F-41 Rear Spring

[Howard P.]

Does anyone have the GM part number for the 7 leaf F-41 rear spring for 67 vintage. I can only locate # 3850839 which is the standard 9 leaf spring. Is anyone aware of who may be selling original rebuilds of these correct springs ?

[Joe L.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Does anyone have the GM part number for the 7 leaf F-41 rear spring for 67 vintage. I can only locate # 3850839 which is the standard 9 leaf spring. Is anyone aware of who may be selling original rebuilds of these correct springs ?

Howard-----


The 7 leaf spring used for 1967 F-41 applications was GM #3832518. It's long-since GM-discontinued. There is no exactly correct reproduction I know of on the market today. The Eaton Detroit Spring product is about as close as you can get at the present time.

[Joe R.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Joe, Howard,

The 3832518 spring was the front spring. The rear F-41 was PN 370350 which replaced the 3977578 rear.

JR

[William C.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Just as a thought, if you can find a used F-41 rear, a set of new liners will generally return it to "as new" function. They are not as subject to "settling" as the lesser units.

[Michael H.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Does anyone have the GM part number for the 7 leaf F-41 rear spring for 67 vintage. I can only locate # 3850839 which is the standard 9 leaf spring. Is anyone aware of who may be selling original rebuilds of these correct springs ?

The original part number for a HD/F-41 rear spring for 67 was 3828811.

As Joe Ray mentioned, that number was replaced some time around 1970 by 3977578.
I don't know what the exact difference was between the 811 and the 578 but there may be some very minor change in dimension.

[Joe L.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

All-----


Yes, I was incorrect on the number. That's what happens when I try to recall a part number solely by reference to my memory in the wee hours of the morning. The correct number is GM #3828811. It was discontinued in August, 1970 and replaced by GM #3977578. The latter spring was discontinued in October, 1976 and replaced by GM #370350 which was, in turn, discontinued and replaced by GM #354130 in September, 1981. Finally, GM #354130 was discontinued without supercession in February, 1999.

[Michael H.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

All-----


Yes, I was incorrect on the number. That's what happens when I try to recall a part number solely by reference to my memory in the wee hours of the morning.

Yup, I noticed the time that you posted, around 4:00 AM, so I knew you were probably not at your best.

Reminds me of when I posted, half asleep, at about 3:00 AM a few years ago and stated that Chev distributor gears had 8 teeth. John Hinckley was kind enough to correct me without making me feel TOO stupid.

[Howard P.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Thank you all for the information as supplied.

I have also learned that Americas Finest and Crane Corvette are working on an "exact" reproduction of this spring. David Crane has advised me it will be available approx March 2009 and it will identical to the original part.

Howie

[Gary B.]

New repro spring: 7 only? Or also the 9 leaf?

Howard,

Are AFC and Crane's only making the 7-leaf? Or also a 9?

Gary

[Dick W.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

David Crane has advised me it will be available approx March 2009 and it will identical to the original part.

Howie

Only believe that when you have one in your hands.

[Howard P.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Gary & Others

Sorry for not responding sooner however I have been having problems with my brouser today which, thanks to John & Gary at NCRS techical support have helped me fix.

I believe that AFC and Crane are only doing the 7 leaf F41 spring at this time. Again they have given an estimated ETA of approx March. We will all wait and see

Thanks again for all you replies

Howard

[Joe L.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Gary & Others

Sorry for not responding sooner however I have been having problems with my brouser today which, thanks to John & Gary at NCRS techical support have helped me fix.

I believe that AFC and Crane are only doing the 7 leaf F41 spring at this time. Again they have given an estimated ETA of approx March. We will all wait and see

Thanks again for all you replies

Howard

Howard-----


Well, if they chose to reproduce only the 7 leaf spring, I'd say they "bet on the wrong horse". As far as the "originality" market is concerned (about the only real market for original configuration springs), the sales potential for the 7 leaf spring is just about "infinitesimal" compared to the 9 leaf.

Another VERY important thing to consider: it's really not that difficult to commission the manufacture of a spring which is, with respect to CONFIGURATION, identical or near identical to an original spring. All one has to do is to have manufacturing "connections" in China and send them an original spring. They'll manufacture a "reproduction" which is, with respect to CONFIGURATION, identical or near identical. I have HUGE confidence in their ability to do so.

However, with respect to things that are beyond "skin deep", that's another matter entirely. A part can be made to APPEAR pretty much the same as another, but that does not mean that FUNCTIONALITY is the same. Things like metallurgy, heat treat, etc. might be way different.

That's the problem with a lot of reproduction parts; the similarity with the original parts is only "skin deep". For parts like, say, trim parts, "skin deep" is about all that matters. However, for mechanical parts, it's another story. For such parts, FUNCTIONALITY is more important than configuration. If one can have BOTH, that's great. However, I think that a great deal of the time, the manufacturing emphasis is on configuration and they don't always even get that exactly right.

[Joe R.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Joe,

You are absolutely 100% correct. These guys from China hound the US distributors of Corvette Parts to manufacture anything they need. Even small potatoes like myself get calls and e-mails wanting to manufacture anything from grommets to gauges. Cheap-Cheap-Cheap is all I can say.

JR

[Howard P.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Joe & Joe

I understand completely. I am also in the automotive side of the business and the Chinese ONLY know how to copy. They know nothing about metalurgy etc and we must all become much more aware of what we are buying and refuse buy any of this cheap crap that has flooded every market in North America.

I try very hard to not purchase any off shore parts though it is now extremely difficult to do so and I do worry about inferior parts that may fail and have catastrophic results. When you now see spindles, brake parts etc at such low prices you know full well where they are coming from. I personally want no part of these items and will not buy them. It's a shame that so many people and companies today only buy on price.

I think I will try to find a know original 7 leaf spring and replace the separators.

Howard

[Joe L.]

Re: F-41 Rear Spring

Joe & Joe

I understand completely. I am also in the automotive side of the business and the Chinese ONLY know how to copy. They know nothing about metalurgy etc and we must all become much more aware of what we are buying and refuse buy any of this cheap crap that has flooded every market in North America.

I try very hard to not purchase any off shore parts though it is now extremely difficult to do so and I do worry about inferior parts that may fail and have catastrophic results. When you now see spindles, brake parts etc at such low prices you know full well where they are coming from. I personally want no part of these items and will not buy them. It's a shame that so many people and companies today only buy on price.

I think I will try to find a know original 7 leaf spring and replace the separators.

Howard

Howard-----


Not all Chinese parts are bad. Some are quite good and are even used on current PRODUCTION vehicles of all the major auto manufacturers. However, these pieces are not turned out by the same companies that manufacture these "reproduction" parts; they're manufactured by "Tier 1" or "Tier 2" automotive suppliers, either US companies with Chinese manufacturing operations or major Chinese companies.

The Chinese companies that manufacture these "reproduction" parts as well as many of the "el cheapo", off-brand replacement parts are "not even in the Tier structure". They're outfits with NO engineering resources that are proficient at manufacturing "skin deep" copies. In most, BUT NOT ALL, cases, I would not touch them with a ten foot pole. For any part with structural, driveline, or safety implications, FORGET IT.