Darksider's Realm

(this is not a place for lazy video game freaks. We Darksiders have been around doing our thing for decades before the mindless couch blobs latched onto the term Darksider)



DARKSIDER In the world of automotive hobbyists a Darksider is one who modifies and or customizes any and all sorts of vehicles. The Darksiders are in a class of their own simply because they endeavor to be different and do things that others would not attempt for a number of reasons mostly being related to a lack of ability and fear of non conformity.

This is a forum for people who think outside the box in everything they do. It doesn’t matter if you are modifying or building from scratch. It doesn’t matter what brand or brands of vehicles or components you are using. It doesn’t matter if you are working on a mini car or a bus.

We will not be asking you for donations or any kind of monetary payments. We will be asking for help in terms moderators and encouraging you to spread the word and add to our membership.



Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Darksider's Realm

(this is not a place for lazy video game freaks. We Darksiders have been around doing our thing for decades before the mindless couch blobs latched onto the term Darksider)



DARKSIDER In the world of automotive hobbyists a Darksider is one who modifies and or customizes any and all sorts of vehicles. The Darksiders are in a class of their own simply because they endeavor to be different and do things that others would not attempt for a number of reasons mostly being related to a lack of ability and fear of non conformity.

This is a forum for people who think outside the box in everything they do. It doesn’t matter if you are modifying or building from scratch. It doesn’t matter what brand or brands of vehicles or components you are using. It doesn’t matter if you are working on a mini car or a bus.

We will not be asking you for donations or any kind of monetary payments. We will be asking for help in terms moderators and encouraging you to spread the word and add to our membership.

Darksider's Realm

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Darksider's Realm

A message board & forum for automotive builders, fabricators and customizers who think outside the box.


2 posters

    Explorer rear springs questions???

    havi
    havi
    havi


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    • Post n°1

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:06 pm

    Thought I'd ask first since I haven't had a chance to go to a junkyard yet. Here's what I'm looking for:

    number of leaves?

    eye to eye length loaded, and unloaded?

    spring width (I believe it's 2.5")?

    eye direction (front reversed, etc...)?

    frame-to-shackle bolt patterns?

    spring arch height at center hole from top of leaves?

    thickness of leaf pack?

    Basically everything to fit one of these under a vehicle not designed for one, lol.

    Pics with a tape measure would be fine.
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    Darkside Dave
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    • Post n°2

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:25 pm

    Scott,
    I will try to remember to go measure tomorrow. I have a '99 with the weight of the floor pan. firewall. a bare '53 cab and a partial dash board inside the cab. No doors and no glass. So I would have to jack it up to give you a measurement unloaded. I can't think that what is on it would be considered loaded. There is no engine, tranny or transfer case in it.

    Later Man...
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    havi
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    • Post n°3

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:31 pm

    Thanks, Dave....no rush.
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    Darkside Dave
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    • Post n°4

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:26 pm

    I went out back and tried to measure those rear springs. I couldn't jack it up because the ground is so wet the jack would just sink. However, as I pointed out above, there isn't a lot of weight on them.

    The length is 56" center to center bushings on the '99. On the '91 I use for a yard mule I made an attempt to measure but it was also down there and I didn't get anything accurate. I am guessing the ones on the '91 are a bit longer, maybe two or three inches. They are 2 1/2" wide and there are 3 main leaves with a shorter bottom overlosd leaf. I hope this helps.

