CHEAP and Great Alternative Coil Springs '49 thru '59 Ford and Merc

Been running the 90 Ford Areostar springs on my 53 Ford 4dr for over a year and they work great!!!! Lowered the car about 2inchs and rides great.

 

I'm going to try these Aerostar Moog coils and Monroe shocks listed in the first post on my '51 Mercury while I have it apart. I'm also looking for a less expensive and great alternative for the leaf springs in the rear, which one company sells for $400. Anybody have a suggestion?

 

On Ebay I just ran across a company in MI selling new Dayton 49-51 Merc stock rear leaf springs with bushings for $225 + $50 shipping. Name on ebay is springking0001, or McVeighs' Truck Springs, Inc. Mio, Michigan 48647, Phone: 1-989-826-3682, Email: mcveighstrucksprings@yahoo.com.

Jamco sells stock height up to a 4" drop rear leafs springs for $399 + $30 shipping + $22 bushings

EDIT: See reply #188 for updated leaf spring info

 

For safety's sake, do I need a spring compressor when replacing the original front coil springs on my 1950 ford? I read the green bible which says nothing about a spring compressor, so can I assume that when I lower the lower A-arm with a jack, that the spring fully decompresses? Any significant chance of the spring jumping out under pressure?

 

nah you'll be fine... just put the car on jack stands and place the jack under it and slowly release the pressure.

 

The original springs were heated up so good in mine, that when the suspension drooped out, they just rattled around!

 

I highly recommend the aerostar coils springs...

I posted my results and a step-by-step of how to replace front/rear springs on my 1950 ford - look for my two posts on May 26th, 2011 on this thread:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6592102&posted=1#post6592102

 

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, I'm just sharing Leaf Spring info for the rear. I called a handful of spring manufacturers, most would only make stock height leaf springs. St. Louis Spring Company made a 4" drop set of Rear Leaf Springs for my '51 Mercury for a very reasonable price. Bushings not included. The best part about it is I called to order them five days ago, and they arrived today.

St. Louis Spring Company, phone: 314-533-2132
http://SaintLouisSpring.com

 

Anyone know where to find spring specs. Im trying to Raise the front of my 58 Ford custom 300 and trying to find a taller spring.

 

So I read through the thread, I have a 49 merc (4 door), completely stock. If I want to lower the car 3 inches in the front I can use the Moog PN CC850 Coils, can you tell me what shocks I need to buy? For the back I have the leafsprings, someone said use BLOCKS, what size and where do I get them? Also what shocks do I need for the back? Will I need anything else. Sorry for all the ?s but I want to make sure I do it right the 1st time.

 

So any update on how the new astro springs settled? Could you take a 3rd photo and measure it again? Thanks

George

 

Sigg,
I believe you want Gabriel 82026 or Monroe 5751 for the front. Lowering blocks for the rear are available different places, but check Speedway Motors for a 3" block. Your leaf springs should be 2 inches wide. Rear shock mounting points should be measured after you install the lowering blocks and possibly buy a shock to fit the new dimension. There's a guy on ebay in Fort Wayne who could help you. Search for 49 Mercury shocks, you'll find him.

 

Cant show ya due to no camra but my 53 customline has a 3 1/2" drop in the front with the astro springs, I am running a inline six for the motor.

 

There is a spring shop located off the corner of 55th Ave & Maryland in Phoenix by the Drive-In movie,they are an Eaton dealer they should have a catalog that shows the diameter and spring heights so you can find an interchange.

 

Just installed the aerostars a couple days ago with 4" blocks. I've been driing around without the front shocks and the front drives pretty nice so I can't wait to install the new shocks.

 

will theese fit a 50 ford shoebox?????? bob@bobs-tattoo.com

 

Yes they will, if you have a stock suspension and put in aerostar springs, all will be fine. Replace the shocks with the standard size and dont forget the top spring rubber rings.

 

thanks for the pics guys, im planning to unflip my spindles and use the aero springs on my 51 merc

 

Ive read this whole thread and this question was asked already but with no reply:

Will aerostar coils work on a 59 t-bird?

Does anybody have a catalougue to reference whether the thunderbird used different coils than other 59 fords?

 

I just did my wagon as well...



before and now after...

 

im putting a 460 into my 58 and i just got the headers from crites restoration, and in the instructions it said that i need at least 6 inches of clearance, and i need stock v8 springs.... i really wanted my car lowered, but i was hoping to find out if the aerostar springs will be good enough to work with now that i have these headers?

if not, can i just put a coil spacer in there and it'll give a little extra clearance?

 

Do the headers really hang down low or something that you need all that clearance? In my 56 the aerostar springs only lowered it 2". It has only been a couple weeks so they might settle a bit more yet.

 

i just put these on my 53 merc. with new shocks.. looks way better .and drives nicer too.......

 

so you guys who have done this swap. what about the steering arms??? stock? heated n bent? or aftermarket dropped? What did you use?

 

I did this on my '58 Ford Custom 300. Used the stock set-up and it works fine.

 

same here.. stock arm..seems fine..

 

In my 56 everything else is stock. Just changed the coils and shocks.

 

Love that 57 Ford, beautiful. I have the springs for my 59 and will hopefully get em in this spring, kind of a pun there. I want to do ball joints and a few other front end goodies at the same time. ~sololobo~

 

Just a heads up for 49-51 Mercury owners using the Aerostar coils and are considering additional drop using lowering blocks up front. My recommendation is do not use the lowering blocks with Aerostar coils. In the picture below I have a 1" lowering block installed, but the Aerostar springs are too short to seat properly when the suspension is unsprung. The springs don't stay in place. I removed the 1" lowering block and now the coil spring is snug when the suspension is unsprung.

 

Since this thread got bumped I will ask again. Does anybody know if the aerostar springs work on a 59 t-bird? or if the 59 t-bird front springs are the same as any 59 full sized ford?