Standing Firm in Detroit

One city in particular seems to have become a focal point for the current economic crisis: Detroit. As the car-production capital of the world, Detroit has suffered greatly as a result of the downturn in the economy. Not only has it continued to be the home of domestic automakers, but it, along with the surrounding areas, is also home to many performance automotive aftermarket companies.

Recently, the market research branch of SEMA had the privilege of visiting the Eaton Detroit Spring facility. You see, part of putting on the greatest automotive aftermarket show in Las Vegas every year is building relationships with member companies like Eaton Detroit Spring. Behind the show is more than just renting out the Las Vegas convention center, SEMA does it’s job all year round by working to promote the industry and its members.

Frank and Grace Eaton founded Eaton Detroit Spring in 1937 when they decided to purchase the aftermarket division of Detroit Steel Products for $11,000. Since 1939, Eaton Detroit Spring has run its operations in downtown Detroit, on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, right across the street from the old Detroit Tigers stadium. Today, the company is run by Michael Eaton, the grandson of Frank and Grace, and Kim (Eaton) Mitchell, Michael’s daughter and the great-granddaughter of Frank and Grace.

The company has claims to more than 24,000 original-equipment spring blueprints for 166,000 stock applications and is the only spring manufacturer to be licensed by both Ford Motor Co. and General Motors. Some of the equipment used to manufacturer the springs is completely original and dates back to the early days of the company. If the equipment breaks down, Eaton employees fix it, and, if the equipment needs a new part, the employees must manufacture it. In fact, one piece of equipment in particular is the last one known to exist in the world.

Even with their archives of designs and product knowledge, many people may not know that Eaton Detroit Spring can manufacture custom springs for any application: stock or custom. Abilities such as these are some of the features many SEMA members hold but others many not appreciate or be aware of.

Each spring that the company manufactures is designed to original specifications, but if customers plan to modify the vehicle to change the ride characteristicsâ€â€for an engine conversion or to meet race specificationsâ€â€the folks at Eaton Detroit Spring would know exactly what to do to make the best springs for that particular application.

Eaton Detroit Craftsman manufacture the springs on site using techniques learned from nearly seven decades of experience.

The company’s website (www.eatonsprings.com) hosts a great deal of information for customers looking to replace or upgrade springs for their vehicles. Definitions for mono-leaf and multi-leaf springs can be found, as well as instructions for correctly measuring a leaf spring.

Article republished by FordMuscle.com courtesy of SEMA.org