1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

[Steve M.]

I am doing a frame off on a 1969 and am working on the trailing arms and spring. On the trailing arm, is the cup that contains the cushion installed after the trailing arm is painted and is 'natural' or is it installed before the trailing arm is painted and is painted semi gloss black like the trailing arm? On lower leaf of the spring, is the cup attached after the spring is painted and is 'natural' or is it installed before the spring is painted and is painted gray along with the spring leaf? Thanks for any information. Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

I am doing a frame off on a 1969 and am working on the trailing arms and spring. On the trailing arm, is the cup that contains the cushion installed after the trailing arm is painted and is 'natural' or is it installed before the trailing arm is painted and is painted semi gloss black like the trailing arm? On lower leaf of the spring, is the cup attached after the spring is painted and is 'natural' or is it installed before the spring is painted and is painted gray along with the spring leaf? Thanks for any information. Steve

Steve------


The retainer installed on the spring bottom leaf was installed at St. Louis. It was definitely natural steel (and soon rusted).

The retainer on the trailing arm was supplied with the trailing arm assembly. My recollection is that this retainer was painted but I'm not 100% sure..

[Paul O.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Both retainer cups were installed after painting and were as Joe stated a natural steel finish.

[Steve M.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Thanks for the replies. I have 2 NOS cups that I will install after I paint both items. Will just need to make something to crimp them on each item. Thanks again, Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Thanks for the replies. I have 2 NOS cups that I will install after I paint both items. Will just need to make something to crimp them on each item. Thanks again, Steve

Steve------


The late 1967-82 retainer, GM #3910701, is still available from GM.

[Mike E.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Steve,
Gary Beaupre (28818) has slick swaging tool for installing the retainer cups and he rents it out for nominal cost. Get in contact with him if you want to install the cups and have nice swage like the OE cups did. Note my car is a 1965 so the cups are a slightly different design.





Mike

[Edward J.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Mike, I have done many set of retainers on the leaf springs and no special tools required. I just place a big deep wall socket under the new retainer and use a couple ball peen hammers. you'll just need one to be about the diameter of the retainer cup, then just peen the cup over enough and turn the ball peen over to the flat side and finish by flatting.

[Mike E.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Mike, I have done many set of retainers on the leaf springs and no special tools required. I just place a big deep wall socket under the new retainer and use a couple ball peen hammers. you'll just need one to be about the diameter of the retainer cup, then just peen the cup over enough and turn the ball peen over to the flat side and finish by flatting.

Edward,

You can do them that way for sure, in fact I did mine first that way, off the car, however the kit I ordered from LIC had the incorrect parts. They were the second design parts, I happened to post a picture in this forum and Gary noticed they were incorrect for my car so I redid them using the correct shaped cushion cup and with Gary's tool. With the tool I didn't need to remove the spring or T/A to install them.

IMO it would have been a total pain doing the T/A with a hammer upside down on the car. Steve is doing a frame off so you're right we can assume he has them off the car and can probably get by with a hammer method.

Mike

[Steve M.]

Re: 1969 Outer Rear Spring Cushion Cup Finish

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Steve