Featured Projects Lowering a front axle

How bad of an idea is it to move the spring to the top of the mount with a block?

I realize the weight of the car would be hanging by the bolts, but how bad is that on a t-bucket?

 

“If” that were the only option. I’d reconfigure the spring mount so the spring is still on the underside.

 

De arch the spring. Search on the HAMB how to flatten the spring by pressing or hammer it. That will lengthen the spring and let it sit lower in the shackles. You're going to run out of travel on the shocks. I doubt they make shorter ones so you will have to make new mounts.

 

What ever you decide to do, I would suggest longer bolts with Ny-Loc's or bolts with cotter pin's to mount your spring.

 

I'd just drop the axle.

 

X2 on a drop axle

Flattening out the spring/spring change could help the shackle angle though

 

why not just raise the mount a couple inches?

 

I'm leery of that style front suspension, the name scares me, sucide front suspension.

If you are going to use that set up make sure you use grade 8 bolts. HRP

 

How much lower do you want to go?

 

I built my T Roadster with the spring on top of the perch. Worked just fine. Grade 8 bolts for sure with nylock nuts.

I did it to achieve what I thought was a cleaner look than a big tall perch to get the frame height to match my vision for the car.

Lynn

 

I'd start with taking about half the arch out of the spring. Then if it still isn't low enough have the axle dropped or buy a dropped axle.

Another thing would be get rid of those truck tires on the front and get some proper lower profile and narrower T bucket front tires.

 

Got pics...???

 

Yea, I will have to raise the shock mounts no matter what I do.

I didn’t do it that way, but I completely agree with you.

I actually have a Model A drop axle put up, but it’s only about a 2” drop.

 

I have considered that.

About 4” if I can.

That’s exactly what I was hoping for, real world experience. I would love to see pics also.

 

I got you. These wheels are actually 14’s and they’re are actually fairly short in real life. I’m looking at putting some 15x4’s on the front and I’m afraid it it’s actually going to raise the front in more, unless I use some 125 or 135 tires with them.

 

Built in 1950 spring on top of perch.

 

Moving the spring on top of the mount with a spacer will make for a big change in caster which may need further mods to correct. Looks like the tie rod would be too high also.

Dropped axle is the way to go; but a "normal" Model A drop axle is usually about 3" to 3-1/2" over stock. Maybe look for a different axle if the one you have is only dropped 2".

I'd ditch that spring (which looks kinda on the short side anyway, probably made for an aftermarket axle with narrowed perch centers) and get a Posies 1001L spring which has a 4-1/2" arch and is made for stock width perch centers.

May end up with a little caster change; but likely will be OK.

Spindles don't show in you picture; but usually have to bend the arms to clear the drop in the axle and get the tie rod down.

Should easy get the inches down you want.

 

Sorry, but no. I sold the car and don't have any photos. FWIW.... It looked about the same as Royalshifter's photo above, but minus the chrome plating.

Lynn

 

That’s 2 more
That and a reworked spring will get it down

 

Sorry if I put the thought in your head.
Great pictures, but I can't quite see exactly how far is the distance between the tie rod and the frame.
As mentioned you can heat and bend the steering arms so this is lower, but you need to be aware that at full compression you do not want the tie rod jammed against things.

@RICH B mentions the spring being short.
@Mr48chev and @redo32 mention dearching the spring.
This is due to the angle of the shackles being 'flatter' than the suggested 45 degree angle at rest. Also this will flatten out the spring, lowering the front like you asked.

I will also mention that if you are going in there, you might want to add some strength to that spring mount if you aren't changing it. It looks like it's only welded to the top of the square.
Most front cross members for these are round and have more than a single plane shear. The square ones usually have 2 sides welded. This link shows both round and square.
https://eztbucket.com/shop/ols/categories/front-suspension
I mention this now so if you ponder your choices and end up having to do some frame work anyway, it might change those choices.

 

Here is a comparison of what I would call a "normal" drop to a stock Model A axle.

 

Just to be clear, if the spring is moved above the perch, the perch could possibly smack the axle, but the tie rod shouldn’t hit anything. It could technically just be moved to the front anyways.

I was told my drop axle is a Anson. It’s stamped AA, but it doesn’t look like it’s a deep drop to me.

I also don’t see how the castor could change if it just moving up vertically at the same angle.

 

Because the pivot point of the wishbone (split or not) is not being risen. Not doing so will cause bones to angle upward at the front. This increases caster. But we’re not talking about a significant number in this case.

 

Ok, I can visualize that now, thank you.

 

Haven't done the math; but I wonder about that; if you add an extra cap (maybe about 3/16") above the ball on an unsplit wishbone like we have done in the past and it adds a little over a degree of caster; wouldn't, in this case, moving the spring above the mount with added spacer probably at least 2" total make more than just a few degrees of caster change?

 

I've always thought the suicide front was the tie rod in front of the axel??? learned something new ..

 

and as far a the perch top or bottm of the mount is the same... look at how many cars have the rear on top and below the axel

 

That’s the only thing I’ve ever thought it was, but I would believe HRP more than most.

 

I did say “significant” as in, relatively large in amount.