Posted by Alan Bowes on May 09, 1998 at 17:56:28:
In Reply to: More Bounce posted by pat on May 09, 1998 at 16:19:23:
The longevity of a re-arched spring will depend to a large degree on the original alloy, whether it was bent sharply at any point, and of course, on the spring shop and their process/quality control. While a re-arched set is seldom as good as a brand new spring pack, if it is properly done, re-arched springs should provide a number of years of daily service before they start to get noticeably tired. Naturally, it also depends on how you plan to use the vehicle. It's possible to flatten a brand new set of springs in a few months as a result of abuse, overloading, or driving on rough terrain with bad shocks.
The $300/axle price sounds kind of high to me. I suspect that you could get a good job done for somewhat less. However, it's been over ten years since I've had this done, so I'm not up on the current prices. Shop around.
Another alternative is to have a set custom manufactured. This tends to be more expensive, but it's your budget decision.
If you do add an extra leaf, I'd suggest a full-length leaf, or something close to it, to avoid creating a pair of high-stress points on the main leaf.
Alan