    Later Man...
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    havi
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    • Post n°5

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:06 pm

    Yes, thank you for all yer troubles....my yard sinks a jack quite easily as well.
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    • Post n°6

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:12 pm

    Found time to stop in at the local yard today. They had a drum brake rear I was able to measure. I got 57" arched, and 55.13" straight across. Outside of frame about 41", outside of leafs 41.63", and inside 36.56", so about 2.5" wide. Half of 2.5" is 1.25", added to 36.5" twice equals 39" spring pad center to center. Which sounds about right. They bolt/rivet directly under the frame, so I now have an idea how to set the rear frame rails on my Fairlane. Very Happy As an aside, I found a 429, 460, and a '73 400 with 38,000 miles on it, and it looked brand new! Air cleaner and decals and all! I'm hoping I can get money so I can get it. I think it'll look great sitting in the garage until I get a car to put it in.
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    • Post n°7

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:02 pm

    havi wrote:Found time to stop in at the local yard today. They had a drum brake rear I was able to measure. I got 57" arched, and 55.13" straight across. Outside of frame about 41", outside of leafs 41.63", and inside 36.56", so about 2.5" wide. Half of 2.5" is 1.25", added to 36.5" twice equals 39" spring pad center to center. Which sounds about right. They bolt/rivet directly under the frame, so I now have an idea how to set the rear frame rails on my Fairlane. Very Happy As an aside, I found a 429, 460, and a '73 400 with 38,000 miles on it, and it looked brand new! Air cleaner and decals and all! I'm hoping I can get money so I can get it. I think it'll look great sitting in the garage until I get a car to put it in.


    I had a '74 Cougar with a 400 2 barrell carb and it was a pretty heavy car but it would scoot right down the road. I imagine with a little work it would be a screamer, sepecially in a Fairlane.

    Later Man...
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    • Post n°8

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:27 pm

    Went back today with the camera. And looked over the LTD a bit closer. Appears the attendant was wrong.
    Explorer rear springs questions??? 1973LTDodometer
    Explorer rear springs questions??? 1973LTD4002v
    Explorer rear springs questions??? 1973LTDpassengerside
    And the Explorer rear end I measured:
    Explorer rear springs questions??? Explorerrearendatwoods
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    • Post n°9

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:27 pm

    havi wrote:Went back today with the camera. And looked over the LTD a bit closer. Appears the attendant was wrong.


    OK, I'm just gonna take a shot in the dark here and say I'm guessing that it's at least the second time around for odometer. But, at the right price it may still be a good deal.

    Later Man...
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    • Post n°10

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:30 pm

    Realized I didn't explain the story. The attendant of the yard said 38,000 miles on it, but he's kinda slow. Nice guy, but... Anyhow, he drove it out back to where it is now parked last week. Was owned by an old lady who gave it to her grandson who within a week got in an accident. Now it sits in the yard. The interior is immaculate. The door jambs are rust free, which for snow and salt country is amazing in itself. The vinyl top ain't even faded. The lower engine bay does have slight surface rust, but the MN humidity in the Summer will show on any vehicle in 36 years. The engine looks really good for what it is. Now that said, I couldn't say either way if it's 3600, or 103,600. But 2 miles a week to the grocery store for 36 years is 3700 or so miles, lol. I don't have the money to buy the engine and trans, but knowing it's there, and hoping nobody else does, I can get it eventually. Besides, my Tbird already has it's engine, and there's another 400 in a truck I found. Since I was there looking for a disc brake Explorer rear end, I may settle on the drum one for now. I have a couple other things to pay for, then I hope to get it, at least before the snow flies...there's no getting that far back in his yard when it dumps on us. No And that means no progress for another Winter. Crying or Very sad
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    • Post n°11

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:27 am

    havi wrote:Realized I didn't explain the story. The attendant of the yard said 38,000 miles on it, but he's kinda slow. Nice guy, but... Anyhow, he drove it out back to where it is now parked last week. Was owned by an old lady who gave it to her grandson who within a week got in an accident. Now it sits in the yard. The interior is immaculate. The door jambs are rust free, which for snow and salt country is amazing in itself. The vinyl top ain't even faded. The lower engine bay does have slight surface rust, but the MN humidity in the Summer will show on any vehicle in 36 years. The engine looks really good for what it is. Now that said, I couldn't say either way if it's 3600, or 103,600. But 2 miles a week to the grocery store for 36 years is 3700 or so miles, lol. I don't have the money to buy the engine and trans, but knowing it's there, and hoping nobody else does, I can get it eventually. Besides, my Tbird already has it's engine, and there's another 400 in a truck I found. Since I was there looking for a disc brake Explorer rear end, I may settle on the drum one for now. I have a couple other things to pay for, then I hope to get it, at least before the snow flies...there's no getting that far back in his yard when it dumps on us. No And that means no progress for another Winter. Crying or Very sad


