32 ford frame rear spring question

this is a pic of the socal speed shop rear end set up on a 32 frame.


so my question is: can you use a 40 ford rear spring or any other ford rear spring just by changing where the rear spring hangars mount? socal wants like $250 for their spring. i am not knocking socal speed shop because i buy from them all the time. i just want to save a little money. thanks
brady

 

With weld on hanger brakets like those you could adjust for any width within reason of the outer tubes of the axle housing being used.

 

thanks, what spring should i use for a 32 ford 5 window coupe?

 

If I'm not mistaken, SoCal's rear spring is a reproduction '40 rear spring.

 

It's a posies spring # AJ40NH
same one I use on the dble Z A frames.
The spacing on the axle is 44"
Not really as copy of a 40.

 

When using the longer 48 inch 40 style spring you want to watch your back spacing on the wheels so they don't get into the spring hangers. (This depends on the width of the rear) In our shop we make a 44 inch main leaf and a buy a Posie spring pack for a total of 9 leaves. The 44 inch spring will clear most backspacings without any problem. Also most of our 32-34 rears are 56 inchs overall width.

 

i am using a early ford bronco 9 inch rear end. so i can not use a 40 ford spring because it is too wide? correct?

 

Here's a pic of my 31 on 32 rails roadsters rear spring.

Note that it's mounted to a straight piece of rectangular tubing.
And SoCal's is mounted to a straight piece of round tubing.

I'm fairly sure it doesn't work correctly in a stock rear crossmember.




The spring shown has a SoCal main leaf - I understand they don't sell the main leaf by itself anymore.

The leafs are 40 Ford rear spring with the 2nd leaf removed - too long - and the two shortest ones missing.

One or both of the short ones may get re-installed depending on how the car rides and handles as well as how high it sits after some miles are on it.

Right now there's a 1" aluminum spacer plate between spring and frame, but it will probably get pulled later after the rear fender/tire clearance bit gets figured out.
After driving for that one as well.

The spring hangers are SoCal and spaced 44".
Note that a 44" mounting just clears the frame.

You could save a few bucks by getting a 40 Ford spring pack - or other years that are similar - and having a local spring shop make you a spring.

And maybe some time spent in a junkyard with a tape measure would find one that works.

The 31's rear axle is 56" wide outer drum to outer drum.

Rear wheels are 6" x 15" with 3" backspace.
Tires are P235/75R-15, 6" tread width, 28" tall.

Rear mag wheels that are 10" x 15" with 2 7/8" backspace and 285/70R-15 tires that are 30" tall with 8" tread width also fit this car.

 

A Bronco 9" is 58" from wheel to wheel. You should be fine with a '40 spring. Like krylon and C9 said 56" is ideal but the Bronco will work. You probably won't want to run 8 1/2" wheels though.

 

So-Cals springs are made by Eaton in Detroit. When I got the spring with the So-Cal rear assy. it still had the Eaton sticker on it. Cross referencing the number it was for a '40 Ford application. Eaton will make you a spring to your specs and if you have a reference (ie '40 Ford) you can tell them you want it lower by so much or stock. The price is lower than So-Cal also. I'm told that Eaton also makes a lot of Posie's springs.

Frank

 

Not True

 

The 40 front springs work fine and are narrower so more clearance to the backing plates. They give an excellent ride.

 

hey andy,
are you saying to use a 40 front spring for the rear end? thanks

 

I have the Eaton/SoCal spring on my roadster. At the time, I had a 40 rear spring in the shop and planned to use it with a SoCal main leaf. When I went to order they told me they had discontinued the main leaf because most old 40 spring packs are used up and customers were getting inconsistent results. So I went ahead and bought the Eaton spring from them. It was less than $200 as I recall. I'm pretty impressed with the Posies "Super Slider" springs and if I was starting again from scratch that is what I would use.

 

I have a 9" bronco and a 40 Ford rear mono spring under my 32 pickup,,,the spring is close but with F-100 rims I don't have a problem.HRP

 

Hotrodprimer - nice looking chassis.
What rear cross member did you use?
Has just the right amount of drop for what I am planning.

Piper106

 

Piper,,,it's the original crossmember that good ol' Henry installed in 1932. HRP