Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

You will know them by the way they hold their tools. 08:00: I arrive at Canada Spring. I have made my mind up and the Miss Lil' Bitchi is getting a fortified rear suspension. I carry a lot of weight all the time and the current leaf springs are sixteen years old. No sooner than I arrive that I am backing my baby into the garage and out comes this big pneumatic jack. Garyo told me that this is the place to go.... I bit my lip and smile. Up she goes and out come the tools. Zip, zip, zip ~ the rear wheels are off. I stood outside for a moment and looked at her, bravely keeping her composure... Okay ~ too much drama. Gerry was very informative, explaining everything to me as he and his assistant, Joe, were dissembling the rear suspension ~ here the anti-sway bar is detached. Everything was systematically executed. Parts grouped in appropriate places.
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In order to take the leaf springs out (to modify them), there are these two steel straps, or braces that need to be detached by heating them up and bending them. And yes I was looking at how close one of them was to one of the fuel tanks. It's amazing how much you can see when the leaf springs are out of the way. Joe bores the appropriate holes in the new leaf. Gerry takes the leaf and shapes it to the correct arc that matches the other leaves ~ by eye. They are then assembled into the bundle that makes the rear suspension. The new leaf spring is then inserted to it's mounting position. And putting it back together requires heating and bending the steel straps. It really was remarkable watching a man with the years of experience that he has (like most in the shop) manipulating these pieces of steel into a working spring system.

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On go the wheels and down she comes off the jack. The Miss Lil' Bitchi's aft end is now sitting one inch higher than when she came in and is better supporting the weight that I typically have in my wagon. It was now just gone 10:00hrs and it had cost me $544.92, which is money well spent. These guys are amazing, they really know their work. I didn't expect that big of a difference in the performance of my wagon but as I carried on driving around with the rest of my day I was floored at how smooth the ride had become. I was driving a lot in the outside lane, over the rougher part of the road with all the uneven manhole covers, potholes, collapsing tarmac and she just glided over it all. For the paved road I keep my forward shocks set stiff (7) and my aft shocks relatively soft (4) and with the short wheel base what it is, it was still a big difference in how she handled in the corners, &c., an' more cowbell, baby! I am really impressed.... two thumbs up.

Falco.

hi falco
did you replace worn springs, just add a leaf, or what?

They do a great job. I sent two guys with Jeeps there last year.

Nice narration.

I had springs made from them for my Suzuki before. They are cheaper and just as good as the National Springs (from the States).

jfarsang wrote:They do a great job. I sent two guys with Jeeps there last year.

Nice narration.

sasquatch-hunter wrote:I had springs made from them for my Suzuki before. They are cheaper and just as good as the National Springs (from the States).

Thanks, Jesse, Seb ~ I was also impressed with the machines they have in the shop. One of them dates back to the late thirties. It was great hearing about their interests, too, Great people to do business with.

Falco

Hey Falco,

I know they call them mud guard but still, I'm truely disapointed to see yours so muddy, that's just not you!

David

Great post Falco - Love the torch shot

Falco, Nice post, thanks for the shots and the information. And further more to all of the people on this website that take the time to take pictures and post them for the rest of us.

I have been wondering about replacing the rear shocks or leafs and have heard mixed reviews now. My boss is a bit of a motor head and seriously recommended against doing the leafs for the reason that it would ride like a dump truck.

The other option which I have be considering more and more is just doing the rear shocks with KYB's. The reason for doing this upgrade for me would be taking a van of people down to Mexico. But I would also like to do something for me about the spongyness of the ride.

So my question is it looks like you've already done your rear shocks and now the leafs and you say it rides smooth and not too stiff pick-up like?

nice post falco, im gonna go there after i lift the front do the same and get them to put my shackles on.
have a good thanksgiving i got the outlaws coming so cant make it to the meet.