    Here is a little something to keep in mind... It could be that you are right about the car not having many miles on it. It happens that way sometimes. I am reminded of the '74 Cougar I mentioned above. The car belonged to my mother since it was new. She had it until she died in 1987. It was 13 years old and only had 20K on the odometer. I ended up with the car and I started driving the car regularly. That car nickled and dimed me to death. There was always something going wrong. I really don't know why this hsppened as the car was always well taken care of. It was never anything major, a starter here, and alternator there... That kind of stuff... It also developed a habit of quitting on me in traffic for no obvious reason which was a real bummer. Eventually that turned out to be an EGR valve problem of some kind. I eliminated it and the problem went away. I don't have any real solid evidence to back this theory of mine up, but I was always convinced that changing the use pattern of the car was the problem. I was trying to drive the car longer distances and going 400 to, 500 miles a week. I can't help but think the change from driving 30 miles a week in slow traffic was one of the major causes of my problems. I ended up giving the car to my son who ended up running the car in a road ditch going down hill to avoid an oncoming car in his lane. He did the right thing but it bent things up enough so that it could never really be aligned to prevent other problems. we ended up selling it to a guy who managed to total the car in a week. For me it was all a rather sad story because the car looked good and was really nice inside. It having been the last car my mom had was also a factor. My theory mentione above seems to be substantiated by the fact that I have had many other vehicles I acquired after they had 100K on them and I drove them another 100K with way fewer problems and I didn't treat them as well as I did that Cougar. Since that time I have never been all that impressed or attracted to extreme low mileage vehicles that are older. Oh BTW, that cougar had a 400 in it too.

    Just some food for thought there Scott.

    Later Man...
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    havi
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    • Post n°12

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  havi Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:26 pm

    I agree with the change of use theory, my '85 F150 yard truck was that way. Long story short, I won't bother pulling the 400 from that car. I have a 400 already, and 3 351M's for rebuilds as well. If someone comes along and wants to fix the car up, I believe the engine should go with it. I've got many more priorities than another engine sitting in the garage. The novelty has wore off, lol.
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    • Post n°13

    Explorer rear springs questions??? Empty Re: Explorer rear springs questions???

    Post  Darkside Dave Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:45 am


    Been there, Done that, Got the T-shirt... I know where you're coming from on that count. I often get the instant urge to acquire a lot of stuff I had no previous plans to acquire when I'm rooting around the Pull-A-Part yards. It's kind of like, "Oh wow! Look at that!!!" If I just take a deep breath and count to ten, my sanity begins to come back. It's kind of like a sugar high I think. If I functioned purely by impulse, there would be so much stuff laying around here I couldn't move. My wife would argue that it is already that way. My defense falls on deaf ears when I point out that there is still room for ten cars or trucks out back. I think I need a different defense response...

    If I were ever lucky enough have the means to do it I would buy a place seperated from here by just enough distance to be out of sight and have a big shop and garage building on it with a fenced in gravel lot and put in just enough facilities to stay there under any conditions which would include a place to eat, bathe, and do laundry so I could leave and return to the house in decent clothes and one vehicle. Yeah right... Like that's gonna happen. Hey, a guy can dream can't he???

    It just occurred to me that this thread was started about Explorer springs, (Hmm, sounds like a place out West), anyway, we seemed to have gotten far off topic here. But you know what??? I don't care. I think it's just great to have a board where you don't have a bunch of knob headed playground monitors running the show. I realize we don't have a lot of members, and I do hope it builds up more, but it sure is nice to have it this way.

    OK, gotta get down to the shop, stare at stuff and figure my mext move.

    Later Man...
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