Leaf Spring Question

OK, have my car finished and have been driving it around, and I have to say, this thing rides like total crap. It rides like a buckboard, every little bump is severe. What gives? I have new shocks, but got a set of used leaf springs from another guy as my originals were beyond repair. How many leafs are in the stock maverick springs? Am wondering If I remove the bottom spring that will make it ride better, guys????

Oh. and it rode so stiff I thought it was the 17" rims and tires, so I took them off and am running 15" cragars with 215/65R15 Cooper Cobra's.....still rides rough as heck. Am getting real frustrated with this toad.

 

These cars ride like newspaper wagons...Nature of the beast... 3 leafs were standard. 4 leaf came with the H.D. suspension option. My Sprint does ride marginally softer than my other mav. 3 leafs in back and 200/6 popper springs in front with the 351 in it. HD springs in front and the 2nd set of replacement springs in rear on my other mav with a 302 in it. Rides like an old vette. Allways surprised me that it didnt have many squeaks and rattles.

 

Went out and looked at mine, they are the 3 leaf, was hoping they were the 4 leaf so I could remove one leaf, MAYBE I could remove one and then be able to run a 2 leaf setup.????

 

what type of bushings do you have...rubber or other?

 

Keep-in-mind, these cars have a short wheelbase and precious little weight in the rear.

 

I would have guessed the 17" wheels and tires, as that is the same problem my Mustang has (short sidewall)...but you have the other wheels you tried as well. Do you have another set of wheels and tires you can try?

 

The springs have the rubber bushings in them. And the car DOES ride much better without the 17's, so I guess that is how these cars ride.

 

I would say if that is the case.....it is the tires. Some tires are harder, and softer, than others.

 

BTW....my orange car has brand new Espo 4-leafs and it rides just fine.

The car below had helper springs and it rode like a Chuckwagon.

 

These cars are nose-heavy. The balance point on mine is right around the door and front fender gap. If you put jackstands on each side at that location, you can pretty much pick up the rear by hand. It's pretty shocking. (Be really careful, and aware of what you are doing if you decide to try the stunt.... a level surface is a great start). I don't have A/C equipment under the hood, and the power assist has been stripped off the car too. I have a 351, but with the aluminum intake, the motor weight is the same as a stock 302.

I think that if someone came up with a leaf spring that was a bit higher rate than stock, but very little arch, they would have a lot of Mav/Comet customers.

 

what shocks are you running?
with my double adjustable shocks, when i have them backed all the way off it rides really soft, and when they are cranked all the way up it rides really stiff. i have 4 leaf springs in the rear. i suspect your shocks are too stiff for your desired ride.
i would suggest getting either the cheapest parts store shocks you can or look at some adjustable shocks. Calvert Racing has a good single adjustable shock for the rear for a good price that will allow you to dial in the ride you desire.

 

I have -Monro-Matic Plus all around, and I think they are about the cheapest around,

 

You wouldn't possibly be running Caltracs bars or some other traction device that is not defeated would you?

 

nope, I think its just the way these care are. dont remember my last one being this way, but that was a few years ago.

 

I wrote a tech article about these shocks and expect really good things out of them. I put them on two SUVs I have had as daily drivers and they changed the whole character of how they handled. They ride firm until they hit a bump and then temporarily go soft to absorb the bump.

http://mmb.maverick.to/resources/more-options-for-rear-shocks-for-our-cars.26/