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Delta Motorsports Rear Springs  Rating:  Rating
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 Posted: 12-30-2014 06:45 pm
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Screenplay
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Just got my new Delta uprated springs powder coated and ran into an issue when I went to install them. It seems that the pigtail ends aren't flush (they continue the coil on both ends) so they don't sit squarely against the trailing arm or the body. Neither retainer fits properly either. I called Delta and Jeff suggested sending them back with the originals to see what they could do; he said neither he nor Jim had heard of this happening.

I'm already out the $50 for painting and would really like to use them without the hassle of shipping back and forth. Has anyone encountered this? Is there something I'm overlooking?

Thanks,
Clinton

Last edited on 12-30-2014 07:08 pm by Screenplay

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 01:24 am
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Tom Bradley
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Front springs or rear?  Here is what one of my spare rear springs looks like.  I forget whether this is an original spring or a Delta version from about 20+ years ago.  As I recall, the way the ends are bent is slightly different between the two types, which made switching between the versions a bit difficult, but both worked.  Are you sure you have all the correct hardware to attach it?  The parts catalog has a good diagram showing how it is all supposed to go together.  The upper insulation rubber is absolutely essential to get it to fit.  Getting the bolt started to attach the top of the spring was always a major pain, but always went in eventually.

Attachment: rear spring.JPG (Downloaded 124 times)

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 01:41 am
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Tom Bradley
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If I remember correctly, the springs only went in one way. The correct end had to be up and the spring rotated to the correct angle for everything to come together right. Apparently that was why there was an alignment pin on the top seat.

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 02:08 am
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Screenplay
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Tom, These are the rear springs. I can't seem to load the photo to show, but your pic shows the pig tail just like mine. The originals have the last, small diameter coil flatten out to seat properly on both the trailing arm seat on the bottom, and against the body on the top; both top and bottom are identical. In the photo of yours, you can see how the finish end on the coil would not sit flat.

I do have all of the proper hardware (retainers, rubber isolator, rivet) Do I install and just tighten it down?

Clinton

Last edited on 12-31-2014 02:09 am by Screenplay

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 03:30 am
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Tom Bradley
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As I remember, I had to rotate these around to find a good angle to get them to seat well. But I thought I had to do this with the original springs, as well. It has been a while since I fiddled with these. Once I got everything together and tightened down it seemed to be OK. But eventually one of the Delta springs started getting shorter, so I cleaned up and reinstalled the originals, which is why I have this one sitting around to be photographed.

(Photos have to be smaller than about 100K in order to load onto this site).

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 05:18 am
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Screenplay
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You can see the difference on the two here. On the top with the new spring I can't even get the retainers close enough to secure them with the rivet.

Clinton

Attachment: IMG_0613.JPG (Downloaded 122 times)

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 02:20 pm
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Tom Bradley
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The way I installed these was to get the top bolt started first. I may have used a longer bolt for this. Then I had to struggle to get the bottom aligned and then push up on the suspension arm with a jack to get everything pushed together enough to start the nut on the lower retainer. It was not easy. Again, I think I had to rotate the spring to a specific orientation to get it to work.

I think the Delta spring I have is the same or slightly thinner gauge than the original. Yours looks like it is thicker, which would make it even more difficult. I suppose it might be possible to replace the bolt on the lower retainer with a longer one, but I have no idea what it would take to do this.

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 Posted: 12-31-2014 02:54 pm
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Brett Gibson JH5 20497
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I just went and checked the rear springs on my restoration JH in the garage and they are the thicker version and rounded at both ends and do NOT have the flat'ed ends as you show on the ones you took off. At the top they sit in a large cupped washer with rubber and a tab that holds the spring from rotating, at the bottom just a large cupped metal washer with a tab as well no rubber. Can't post the photo's so if you want them PM me with your e-mail.

Brett

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