Educate me on leaf spring uprights

[MAStuart]

Hi Everybody! I just received my leaf spring uprights. After looking at them and a manual from leaf spring cars, I have a few questions. In the picture of the upright, what are the 6 undrilled and untapped bosses for? After looking in a leaf spring manual, it appears the uprights are different or machined different than mine. Are the uprights machined different for splined drive hubs vs pin drived hubs? It appears to the same upright machined differently. On the front uprights, are they basically the same for a small block and 427 car? From what I can see they look the same except the leaf spring car has a clevice for the spring vs something for the ball joint on the 427 car. Am I on the right track? This is all new to me. Thanks Mark

[strictlypersonl]

Here's a section view of the original hub. It looks like you're missing the outer bearing and seal retainer and the method of securing it.

[mickmate]

Hi Mark as Bobs pic from the handbook shows it's for the bearing retainer plate. Note the bearing style shown in the drawing. If the bearings used are tapered roller instead they can be shimmed between them to adjust. The front uprights are the same from 427 to 289 except the height is different. The 427 is taller to the upper ball joint, the 289 is shorter and has the leaf spring trunnion as you said. Do you have those yet?

[MAStuart]

HI. Thanks for the responses so far to my post. Yes, that is the drawing I was referring to. That is what I assumed the bosses were for, the bearing retainer. The drawing appears to be for a spline drive hub, that is why I want to know if they are machined different for a spline drive vs a pin drive? Or are they just machined different for the bearings? In the drawing the outer is mostly captured in the bearing retainer, the inner bearing, outer race floats in the uprights. On my castings, it appears to take the outer bearing and seal without using the bearing retainer. So far that is all I have purchased is the uprights, front and rear. I am assuming it takes tapered roller bearings like Mickmate said, with a spacer between to set the preload. Yes I know these are not original uprights, but were uprights machined this way and used on competition cars.

My next question is, how many different people manufacture original style, leaf spring uprights? Not people who resell them, but actually manufacture them.

Does anyone have a good picture of a 427 front upright? Hey Mickmate, is the front upright itself longer, not including the way it is attached to the upper control arm? I am not sure how they are, if they are similar to a leaf spring one with the upright and a seperate clevice attached to it? (a separate part that the ball joint attaches to?)

Does anyone have a picture of the type of clevice that member CSX1885 is using on his leaf spring build? I think they are from Shelby. They appear to be adjustable. Thanks. More questions probably to follow. Mark

[1985 CCX]

Looks similar to my new SAI units......?

[mickmate]

Hey Mark uprights are identical except top height at threads.

[mickmate]

So you already know about how critical leaf spring lengths and rates are, good lad.

[MAStuart]

Jeff,
I believe they do look pretty close. The uprights I have came from Cobra Racing(George P.). If you look between the rotar and the upright are the bosses drilled and tapped and have a bearing retainer cap bolted to them? Or are they used without a bearing retainer? Do you have a shot of your front uprights with the upper spring clevice on it? On the Cobra Racing site they say the supply McClusky, SAI and others with their parts. So there is a real good chance they are identical to what yours are. That's why the questions was asked about how many manufacturers there are, not just resellers. Thanks for what you have posted.

[MAStuart]

Mickmate,
Thanks for the pictures, but now I have more questions. In your pictures, the upright with the bearing on the spindle does it belong to a leaf spring or 427 car? The shorter one, what car does it go to? How long are they? The one I have is 10 3/4 inches. Are they off of an original car? Are they a forging or a casting? Overall they look real close to what I have, except for the shank and the threaded portion. Mine appear to be longer. The clevice picture, tell me more about it. It appears to be fabricated. Did you fabricate it, did it come on one of those spindles, what is the story? Do you have a picture of what the upper part of a 427 upright looks like?

[MAStuart]

I thought I would post a picture of the upright so you could see the length I was talking about. This upright appears to be an investment casting process. Someone told me they were made out of stainless steel. Thanks Mark
PS. Does anyone know why I have to scroll back and forth to read the post. Earlier in this thread I didn't have to. Now it is like the screen is alot wider. I am a computer dummy.

[mickmate]

Hey Mark I made my pictures a little big so that is why you're scrolling back and forth. 289 uprights are the shorter ones as they have a bearing arrangement screwed on, 427's are taller and have just a ball joint. Those ones measure 8 and 9" tall. They are a 17-4 stainless casting. I think the Greek is the only game in town for these things. They are the same as an original car but a better material and seals for the bearings have been added as the originals didn't have them. The rear uprights you have look like they are machined for tapered roller bearings which are more durable with better surface area. The clevis has been made up to give adjustability for the camber. Here's a picture of the 427 upper balljoint http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT