When I took apart the front suspension on my 40 DeLuxe I noticed the stock shackles were at different angles but I attributed that to mismatched shackles and worn out spring/bushings. Yesterday we put it back together with new everything and it's still the same way. The rear shackles are fine. I can't figure out what's causing this and I don't want to put it together any more than it is until I know I won't have to take it all apart again to fix something. Any idea what's wrong? Rich
I'd try looking at with some weight on the spring first If the measurements are the same both sides - Spring eye to center to spring eye Shackle holes center to center Then it's a problem with A) the spring arch symmetry B) the U bolt tension C) needing a shim on the high side between crossmember and spring. Looking at your picture,to the left- the main leaf and second has a gap and not symmetrical to the other side. Put the stands under the axle and watch what might happen or change
It doesn't make any difference until you put the car's weight on it. What I might be concerned about though is the length of your shackles. A longer shackle will promote side sway. If you don't have a panhard bar you might have bump steer issues with your cross-steer application.
OK, I'll try it with jack stands under the axle but without the engine there's not much weight above the spring. This is how it looked before I took it apart with the old parts and engine, sheet metal, etc. on it. The spring is a new Posies and every bushing was replaced and the shackles are new from Tardel.
OBTW, I'm using the stock 40 front sway bar, it just isn't installed in the picture but I did put it on and nothing changed.
It needs weight on it, as already stated, and probably more than you will have by just resting the shell on there. You can try and see. Maybe lay some weight on the chassis if you can but it will probably take a significant amount to settle the spring in.
JMO RAK There's a lot of weight that is not on the car yet. You should install the sway bar and see what that doe's for shackle alignment. Then there is the engine, tranny fenders, hood, bumpers ,radiator etcetera that will bring that spring down a bit. probably over 1000 lbs. or more depending on what engine and tranny combo you plan to use. Are those stock shakels ?
So you've got a mix of 80 year old parts, new parts, aftermarket parts and no weight. I understand it looked like this before you took it apart. So look at what's still common to that before you took it apart. Are you sure your frame isn't tweaked over to the drivers side? How about the hangers off bones ? Again, You need weight on the spring before you can determine much. You can't call it good or bad until then Before- Did it look like it does now setting on the wheels or with the frame on stands and the axle hanging. Big difference
If your garage floor is flat and the stands are level, the camera angle almost straight on, it appears to me the right frame horn drops a slight amount. There is a dip in the rail between the firewall and the crossmember.
With or without the engine, sheetmetal, sway bar, etc, the fronts axle/spring will look that way as long as the chassis is being supported and the axle is 'dangling'. Even the sway (panhard) bar with be at angle, moving the axle sideways from it's loaded, ride height position. My suggestion, put the stands under the front axle, put some plywood or other boards on the chassis and load it with 'dummy' weight.....sand bags, concrete blocks or a heavy buddy it two, and see what happens to the shackle position then. I think you will see a change for the better. Ray
Well I measured the distance between the spring center bolt and both perch bolts and found the pass. side is 19.5" and driver side is 18.75". So the suspension is off center to the pass. side, could a bent frame cause that? I suspected that too at first. The pass. side rear had a slight tweak on the corner, but I didn't think that would translate to something up front unless it's really subtle. The wife says go buy a new frame but I have a lot of work in this one already and don't want to walk away from it unless there's no other choice.
With the jackstands under the frame like you have it, I could probably pull the axle/wishbone over to the side a couple inches just with my bare hands. Put the spindles and wheels on the thing, get it off the jackstands, and jump up and down on the frame. Quit worrying.
It appears to be off due to the angle of the shackles. Put a bar in the dr side shackle and tweak the spring to the pass side--see where it goes. Bet you can move it back and forth from side to side easily. Without weight the shackles can't find their center. Put stands under axle as mentioned above-not just hanging as Hnstray suggested. I would reconsider those long shackles as well.
I moved the jack stands and took another picture with the sway bar installed. It does look a little better (wishful thinking?) even w/o any extra weight on it. The center to perch bolt measurements didn't change tho. Maybe I'll load it up a little and see if things improve.....I hope
Stick a bar in the dr shackle now and tweak it over and see where it goes--are the shackles in a bind at all?? Jump up and down on the crossmember. Looking at the top picture the spring support portion of the wishbones don't look the same-may be the picture but dr side looks higher and a different curve forward of the perch pin--may only be the picture.
You can see the perch bolts are off, Stevie wonder can see that. The one side is hanging lower too. in order for one side to go lower it needs to change the angles of the links or shackles.
I suspect my photography is what made it look like the wishbone might be off so I went back and carefully leveled both the frame and then the axle at the spindles and then measured from the upper spring bushings to the (level) floor and they're both the same. So that's not it. I'm gonna get a buddy over here and measure the frame diagonally like Texas Webb recommended and if that's OK then I'll press on and hope the weight of everything that goes on that front end will correct the problem. Thanks for the comments so far, they have been a big help. Rich
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