Technical 1950 Ford F1 rear leaf springs

Good morning,

I am taking apart my 1950 Ford F1 to paint and am using this time to replace a few parts.

I am wanting to replace my leaf springs as they are pretty tired. My great uncle built the truck for my grandpa about 20-25 years ago and said when he built it he took a couple leafs out of the springs and mounted them ontop of the axle to lower it. He suggested taking them to a local shop to be rebuilt to insure I get the correct ones that fit the truck as he couldn’t remember if he installed mounts in stock location. Has anyone had any luck having leafs rebuilt? Anyone know anywhere in Houston?

My other thought is just buying new ones. When I measure eye to eye on my current ones they are 45 inches (installed on truck). When I looked through old forums people mention Posies Super slide springs. I see they have an eye to eye of 43 1/2, would that work as mine are probably similar length but stretched out from age and weight? Also they come with a 3 inch drop, would that be too much given it’s already dropped from ontop of axle?

Thank you

 

I think you mean he mounted them under the rear to lower it?

 

looks to me like the spring mounts have been raised higher on the frame by drilling out the rivets & bolting the lower holes in the old upper mount frame holes then putting square tubing on top of the frame. I did something similar then used posies springs I bought from Butches rod shop. my old spring had a few broken leaves.I have drove the truck quite a bit over the last 25 years and am still happy

 

@Budget36 correcr, sorry yeah I had it backwards

@tim troutman since you pointed it out, I can see now that the mounts have been raised like you said. Good to know on poises springs. Did you use stock high ones or ones with a drop built into them? Debating if I go with stock or 3 inch drop springs since it’s already dropped about 6 inches from moving the axle

 

I used the drop springs it may not drop your tuck at all the old springs have probably sagged some and with a couple leaves out new drop springs may raise it up

 

I’ve a set of rear 48 F1 springs, been off the truck for years. I’ll hunt them down this weekend, give you an idea of a measurement.
Truck seemed to sit fine, if my memory is correct

 

This.

Years ago my friend Johnny replaced the (tired/weak/sagging) front parallel leaves on his 56 F-100 with new reversed eye springs. Raised the truck almost 2 inches.

 

in the past, I've removed those orig. F-1 rear springs and replaced em with leafs from a 70's-80's Chevy or Ford shortbox,...these bolt to the frame siderails like the originals and you can then mount the rearend on top of the springs and use lowering blocks to get the desired drop.

 

My 48 had about 12 leafs in rear springs I removed about 5 of them and drove it 150K miles , carried wood lands and engines not one issue