1970 different rear leaf springs

[richardgoesfast]

Hey folks,
A friend told me that the Road Runners have different rear leaf springs (Super Stock I think he said they were called) in order to counteract torque under hard acceleration.
So I looked under the car today and sure enough, I counted a 7 leaf spring on driver and 5 on the passenger. I counted a couple times so I think this is right. But something tells me they should be reversed in their position. Like the 7 spring should be passenger and the 5 on the driver side.
Does any of this make any sense. . . ?

 

[Rich B]

Good question, would say maybe driver side under normal hi-stress would be the wheel with the higher gripping torque? Chrysler engineers were ahead of their time back then. Traction bars were awesome, had chrome set on my ‘Lil Red Truck. Definitely period correct but never see any in photos of road runners? https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=traction+bar&qpvt=traction+bar&FORM=IGRE

 

[69hemibeep]

Yep they are reversed, they are XHD or nicknamed Hemi springs

 

[quikbird]

yes, larger spring belongs on passenger side to counteract torque on launch

 

[Big Mo]

yes, larger spring belongs on passenger side to counteract torque on launch

Yes on passenger side. I bought a set and ordered them 1" over center to give the body a little lift. There was air shocks on when I got the car. The top shock mounts were bent slightly. I am not a big fan of air shocks. We also put same springs on my friends 66 Bel. and it sits very nice.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Put Six leaf on this runner with 2 inch recurve. Wanted lift with out using air shock. Had them and they busted or would leak down over night then had to air them up to get to work. It might ride a little rough but figure once the weight is added back to the car they will set a little lower.

 

[quikbird]

air shocks are not a good idea on roadrunners. the upper support bar the shocks attach to is not strong enough to carry the weight of the car. not a good scene when it breaks

 

[ACME A12]

You guys are just trying to hurt Basketcase's feelings with all of this anti-air shock talk...

 

[69hemibeep]

I think Dave's computer broke, he's been quiet

 

[quikbird]

now that you mention it, we ought to be nervous about that

 

[Russ69Runner]

Yes the shock tower is pretty weak. Your rite on spot about it holding the weight of the car. Even the dodge's had the same problem.

 

[Roadcuda]

air shocks are not a good idea on roadrunners. the upper support bar the shocks attach to is not strong enough to carry the weight of the car. not a good scene when it breaks

Yeah, that happened to my first Road Runner back in '72. The PO fixed it my bolting the broken shock mount to the trunk floor. It tore it all to hell.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Oh my gosh that is a hard lesion to learn. Even though the runner I got found a crack in the support. Must say it is as thin of a piece of metal ever seen to function for what it was intended to do. But metal dose become brittle after time from being worked and twisted. Something has to give.