Moparts
SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico
Posted By: Locomotion
SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/10/14 07:38 PM
I've heard the stories for years that since the manufacturing of Mopar SS springs was moved to Mexico, the quality of the metal has gone down and caused premature "settling".
My question: Is there a way to tell the difference visually between them if "Made in Mexico" isn't spray painted on or has faded/worn off? In other words, did anything like the stampings of numbers or anything else change? Naturally, part #'s stayed the same, but there are other stampings as well.
I have an older, little used, dirty, dusty set with no signs of anything having been painted on and trying to determine if it's an early set or newer set.
Posted By: Steve1118
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/10/14 07:46 PM
Can't be sure, Myron, but I've had a couple of sets. The first set Made in Mexico went away pretty quick. But, this latest set has been on a couple of years now, and still work very well. Perhaps that issue has been resolved?
Posted By: 383man
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 04:50 AM
I know I bought my SS springs from Mancini about 6 years ago and they have stayed the same. I just figured they were Mopar SS springs but to be honest I cant remember if they were a spring Mancini calls their SS spring or if they were the MP springs which I believe they were as they were listed as 3400 lb SS springs. But I have been happy with them. I dont see anything on them saying where they were made. Ron
Posted By: Locomotion
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 05:18 AM
Thanks guys. Mine are getting tired after many years and am hoping I have a good set to replace them with. I'll have to take a closer look at the ones on my car to see if there are any differences. Most of the info appears to be covered up by the shock plates.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 05:39 AM
Quote:
Thanks guys. Mine are getting tired after many years and am hoping I have a good set to replace them with. I'll have to take a closer look at the ones on my car to see if there are any differences. Most of the info appears to be covered up by the shock plates.
IF there is any data on the springs it wouldnt be
in the actual spring area.. that would be a failure
point(a stamped number or a scribed number) so it
would be at either end, maybe on the spring eyes..
when I was on the transverse torsion bar project(for
the F & M bodies) we etched the lab number on the hex
of the bar... so look at any dead points on the springs
Posted By: SSAAHemiFan
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 07:01 AM
I remember my "good ones" were just stenciled with white spray paint made in Canada
You could also look into Tri-City Competition Launcher Springs
Posted By: fullmetaljacket
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 02:24 PM
I concur. Tri-City.
The Good stuff is long gone.
Posted By: dannysbee
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 03:59 PM
If you were happy with what you have why not take your springs to a local spring shop and use them for a blueprint to build a quality new super stock spring? I have had springs made in my area and was pleased with the results.
Posted By: BradH
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 04:05 PM
I don't know the timing of when all this happened, but I'd been hearing about how the Mexican-made SS springs were sagging quickly even when I bought my Challenger back in '95. At that time it had Canadian-made springs that seemed to have held up fine over the years.
Tri-City stuff is (was?) really high-quality; I don't know if the father & son team that used to run Tri-City Competition are still in business. When I checked maybe ten years ago about their stuff after seeing some people using their springs successfully, I found it wasn't any cheaper than switching to CalTracs, so I went w/ the latter because of increased tuning capabilities. Let's just say they wanted a LOT of $$$ for a pair of leaf springs...
Good luck w/ your purchase decision.
Posted By: GTX MATT
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 05:27 PM
I don't know about quality of the steel, mine seem OK, but they assembled and THEN painted them and my leafs are rusting in between. So I have to take them apart clean them and paint them right.
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 06:39 PM
I think Caltracs hurt Tri City's spring business pretty bad, I'm not sure Greg does springs anymore.
To be honest I think the Caltrac monoleaf spring is a piece of junk. They wear out very quickly IMO. Way faster than any Mexican SS spring
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/11/14 11:37 PM
Quote:
I think Caltracs hurt Tri City's spring business pretty bad, I'm not sure Greg does springs anymore.
To be honest I think the Caltrac monoleaf spring is a piece of junk. They wear out very quickly IMO. Way faster than any Mexican SS spring
Pretty bold statement I mean Calvert invented something years ago that works and mine and thousands of others have been flawless for years........... 
Posted By: THE GLASS MAN
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 03:12 AM
What year did they start making s/s springs in Mexico?
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 05:23 AM
Pretty Bold... Maybe, but maybe I'm the only one who's front segments have changed direction in less than 2 years.
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 05:28 AM
Call Calvert I`m sure the`ll make it right cos looking back, there was a batch of springs doin what you`re talking about.............that`s the answer in my mind not saying they are junk just cos yours had issues.
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 06:04 AM
Not just me man. I would say everyone that was racing in F.A.S.T has been through them at least once. We all got them at the same time so MAYBE there was a bad run at that time. We don't run the bars just the springs. Most have moved on.
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 06:19 AM
Gotch and being it`s a mono leaf deal I would ASSume it needs the cross bolt to stop it from wrapping up and I`d bet money Calvert tells ya the same thing........or not.
It`s called a "system" for a reason...........
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 05:07 PM
In less than 2 years the springs won't hold the car up. That has zippo to do with the "System". I'm not debating the Caltrac system... I am simply saying the quality of the spring steel sucks. Worn out in less than 20 races, who would be happy with that?
All the SS springs that I own that are ancient are the best. I had some newer XHD mopar springs on as well... They wear out very quickly too.
Maybe it's just me
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 05:36 PM
Quote:
In less than 2 years the springs won't hold the car up. That has zippo to do with the "System". I'm not debating the Caltrac system... I am simply saying the quality of the spring steel sucks. Worn out in less than 20 races, who would be happy with that?
All the SS springs that I own that are ancient are the best. I had some newer XHD mopar springs on as well... They wear out very quickly too.
