Technical 48 Ford shackle angle and panhard

My spring on my 41 is tired and need to replace. Figuring the correct length has been a puzzle. I have a stock panhard set up and seems like if I try to make the shackles point inward \..../ the passenger side will bind in the panhard stud. Looking online at pictures I see all kinds of shackle angles for 40's Ford's. Any help would be great. A couple examples



Interesting on the crusty but original 46 it looks like it has a limiting leaf on the driver's side to keep the spring from bottoming out.

 

There's a whole lot going on with that crusty one, lengthened shackles, spring bolts mounted to angle iron and flat bar and god knows what is happening behind the spring on the passenger side. Do not use those as any sort of reference.

The later "big bushing" Fords had panhard rods to control the lateral action and sway bars to control roll. The big bushed ends just kinda floated there, not needing to be pitched inwards like earlier Fords.

 

Most of the time I like my spring shackles to run from 30 to 45 degrees when there is weight on them. A lot of the time they will be nearly straight out without the engine in place.

I would not replace the springs I would just add some arch to them. They are sagging a ton. Both ends of the car. As for the panhard bar if you make sure that the bushings are good and nothing is running at an odd angle the suspension will work when you get some weight on it and drive it. You got to be a pretty big man to duplicate the loads on the front end at speed.

 

Which car is yours and which is reference? Those close up photos are a mess. That springs way worn out. You should be able to get 45* with the proper stock length shackle- don’t have one in hand but they are longer than a pre 42’ shackle is

 

Those were just reference I pulled. Here is mine without any weight on the front. When off the jack stands the spring is horizontal and I have maybe a half inch clearance to the bump stops (using a sectioned cross member to lower the car). I was just confused because all sources seem to suggest subtracting 5 inches from your perch centers to get your spring length but this won't work for me because of the panhard mount.

 

You need to tighten the sway bar link's and the locknut on your panhard rod isn't doing anything with no threads showing.

 

Thanks, I was in the process of removing the spring so it's half taken apart. I guess I was thinking that the spring being too long was part of my problem. It probably is a bit long because my wishbones are split to make room for a th350 so the spring perches are a bit narrower than stock.

 

Has that panhard bar been cut and welded?

 

Is that the correct axle? That main spring looks way too wide. Your shackles are almost mirrored to what they should be

 

Since you sectioned the cross member maybe you should section the bump stops?

Also, that panhard rod may have been modified (could also be installed backward?) so the axle may not be located centrally.

I had a '48 Merc and those spring shackles hung nearly straight down. Ford was trying to increase ride quality and big bushings were used. The panhard and swaybar then perform the same tasks as the shackles that were pointed inward.

See here:
https://www.classicautomall.com/vehicles/1298/1948-ford-super-deluxe

 

Thanks all. Comfortable now with the shackles angled out as it seems with a panhard and sway bar the axle isnt moving. Yeah, the bump stops are going to get a haircut when I get this figured out. Panhard is getting rejiggered as it is straight across currently and interferes with the spring clamp. The joys of piecing together a front suspension with unknown year parts.

 

'41-'48 spring shackles should hang straight down with the weight on.

The overly long spring won't be able flex correctly and instead will try to bend; resulting in a bad ride.

Posies has a variety of spring shorter lengths to make up for narrowing of the spring perches due to splitting and moving the back ends wider.

If the car is lowered you have to modify the Panhard bar to fit; looks like someone already shortened it.

 

Yep, listen to Rich B. No matter what parts you have, that spring is too long. Ford designed the post-war cars to have their side-to-side motion controlled by the panhard bar. And letting the shackles hang almost straight down when all the weight was on them gave the smoothest ride.