Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Wish I'd done this sooner, despite the expense. I bought from ESPO Springs n Things their leaf spring kit, with a pair of 7 leaf, heavy duty springs arched 2 inches over stock. I completed this upgrade with a pair of KYB Gas-a-Just shocks and have definitely smoothed out the ride and retained a good clearance and ride height for the rear. The old springs appear to have been worked over once, likely just before I bought the car given the condition of the bushings, and also clear evidence of the kind of barrio amateurism common on my side of town, featuring welds where such had no business being. (shackle and a bracket bolt tacked to a washer)
The old stuff rode with a pair of Monroe Load Levelers I bought after ditching some air shocks afflicting the car when purchased. While those were a step in the right direction, I'm SURE GLAD to be rid of them and the old springs with the needlessly tacked old shackles.
ESPO made a good pair up for me, and I notice that certain RR crossings now can be taken with NO oscillation. I'm just going to see how long the KYB shocks will continue to perform to that standard. All told, it was a very boring job. I likely will install some reinforcement plates over the front bracket bolts just on principle when I feel motivated to crawl around that rear end again.
The old stuff rode with a pair of Monroe Load Levelers I bought after ditching some air shocks afflicting the car when purchased. While those were a step in the right direction, I'm SURE GLAD to be rid of them and the old springs with the needlessly tacked old shackles.
ESPO made a good pair up for me, and I notice that certain RR crossings now can be taken with NO oscillation. I'm just going to see how long the KYB shocks will continue to perform to that standard. All told, it was a very boring job. I likely will install some reinforcement plates over the front bracket bolts just on principle when I feel motivated to crawl around that rear end again.