Determining the correct 5-leaf springs - 69 SS 396

[nuch_ss396]

Hi all !

I need to solicit some help from members here regarding the
selection of the correct front & rear leaf springs for my
69 SS 396 Camaro. I am nearing the completion
of my restoration and now I have to look into selecting the
right springs.

While doing some preliminary research, I have come to learn
that there may have been many different factors that went
into the spring selection on big block Camaros. Was this
true for front and rear springs, or just the front springs?

I've see posts ( on several forums ) that dealt with the
problem of one end of the car sitting too high, or too low
after springs were rebuilt/replaced. How does one avoid
this problem?

So, what I really want to know is this: Is there some type
of formula that Chevrolet used back in the day to determine
the correct springs for a particular application and does
anyone know the formula or an alternate way to select the
correct spring combination?

Steve

[Jonesy]

Here's a spring calculator:

http://www.chevynova.org/69_12437_L3...78_Springs.htm

Springs were selected based on the weight of the options on the car.

[Fhakya]

Jonesy: That is a cool calculator..new to me.

After punching in a couple of different configurations it occured to me that there had to be 'ranges' available to the line workers. My logic being that there wasn't a spring custom built for every car. There had to be some quick way for the production worker to know things like A/C + 396 = XXX spring etc etc..

Anyone know how that took place in the production setting?

[Hotrodpaul]

My 69 Camaro L-78 had YP front springs and 5 leaf BK code rear springs.

Paul

[rpoz11]

Wasnt the 4-leaf and 5-leafs in 69 factory predetermined?
Not aware of different rated 4-leafs & 5-leafs that year...

[Hotrodpaul]

Small blocks such as Z-28's and SS's etc usually had 4 leaves, where big blocks had 5 leaves. I guess it depended on the type of suspension and options ordered.

Paul

[Nova Research Project]

[ QUOTE ]
There had to be some quick way for the production worker to know things like A/C + 396 = XXX spring etc etc..

Anyone know how that took place in the production setting?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, the total weight of the car was calculated based on the options purchased. The computer selected the spring needed to handle the weight and printed a 2 letter code on the Chassis Broadcast sheet. The assembly line worker looked at the sheet and grabbed the corresponding spring from the rack. The Assembly line worker did not have time to calculate just grab and go.

Greg R.