R 73 454

Last summer I just about got to my driveway when....BAM!!!! The right spring bolt broke. First, the spring end slammed into the pavement bending it rearward, at the same time the right rear of car dropped. Now I'm glad the trailing arm bumper was in place! It got torn up, but kept tire from probably tearing up the fender! I have a dirt/gravel driveway that I plowed a nice furrow in trying to limp home, but that's another story. My moral is check those bolts!!! I think mine did have an ever so slight nick in it, I figured with such a large diameter bolt that it was O.K. I got very lucky, if this had happened on the interstate.... I purchased the GM bolts, and didn't complain about the price! :auto:


[Modified by R 73 454, 4:16 AM 4/17/2004]

FeedVaal

I have never heard of that happening before. Nevertheless, I upgraded to a 5/8 bolt when I swapped springs due more to their more common availability than concern over the increased spring rate. This is a wakeup call for anyone modifying their rear. Thanks.
:cheers:

Steve Grodin

I had one of the grade 8 spring bolts that VB sells break while going 65mph on the highway. The left side of the car dropped down. I thought I had a flat. Pulled over to the side of the road and called for a flat tow home. The bolts had been installed for about 10 years. I replaced both sides and cushions. Really didn't do any damage to the fiberglass spring.


[Modified by Steve Grodin, 8:40 PM 4/16/2004]

w1ctc

I had the same thing happen some years ago. There was a large bang, some really scary noises and a shower of sparks and parts trailing behind. Had to flat bead it home. If I had a floor jack and a new bolt I could have fixed it
in 10 miniutes. I now carry a spare.
Bob

GTR1999

That sucks, I noticed a couple of wear points in the original bolts when I replaced the spring on my 75 last year. I had to use new bolts anyway because of the new spring. It's not settling to hear the grade8's that VB&P sells broke though.
Gary

turtlevette

my driver's side broke a few months ago. Just sounded like a pop. I just kept driving until i got home and found out the spring bolt broke.

My rear was set lower than stock and i have a very stiff spring so i could barely tell anything was wrong.

Go to a 5/8 bolt when you replace them. Much stronger.

mandm1200

Anyone know of a good source to buy bolts other than the corvette specialty stores like Ecklers and such. They all seem to want $19 plus shipping. I saw one place on the web and they wanted about $56 for a box of 50. Now if I could only find 24 others out there who needed bolts I would be in good shape. I tried to find a pair from the local hardware store but their catalogs do not list anything over 5". I would like to get the 9" or 10" length.

TIA
Mike

CrossedFlags77

Wow you guys got out lucky. My spring bolt snapped resulting in my rear end cover to break, a halfshaft to break, a u joint to break, and the differential yolk to break. All happened on the passenger side. I also had to replace the leaf spring because the leafs all shifted apart. Luckily I was only going about 10 mph or it could have been alot worse. :blueangel:

ettev

I was prbably around 6 or 7, and riding home from a local amusement park in the back of my dads '63 split. Went over an open grate metal bridge and just as we got over it and hit the transition to blacktop it sounded like a bomb went off under me! The old man hauled it down pretty quickly! Drivers side leaf spring broke. Spring didn't bend or hurt the rear casing luckily. Man, that was 34 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday!


[Modified by ettev, 6:50 AM 4/18/2004]

norvalwilhelm

One of mine broke while doing 50. The trailing arm dropped onto the rubber bumper and I just pulled over. The spring did not touch the pavement. I hitched home while my wife stayed with the car. I have replacement bolts and cushions in stock so I just took a jack for the spring, a new bolt and cushions and fixed the problem on the side of the road. Didn't take long.

Griff2002

Happened to me 23 years ago in my '68. Luckily I was going slow turning a corner from a stop sign. It was still scary though.

enforcer

I was getting on am on ramp when all 4 of the center bolts on my spring broke. spring dropped and it scared me to death, did not damage anything though. Hardest part about fixing it was getting the broken bolts out.

flynhi

Check your yellow pages for bolt/screw/fastener shop that specializes in these items. If they don't have them in stock, they can order and have them in a few days. You can probably find them on the web with a little googling.

w1ctc

Seems this has happened quit often to people on the forum and probably
to thousands that are not. I think I will figure out a safty cable to keep the
spring up in case of bolt failure. Anybody seen it done?
Bob

Frankenvette

My to do list includes installing the new 7 leaf steel spring sitting in my garage. I plan on installing new bolts. If I go to 5/8, will I have to modify the poly bushings I plan to use?

Steve Grodin

Yes.

78 Vette

Wow I never thought that 5/8 bolt would break that's pretty scary when you think about it. :shocked:

red79c3

I hope that it never happens to me. I just had the rear end replaced about 2 years ago.....

R 73 454

I was reading these replies, and it was interesting how some springs didn't get damaged, yet the one guy had a broken cover, wow! That was my first thought when I peered underneath, the rear end cover , yes it was intact. I could see how the ears could get ripped right off if spring got dragged too far. I saved what was left of the original bolt. It was the OEM bolt, but the scary thing was the cross section of broken bolt was only about 50% of the diameter, almost like it was defective from the start. As mentioned above, it had a slight nick (probably from overdue cushion replacement, then spring rubbed on bolt?) but holy smokes. I 've just never seen this listed in any of those "Corvette inspection" articles in various magazines. As another forum member noted, if it happens to you, you won't soon forget it. :shocked: