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Hot Rods Car lean to driver's side

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Zodiacsix, May 18, 2022.

  1. Zodiacsix
    Joined: Aug 10, 2012
    Posts: 10

    Zodiacsix
    Member
    from England

    Hello everyone, hope you guys are well.
    I am based in UK and imported a nicely done 31 model A roadster at the end of last year, bought through this great site.
    It's an Zeed and boxed A frame with reverse eye transverse springs front and rear, sorry do not know manufacturer, and a dropped front axle.
    It sits low, but looks spot on. The front is level side to side, but is around 1" lower on the driver side.
    It was very well put together and everything is spot on otherwise.
    The build is pretty much brand new with new parts fitted to the original ch***is and '40 donor parts.
    I am certainly no expert so am asking the following;
    Could it be the new rear spring is sat slightly off-centre in the frame perch, with the curve of the perch changing the angles of the axle?? The rear p***enger side wheel is also 1/2" or so further out of the fender??
    Many thanks in advance, shoot me down if this a dumb question!
     

    Attached Files:

    Ned Ludd, Packrat and Bandit Billy like this.
  2. Could be the spring. You see a lot of buggy sprung rides sitting like that. I would not worry, the wheel offset I would look into tho
     
  3. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,396

    indyjps
    Member

    Old cars get tweaked. Any way to set the frame on level surface on know height blocks and start taking measurements?
    Body shop frame table - got any friends at a body shop ?

    Figure out if the frame is tweaked, or if it's suspension / spring related, before buying parts - shipping to UK is pricey.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  4. chop&drop
    Joined: Oct 11, 2006
    Posts: 684

    chop&drop
    Member

    Your lean could be attributed to several things including something as simple as the rear spring u-bolts being tightened unequally.
     
  5. Or the original owner being fat and the car just took a "set" that way ;)
     
    Deuces, clem, BamaMav and 5 others like this.
  6. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,852

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This has absolutly nothing to do with your issue but it reminded me of a judge here in Anderson that drove a 1962 Chevy II and it had a severe lean as it drove up and down the street, I saw the car for years and then one day he stopped at the Shell service station next door and got out.

    That man must have weighed 400 lbs plus and the car sat almost level when he got out! :eek: HRP
     
  7. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 5,655

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That's my story for Rusty and I'm sticking to it. No obvious signs of a broken spring(s) but who knows what happened in a previous life. Possibly it got hit hard and that's why the bed was replaced with the Studebaker bed that's currently on it. 20220518_115426.jpg 20220518_115500.jpg
     
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  8. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 16,109

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I take offense to that. I prefer "Failed bulimic"
    Good at the binge bit, not so great when it comes to barfing
     
  9. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,467

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    ....Often referred to as the "French Fry Effect"!:eek:
     
  10. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,467

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    ...........We need more and BIGGER pictures. Looks like a cool little Roadster. IMG_1488.JPG
     
  11. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 15,357

    Budget36
    Member

    When you say “level side to side” but then say “1 inch lower on the drivers side” it confused me:)

    Are you able to measure from the ground up to the frame on both side?just to compare.
     
  12. spanners
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 2,197

    spanners
    Member

    Any lean to the driver's side would be accentuated by driving in the UK on cambered roads and driving on the left.
     
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  13. He may just tip over into the left ditch!
     
  14. 38Chevy454
    Joined: Oct 19, 2001
    Posts: 6,795

    38Chevy454
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Just put mother in law in p***enger seat and it will lesn the other way!
     
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  15. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,609

    manyolcars

    The cure may be as simple as swapping the transverse spring so the 'low' side of the spring is on the other side of the car. Are you measuring at the frame? Lots of bumpers dont sit level and make the car look like its leaning
     
  16. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Just for sh**s and giggles check your tires for same size , manufacturer , series , tire diameter and air pressure.:)
     
  17. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Spring shackle angles being the same and check your axle for straightness or damage/bent. Like I said wiggles and doesn’t cost a dime .
     
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  18. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Lastly, maybe a quick loosen/remove suspension hardware and reinstall. Eye your springs and center spring bolt that are not cracked .
     
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  19. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,467

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    "Diggin' the scene with the gangsta' lean":D........I know, I'm not helping. Check all of the obvious things that everyone has suggested. Unless the frame is truly messed up it's likely a pretty simple fix. Good luck.
     
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  20. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 6,531

    Fordors
    Member

    A8A3C197-BC16-4AAA-8D22-F8CF659843F7.jpeg

    A Riley Tourer is cool but it’s got nothing on your Model A @Zodiacsix , your roadster is great!
     
  21. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 36,033

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You can actually see that my truck leans to the drivers side in my avatar photo. I got stopped by a deputy sheriff one day and he asked why it leaned and I said "fat driver" and he wasn't appreciative of the answer even though he was standing there looking at all 275 lbs of me. I put far more miles on it alone than when anyone rode with me.

    Back to the 31 A roadster. Simple things first. Make sure that the tire pressure is the same either in all four tires or in the two front and the two rear. Tire pressure has to be equal. Then tire size side to side. Sounds crazy but check to be positive.

    Check for worn bushings or other ch***is parts or a spring that doesn't look the same on both sides ***uming that it has transverse leaves side to side.

    Then with the car on a very level floor bounce the suspension a few times to settle it out and start measuring and writing down the measurements.
    Corners of the bumper to the floor on all four corners.
    Matching spots on the fronts of the frame rails front and rear (matching side to side) .
    Between the axle and the frame on each side front and rear.

    That should give you a reasonable idea of where it is off. Then you can figure out how to correct the issue. That may be as simple as what Chop&Drop said in post 4. You may have to loosen the U bolts wiggle the car a tad and properly tighten the bolts to the proper torque going back and forth between the U bolts to tighten them evenly at small increments.
     
  22. reefer
    Joined: Oct 17, 2001
    Posts: 787

    reefer
    Member

    I had a similar thing on my 32 roadster... I unfastened the rear u bolts on the spring and pulled the car body from side to side to make sure the locating bolt head was seated correctly in the rear crossmember hole then refastened the bolts gradually and evenly until fully tight.
    This seems to have done the trick and it sits level now.
     
  23. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,696

    clem
    Member

    ^^^^^^ start with this, then maybe check the other suggestions.
    If all that fails to fix it, - put the steering wheel on the ‘correct’ side and the driver’s weight should help a little……...:)
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2022
    '28phonebooth and lothiandon1940 like this.
  24. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,467

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    .......This is key right here.
     
  25. Ned Ludd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 5,528

    Ned Ludd
    Member

    Is there any lateral locating device on either axle, other than the spring shackles? I mean a Panhard bar or such? Are the shackle angles consistent all round? What are the shackle angles?

    As I've calculated before, stock early Ford transverse-leaf suspension can articulate around 7½° in total, freely and without any spring deflection, provided the shackle angles are substantially right. If set up properly an early Ford should self-correct as regards lean when parked.

    The minute you add another lateral locating device you are imposing a second rotation regime, which may manifest as a permanent lean, unless the shackle angles are changed accordingly. What you are describing is entirely consistent with a rear Panhard bar which is half an inch too long or too short, fighting shackles at the stock angle of about 45°. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's something else entirely, though, but if that is what you do find the fix is to get the Panhard bar length right, and to set the shackles at substantially vertical.

    I'm not sure when Ford first fitted Panhard bars — "track bars" in factory parlance — but I think that it was before 1940? Can someone shed light? If there are '40 suspension bits there, that might include a Panhard bar.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2022
  26. You Brit-based petrol-heads are always trying to pervert....uh...I mean convert the CORRECT thinking world to your RIGHT thinking world! Next I suppose you'll want us to start calling them "boots" and "bonnets"!!! And don't get me started on "loo" and "fanny"!!! LOL!
     
  27. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 26,807

    Deuces

    Great! Now I'm hungry for fries.....
     
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  28. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 26,807

    Deuces

    That's a great tune....:cool:
     
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  29. twenty8
    Joined: Apr 8, 2021
    Posts: 3,713

    twenty8
    Member

    Go to slightly taller tires on the low side. You should be able to work out how much with some measuring......:rolleyes:o_O:D

    Searching for info yourself is not that hard............

    Lets talk about body lean - with transverse springs | The H.A.M.B.
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com › forum › threads › lets-...


    12 May 2017 — It appears the car will be balanced off the center of each spring and with its design want to lean/sway. For those that are running this type of set up. are ...
    got the leans - transverse springs. - The Jalopy Journal
    8 July 2008
    Hot Rods - Tranverse Springs Tech Info. | Page 2 - The Jalopy ...
    5 July 2018
    Transverse Spring Suspension Issues on 1947 Ford after ...
    10 Apr 2019
    transverse mounted rear leaf | The H.A.M.B. - The Jalopy Journal
    2 June 2008
    More results from www.jalopyjournal.com
     
  30. deucemac
    Joined: Aug 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,652

    deucemac
    Member

    This was once a normal problem with old Frods that saw constant use with only the driver. The cure is quite simple. Pull the spring (providing the spring center bolt is seated correctly in the crossmember. Take the spring pack and, strafing with the main leaf, rotate ever other spring 180° so that there is an even distribution of sagged spring leaves offset by leaves with good arch on each side. Do it front and rear and the car should sit level. If not either the spring needs to be replaced/ rearched, or something in the frame itself is bent or broken. Almost always the spring leaf reversal works. Just keep in mind that it will probably sag sometime in the future and will need to be replaced.
     
    Papas32 likes this.

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