I finally got around to pulling the front springs on my stock '30 Ford coupe. I took out four springs (3,5,7,9). I put new bushings in the spring and spring perches and put it back together. The coupe looks great. Has a nice rake to it. (I have to wait for one of my kids to come by with a camera to get photos.) However, now the pad that sits under the spring pack that holds it up in the crossmember is sitting on the axle. I only had a chance to take a quick spin around a couple blocks so it's hard to tell how the ride is. The original shocks were non existent on the coupe when I got it so I put an aftermarket shock kit in it a couple months ago. I didn't put the shocks back in after I dumped the springs. I assume the spring clamp shouldn't be sitting on the axle. I thought about putting the shocks back on, but I suppose it will raise the front end up again. Any suggestions?
If the spring pack is resting on the axle you don't have a spring anymore. Do not drive the car it will probably kill you. Reverse the eyes and put a few leaves back in. If you need it lower buy a dropped axle.
When i put a reversed eye spring in the front and rear of my Model A, the front stayed stock with the reversed main leaf.. the rear i took out the top three leafs, cut them short and put them in the bottom of the pack as spacers. Perhaps keep the reversed main leaf, but put all your other leafs back in?
If your lower u-bolt mount is loose and does not have enough thread in the u-bolts you have to put some shims under your spring pack , or thread the u-bolts deeper . What motor are you running ?
Maybe I would have had better luck with a new springs rather than using the original 84-year-old springs. I imagine they have lost some of their strength over the years.
Either way, you need shocks on it, of some kind. Anyone who suggests otherwise is either ignorant of their function, or wants you dead.
I am assuming you are still using a stock axle. Model A's normally have several inches between the axle and the plate/pad the u-bolts go through to hold the spring up inside the cross member. If the u-bolt plate is now touching the axle, there is more going on than just taking out 4 spring leaves. They only add up to @ 1 1/4". The spring must be completely collapsed? for it to lay on the axle. We really do need pictures. It certainly couldn't hurt to get a new spring and Yes you need shocks. Even good model A shocks are much better than nothing, maybe adequate. Let us know how it goes. Tim
I cut up the springs that I removed and used them under the main leaf as spacers. (I know, I shouldn't have cut them up until I found out how it sat.) The aftermarket shock kit has an upper mounting plate that attaches to the frame where the original shock was located. The other end of the shock mounts on the axle. Now, with the lowered front end, the distance between the upper shock mount on the frame and the lower shock mount on the axle is considerably less than it was before. That's why I thought if I put the shocks back in, it would lift the front of the car off the axle. Of course, I suppose they would be useless as shocks, just a means of holding the frame higher than the axle. I had read numerous threads about removing springs and it sounded like a simple way to lower the front. I guess it's not that easy. By the way, I am running the original four-banger engine and mechanical brakes.
go to a trailer parts house and buy the new spring that suits yer purpose: 1 3/4 wide, hole in the middle and a second leaf, half inch shorter on each end from reversed "curl" of main,, get new 5/16" center bolt with threads almost to the top.. installed leafs as needed, then cut off center bolt below nut.. mark shocks fully extended, then mark fully compressed, try to mount close to middle of each mark.. a little later, doubt sets in,,, front spring might be 1 1/2 inch,,,,,workin' with an old mind..
When the pix show up, my money is on seeing a flat spring with eyes pinned against perches and shackles near vertical.
You're right. The main spring is pretty much flat and the shackles are nearly vertical. Time to start over.
Stock Model A springs aren't hard to find but always need a little work. I would rather use them than a new spring, had a Teflon lined new spring in my avatar and it rode worse than a rebuilt stock spring.
If you get the wanted lowering of ride height by reducing the arch or flattening the spring that makes the spring too long. Spring too long messes up the preload tension, wrong preload and everything is wrong.
Plan Ah e a d....... you could always put your cut up leaves on top of spring (between it and crossmember)instead of under
Oh man this drives me nuts!! My buddy of 45 years makes some statement like, "it will come up a bit when you put the shocks on" to which I scream "the shocks don't hold up the F'ing car!!".
Would that actually work? I guess it would lift the crossmember up but would the lower main leaf stay flat?
Sounds like the springs are shot. I just tried the same thing on mine after reading which springs to remove and the shocks were buried in the fenders and the spring was a papers thickness from the axle. So, I realized that the removal of the springs would vary dependent on how worn out your springs were compared to new. Then I tried some variations until I think I only have one or 2 springs out. Sounds like you are past replacing the springs and if you have someone re-arch the bottom spring (to reverse the eyes), maybe have some extra bend put in it so it will give more spring instead of just being a flat bar.
I think some of you guys are hittin' the juice a little hard!!( time for my afternoon BlackBerry Brandy)
What that will do is keep the spring exactly as it is in relation to the axle, and but raise the chassis. We don't have pics yet but I doubt that will solve the issue
Sorry I don't have a camera, or a phone with a camera. If I can get one of my sons to come by I can get a photo, but all it will show is a flat bottom leaf and the plate sitting on the axle.
For lack of anything better to do, I put the shocks back in. Of course now the shock tubes are holding the frame up. And, on top of that, the coupe is sitting back up close to where it was to begin with. The same height seen in my avatar. So what about a Posies reversed eye spring pack? Anyone have any luck with those? It would cost the same as a stock spring pack.
My guess would be to order a reversed eye spring, Chromed, from SoCal speed shop. When you get it take out the #2 leaf and the #4 leaf. Put good wheel bearing grease between all the leafs and reassemble. Don't use too much grease. My Roadster has this arraignment but with the # 6 leaf gone also. This is a trial and error method. If it is toooo low then add the #4 leaf back in but I'll bet you will be fine. Once you get it where you want it I'll bet you will need to modify the shock mounts. Good luck!!
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