how do you know if your springs are bad

i know i need new bushings but what do i do to check the metal itself (like for cracks or anything) is this much risk of them cracking its a 53 3100 and its been sitting for 30 years i know old springs are used all the time so i wouldnt think its a problem

 

Just because old springs are used all the time doesn't mean that its a smart thing to do. I took the set out of my '48 Ford, dropped them on a stone (pea gravel) driveway and several leafs on the front and rear broke like glass. They were not overly rusty or pitted either but something go to them. Needless to say I've got new springs in my car.

-Bigchief.

 

I would just go ahead and buy new ones.I mean just by eyeballing them it probably wouldn't catch any stress areas without magna fluxing em.Not worth the cost cheaper to but new ones.I did sand mine by hand at first then cleaned them up real nice with a wire wheel but that is very time consuming.So I just went ahead and bought some new painted and ready to go.

 

ok thanks

 

.... when your arse hits the road...