accomodate the fifth leaf.  These were available years ago for around $25 US (Part Number 3815309 - CLAMP-RRS ) but have long been discontinued. If ART doesn't have your size, your best bet is a boneyard piece, but you will have to inspect it to make sure that it's not in just as bad shape as the one you're replacing.  I would do both sides if I were you, since the other side is probaby just as bad. - RR

[Reggie]

Here is a pic from the old Forum showing the complete ISO-system. - RR