Hotchkis Leaf Spring Help

[doublec]

I need some help..I am getting ready to install my Hotchkis leaf springs. I was not there when the shop pulled the rear and took my old leafs off so I am not sure if I have everything I need.

Hotchkis does not give very good instructions. I have these brackets for mounting the shocks.

And Hotchkis supplied these leaf spring isolators. Is there anything I am missing?

 

[sbca96]

Thats it. You put the new springs where the old springs were, and use those
new isolators where the old rotted isolators were and reuse the shock plates
that hold the rear leafs onto the car. You should measure the thickness of the
old leafs vs the new leafs at the shock plate mounting point (bolt through the
springs) and see if the Hotchkis is thicker by one leaf (mine were). If they are
then clamp the springs in a vice* (holding the stack together), remove the bolt,
remove the tiny leaf at the bottom (about 8 inches long) and put the bolt back
into the spring stack and tighten. Now install the spring.

*obviously that means NOT clamping the bottom leaf you are removing...

This will keep you from having to remove the springs to remove the leaf or use
a couple c-clamps to hold the leafs as you remove the bottom leaf.

I think Hotchkis did this to fit all 2nd Gens and I assume there was a year that
had a taller stack? Regardless the thickness needs to match your old leafs.

Tom

 

[BondoSpecial]

Noooooo that bottom leaf is a rebound leaf. You are going to affect the dynamics of the spring by removing that, and the urethane isolators can take up the thickness difference.

 

[doublec]

Tom,

Thanks so much. I was looking at my factory assembly manual and it shows upper and lower cushions. I assumed the Hotchkis isolators replaced those.

Pat

 

[lumpy12]

Noooooo that bottom leaf is a rebound leaf. You are going to affect the dynamics of the spring by removing that, and the urethane isolators can take up the thickness difference.

Steven's correct. Also, make sure the front spring pockets are ok - especially the 3 screws and hidden nuts on each side.
You should also have new bushings, bolts, and HD shackles. The Hotchkis u-bolts are thicker than the stock ones so you'll probably have to drill out the holes in the bottom shock plate

 

[doublec]

Steven's correct. Also, make sure the front spring pockets are ok - especially the 3 screws and hidden nuts on each side.
You should also have new bushings, bolts, and HD shackles. The Hotchkis u-bolts are thicker than the stock ones so you'll probably have to drill out the holes in the bottom shock plate

Thanks all. Looks like i have what i need to tackle this.

 

[sbca96]

Noooooo that bottom leaf is a rebound leaf. You are going to affect the dynamics of the spring by removing that, and the urethane isolators can take up the thickness difference.

The bottom "leaf" I am referring to isnt a leaf at all but a spacer tacked onto
the bottom of the spring pack. I actually dont see it on the Hotchkis picture
on their website : so perhaps they did away with them since we bought our
set about 8 years ago.

This picture showing the entire setup shows the tiny spacer/leaf :

This shows the tiny leaf better (and the parts you should have received) :

I dont see this part doing ANYTHING for handling what-so-ever. Leaving them
in during the first attempt at tightening the U-bolts caused the plate to bend
something awful. I had to use my 10 ton press to re-flatten them. Removing
the tiny leaf made the springs fit perfect .. they have been on for years. My
memory tells me that it was Hotchkis that told me to remove them.

Tom

 

[BondoSpecial]

Ah I didn't catch that, I thought you were removing the rebound leaf. I forgot about the mini plate on the bottom (I think they'd call that a "zero rate")

 

[doublec]

The bottom "leaf" I am referring to isnt a leaf at all but a spacer tacked onto
the bottom of the spring pack. I actually dont see it on the Hotchkis picture
on their website : so perhaps they did away with them since we bought our
set about 8 years ago.

This picture showing the entire setup shows the tiny spacer/leaf :

This shows the tiny leaf better (and the parts you should have received) :

I dont see this part doing ANYTHING for handling what-so-ever. Leaving them
in during the first attempt at tightening the U-bolts caused the plate to bend
something awful. I had to use my 10 ton press to re-flatten them. Removing
the tiny leaf made the springs fit perfect .. they have been on for years. My
memory tells me that it was Hotchkis that told me to remove them.

Tom

Those are the parts I received Tom.

 

[dale68z]

You have to drill the lower U bolt plate holes to a larger size. It is larger than 1/2", maybe 9/16?