Measuring your current leaf springs right will ensure your replacement springs fit and perform just as you need. First tip: Don’t measure the arch from the floor!
When measuring the free arch of a leaf spring, you want to be sure of doing it the right way.
While standing the spring upside down on its eyes seems to be a good way and, sure the heck is an easy way, it’s not the right way.
How To Get The Right Measurement
We want to run a straight line through the center of each eye and measure from this line down to the top of the main plate, right next to the center bolt.
- Run a line (rope, twine, etc) between the center of each leaf spring eye
- Measure from this line down to the mainplate by the centerbolt
Remember, a spring is mounted in a vehicle through the center of the eye on each end. Measuring through the center line of the eyes takes away the possibility of an inaccurate measurement caused by the bushings being used in the spring you are measuring being a different diameter than the springs you will be buying.
Also, the eye type could be different and the inaccuracy would be compounded if the steel thickness is different.
Measuring the free arch in any other way is only done by those who do not subscribe to Spring Tech 101!
