i am putting a T spring in the rear of my Model A to get it to sit just so, and i wonder if anyone has done this and can answer my questions on how to take up the extra space. the T spring is not as wide as the stock A spring which leaves room fore and aft inside the crossmember. Has anyone done this? how'd you get it done? i tried a search, but it doesn't like one letter searches, like Model T. so let me know what you have come up with. thanks.
How much space? (couldn't be that much?) The front crossmember in my old roadster was built from square tube and had probably 3/16" of space between it and the spring on each side. It was located by the center bolt and held in place with the u-bolts. No problems. You might be overthinking this?
the center bolt should hold it where it needs to be....putting nubs on the U-bolt plates would help also down there people bolt springs right onto flat plates for perches with no problems good luck Zach
The A spring is 2.25" wide and the T spring is 2" wide. I would buy a bolt to go through the spring, make sure you get the webbing between the spring and crossmember (metal to metal surface is never good) and make sure the mounting brackets pull the spring snug against the crossmember. If you are really worried about the spacing, take some 1/16" metal/rubber and put it on either side of the spring before you clamp it to the crossmember.
I used an A spring with a T curve. If you really have to use the T spring try industrial belting for a shim.
Pasadenahotrod posted a guy that makes a copy of the 1928 Model a roasdster spring..its shaped like the t spring....I think its a company named " A Springs" I'm thinking of getting one
I used a Model T spring on my '28 Roadster P/U. I just centered it in the hole and tightened it down tight. To lower it more I heated the ends up and curled them in about 1 1/2 inches then cooled the ends in oil to re-temper the metal. I now wish I had the ends reversed because I want it lower and need more space between the end of the spring and the backing plates. So if you just curl the ends up more I would go 2 inches.
KEVIN, the T spring is 2" wide, and the inside of the crossmember is spaced for a 2 1/4 spring. that would leave 1/8" front and back if centered by the center bolt. maybe i am over thinking it...
ratty, the T spring with reversed eyes, like i have, should lower it from stock by about 2 1/2 inches. i also had my stock A frame stepped, a la the Bishop/Tardel book. this should lower the back end about 5 inches from stock. that's pretty much exactly what i am going for.
I've been dealing with over the past couple of weeks. While a 't' spring will fit in a 'a' crossmember with a little "play" due to it's width, the problem I had was with the spring clamps and the high arch of the spring. The arch and angle don't allow u-bolt and the clamp to come together. The clamp has a 'pad' on it that doesn't seem to allow the nuts to thread up on the u-bolts when using a 't' spring in a model 'a' rear crossmember. You could lose a couple of leafs or c-clamp the spring into the crossmember but it doesn't seem right to me. That said, there isn't anything that can't be modified. -stick And now for the shameless plug I have a 't' spring with reversed eyes if you need it. Clamp w/pad 'A' spring on top. Modified 't' spring in center With less leafs, reversed eyes. Stock 't' spring at bottom with full pack.
There are two different height 'A' spring clamps. A tall one for 7/8 leaf springs and a short one for the thicker 10/12 leaf springs. Maybe thats your problem?
BUMP- i have a T spring with reversed eyes too. i know that the Rolling Bones guys use spacers at the bottom of the spring to tighten the u-bolts, fwiw.
When you bolt the stock clamps up to a stock "A" crossmember are they supposed to hit the spring first and then "compress" the spring some till they tighten against the bottom of the crossmember. Or n other words if you remove some leaves or have the wrong thickness clamps how do you know how much of a spacer to put back in to take up the slack?
Yeah. I don't understand the problem you are having with the spacers. Are you saying that the nut on the bottom of the clamp won't turn because there is a ridge there making it not work? Or are you saying that the T spring contour is not the same as the A crosmember? As far as there being space there, your rear wishbones are going to keep the rear end from wobbling to the front and back, and the clamps will hold the spring in tight.
Ahha! Different sized clamps. That's probably the answer/problem. I ended up using a stock 'a' spring, it got me exactly where I wanted the frame to sit. Thanks for info fellas. -stick P.s. does anyone know the best way to get the stock bushing out of the spring eye? Press, grind, or BFH!
I bought the bushing driver kit from Harbor Freight. If it's really stuck, I've also used a chisel and rolled over the edges, and then used a punch and driven it out. I've also used a small hack saw with the blade through the bushing and saw for a while.
so...does a stock "T" spring on an "A" lower it. and if it is all about reversing the eyes and taking out leaves why use a "T" spring?
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