Maybe it's just me
Posted By: BradH
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 07:03 PM
Quote:
... We don't run the bars just the springs...
I really believe that's the root of the issue. CalTrac's mono-leaf springs aren't there for any other purpose than setting the ride height of the car. All the load is supposed to be handled by the link system, not the springs.
The ones I have on The MoPig have shown no sag problems or any other issues. IMO, running them w/o the CalTrac bars is a misapplication of the mono-leaf springs.
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 07:38 PM
Quote:
Quote:
... We don't run the bars just the springs...
I really believe that's the root of the issue. CalTrac's mono-leaf springs aren't there for any other purpose than setting the ride height of the car. All the load is supposed to be handled by the link system, not the springs.
The ones I have on The MoPig have shown no sag problems or any other issues. IMO, running them w/o the CalTrac bars is a misapplication of the mono-leaf springs.
Are you sure Brad? 
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 08:43 PM
I don't agree with you Brad. The springs should hold the car up.Many manufacturers have used monoleafs over the years. The Caltrac system was designed for NHRA Stockers. The mono leaf came a little later as I recall. The idea behind the monoleaf was to simply dump the unsprung weight. Early on caltracs were used on leaf springs. The job of the springs is to suspend the car. These springs do not do their job very long.
I will admit that I didn't think (especially for a stick car) that they were going to be any advantage other than the reduced weight. I figured they would wrap up uncontrollably. The autos were getting away with it so I figured I would try it. I talked to John Calvert about it and he made them how I wanted them. They had no down side the first year but during the second year the car got lower and lower and lower. I was happy to loose the weight and I could just replace the front segment. At the time I wanted to have them made with a 20 inch front segment and use a SS front hanger. Calvert advised against it but if I had to do it again that is what I would do. Would make the front segment stiffer.
Posted By: fourgearsavoy
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/12/14 08:54 PM
Quote:
In less than 2 years the springs won't hold the car up. That has zippo to do with the "System". I'm not debating the Caltrac system... I am simply saying the quality of the spring steel sucks. Worn out in less than 20 races, who would be happy with that?
All the SS springs that I own that are ancient are the best. I had some newer XHD mopar springs on as well... They wear out very quickly too.
Maybe it's just me
It's not just you man
I took the "system" off my car after 2 sets of mono-leafs went completely flat after one season 
Now I must add that they worked great and my car hooked straight and true but I have better things to do than change my springs every year.
This was five years ago so they may have better springs now 
Gus
Posted By: ccdave
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 01:39 AM
I have been trying to get a real world answer for over a year on caltracs. This is the feedback that I suspeceted. Looks like super stock springs for me.
Posted By: fullmetaljacket
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 01:58 AM
Mancini supposedly have their own version of the SS spring manufactured by a contracted company in Michigan. I believe they are called JRS.
I was told that they use better quality spring steel.
On the other hand, even though they're expensive, Landrum springs and or Tri-city springs have a some what better reputation for good springs. Tri-city's Launcher sets seem to be the best known.
I wish I could find an early set of SS springs made in Canada though.
Posted By: BradH
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 02:06 AM
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Quote:
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... We don't run the bars just the springs...
I really believe that's the root of the issue...
Are you sure Brad?
That's my opinion, based on what I've both read and experienced with tuning leaf-spring suspension.
Posted By: Dartwizer
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 02:18 AM
SS Mexico on the left ,Tri City on the right
Posted By: BradH
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 02:18 AM
Quote:
I don't agree with you Brad.
Not the first time I've heard that said! 
Quote:
Many manufacturers have used monoleafs over the years.
Yes, and some of those are the first cars for which the Lakewood slapper bars were designed, IIRC. Lakewood used to run an ad talking about how "Grumpy" Jenkins designed their J-bar system that was supposed to be the hot lick for those early Camaro & Nova mono-leaf setups.
Quote:
The Caltrac system was designed for NHRA Stockers. The mono leaf came a little later as I recall.
Yep, and when Calvert first used 'em on his 4-speed Super Stocker 428 CJ Mustang (that he still ran on 9" Stocker-size slicks) he used REALLY stiff multi-leaf springs w/o virtually no arch too.
I might still have the old SS&DI issue where they had a tech article on them when he first started using them and he went into the history & theory of the then-new bars.
As I recall, the switch to the mono was supposed to be both a weight reduction and a suspension reaction improvement.
I don't know if I have "good" springs and you and some others have "bad" springs, but mine have held up fine.
Posted By: cheapstreetdustr
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 04:26 AM
the issue is with the heat treatment..i bet...
if you find any diesel truck spring recon outfit.
you can send them your spings they will re arch and re heat treat them....i had a set on a duster done back in the 80s by a company in Pennsauken New Jersey they added and extra half a leaf to the front segment and re heat treated them..they lasted a long time..and ran high nines with a big block and a 4spd..and no added bars or links.
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/13/14 04:32 AM
Quote:
Quote:
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... We don't run the bars just the springs...
I really believe that's the root of the issue...
Are you sure Brad?
That's my opinion, based on what I've both read and experienced with tuning leaf-spring suspension.
It wasn`t directed towards you Brad................
Posted By: Magnum
Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico - 04/17/14 03:30 AM
Quote:
SS Mexico on the left ,Tri City on the right
The set on the right might as well be a solid bar.
Compressing stack and it will not return to the original height due to lack of sliding between the springs.
I've tried clamping springs. The are effective as intended. It strengthens the stack but lift it 2 inches, it will come back down only 1. Compress it 2 inches, it will only come back 1.