Due to a leak in my front brake line, my plans to swap a solid axle have been accelerated and now I am in need of springs. I'd like to know what you guys used. My car is a 63 Comet which is the same as a Falcon, so any help from the straight axled Falcon guys is MUCH appreciated. I want to retain as much driveability as possible, so I expect to have to have the springs tweaked for height and/or change the number of leaves, but I'm looking for something common that wouldn't be terribly expensive. I need 2.25" wide and the car weighs about 2500lbs, any ideas? I tried jeeps, they have 2.5" wide springs. I don't really want to try to have custom packs made, but I will if it comes to that. Thanks for any help.
Speedway are cheap, and the proper length for the falcon. I looked at many other options and they were all either way to long, or much more expensive. Plus the speedway pieces are new! I love the great old parts, but suspension parts wear out and new is good when saftey is an issue. My Falcon is a 64, but the front rails are the same.
Ah, I totally forgot about Speedway. Econoline springs are 42" long and they would be perfect since I'm using an Econo axle, but the extreme length just adds uneeded weight. Jeep CJ springs are also the same length and from what I've found about the same width, they just tend to have more arch.
I used the Speedway springs on my '60 Falcon. Perfect length, should work fine for your Comet too. However, I think you'll find the Econoline axle will be too wide. I have one thats 48" (kingpin to kingpin,) and it fits great. I think the Econoline is 53". Bernie Scheuerman
Tingler did a substantial amount of tech on this subject when he was installing the axle under his Fairlane. Check the tech archives.
. Jeep CJ springs are also the same length and from what I've found about the same width, they just tend to have more arch.[/quote] I looked at the CJ springs, but they are waaaay too stiff. I think they are too wide for the econoline as well.
Speedway springs are 1.75" wide, I need 2.25 but at least 2". I figured the Jeep springs would be too stiff, I planned to take leaves out. I already narrowed my Econo axle 7", in order to place the springs directly under the frame. I've got the March 05 Hot Rod and the new Hot Rod Deluxe articles memorized haha. I'll check Tech for Tingler's posts. That car is bad*** and I think it would only help me to be using it for inspiration.
I used a late 30's Plymouth wavey Tube axle on ours (SCROUNGERS C.C. Kentucky) was the perfect width and the springs worked out great, we will see how much drop it gets once the 460 gets wedged in there(I'm predicting a bunch)... So yhea we will be putting in new springs as well,
lrs30, that is a *****in car. Hope you swap in some 'gl*** fenders/doors/lids and make it even cooler. Don't know about a 460, but they do make crazy power really easy, so I guess that makes it ok. You might not need to get new springs, just have a leaf or two added and re-arch the pack. I called around town and got a pair custom made for 175 bucks. The guy that made mine said he could tweak the pack infinately for height and rate.
I used a MAS kit on my Falcon with 49 Chevy spindals and brakes.The kit came with the springs that are 27 inch long (with 4 leafs) if i remember right and they fit perfect in the dog leg on the factory stub .Mine is a straight tube axle that is 48 inches wide.I guess it drives good since i drove it home from work yesterday in 9 inches of snow( i never got out of first gear though) .I past many new cars that were in the ditch ...
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