Re: [SilverStreak] SS Suspension/wheels/tires

["Jd Lyall" <news@xxxxxxxxxx>]

JONATHAN TOUPS wrote:
> I have heard several times about leaf springs breaking while going down the
> road, is it the spring pack/clamp coming apart, an eyelet breaking off, an
> equalizer breaking, or a bolt/nut coming off? What is actually happening
> when it is has been said that the leaf spring "breaks"?

I have had a leaf spring break. I hit a pothole which was too big, or I 
was going too fast, or both. The pin which holds it all together broke 
and the axle slipped back on the leafs. The result munged up the 
bodywork in back of the wheel well. It was the rear axle.

When taking it apart to investigate I realized that the front axle was 
beginning to slip as well as the pin was starting to bend. Big bump.

I think that leaf springs are simple enough that a newly built spring 
will be appropriate 1940's technology, and possibly with better 
metallurgy. They can be re-bent at a blacksmith, if you can find one of 
those. They do still exist.

The aforementioned accident happened to the right side of my rig. I find 
that the left side has one spring sagging more than the other. I intend 
to remove that spring and get it re-built.