Hot Rods Model A rear spring help..

Rear spring set up on my 29 sedan. Has 5 heavy duty ply, Eye on bottom, and a 40" eye to eye measurement. Very, Very stiff. Really no spring movement at all.

 

looks like a front spring? No hump in the middle....

 

You can try removing the shocks, go for a short ride. If the ride is ok then the shocks are too stiff. I guess there could be some binding too.

 

Looks like a 40 front spring put in the rear. I've got the same in the back of my Roadster and it rides pretty good Perhaps it is your shocks being too stiff

 

I had the shocks off and still no spring movement. Can stand on rear bumper and won't budge !!

 

Spring looks to have the poly liner stuff between the leaves, right? Have you had the spring completely off to check the axle will move freely?
Lots of pics of everything should help speed up the whodunit process!

Chris

 

Was the spring assembled when it was painted?

 

Yes as far as I know.

 

Could you show the entire spring? How many leaves?

 

Total of 5 leaves.

 

Try removing the outer spring clips and see if it loosens it up.

 

Not an expert but that looks awfully wide for an A spring. Sectional width.

 

Too much paint is like glue, but I don't think that it would stick the leaves together with the poly slider material in between the springs.

 

Just need to come up with something to make it ride better. Very solid as it is !!

 

I see that too.
@hd1084 , what is the spring out of ???

 

I have no idea. Was in the car when I bought it.

 

Ok. Can you post up the width and thickness of the leaves.

 

The idea of removing the furthest out spring clips seems like a good idea but for shits and grind I’d be curious to see if the paint is holding the leafs together.

my very scientific method would put it as high as your floor jack will let it go. And then crack the valve and drop it.

should be obvious if it moves or not and in theory should bust the paint free.

i could see the furthest clips holding the spring from sliding if they were too tight, so I guess after drop 1 pull them and drop it again and see what happens?

 

I'd remove the black painted wrap clips, and leave the chrome ones. I think those black ones are clamping the leaves all together and not letting them slide easily, which is what is required for a spring to sproing.

 

The shackles look too short as in the eye of the spring binding on the axle eyelet. Are they binding?

 

Good point. The beefy spring material plus the spring not having reversed eyes does make clearance appear to be suspect. As does the shackle looking kinda short, but that might just be a camera thing?

Chris

 

There is clearance at the shackle as you can see in photo.
Spring plys are 2 1/4" wide and 1/4" Thick.

 

Pull the spring and shocks and verify that the suspension can move through its range of motion and isn't a cause of the binding. Ensure that the driveshaft isn't bottoming out before the suspension does.

Then, check the shocks.

Next, disassemble the spring and bust out your 4-inch grinder and chamfer the bottom edges of every leaf. Those squared off edges tend to dig into the leaf underneath and I bet that's what the issue is. Then paint the leaves (leafs?) seperately. Starting with the main spring, grease the bottom of each consecutive leaf and stack them up with the liners in between. When it's said and done, you should be able to compress the spring on the ground with it upright by putting some pressure on the center with the spring eyes on the ground. While you're at it, I would rebush the shackles as well and use the recommended lube for whatever material you choose. Retain the spring clamps as they keep things lined up.

Install the spring and see if that helps. Install the shocks last.

 

I agree with PotvinV8. I would also replace the shackles with some that had zerc fittings.

 

Looking at your last photo is that orange a gouge in the spring? Pretty common but it would stop that spring from moving?

still leaning g towards spring clamps binding

 

I removed the outer chrome clamps and made absolutely no difference..

 

Now try removing the painted ones.

 

Man that’s frustrating. Zero Movement at all?

 

Yes, will not budge !!

 

Man that’s bizarre. Shackles spacing and angle looks fine. You can’t find a gouge or part touching each other. Shocks off doesn’t change it.

i mean they only move an inch or maybe two when driving them hard but it should move when you jump up and down on it lol.

only thing left is the painted clamps