Hot Rods Does anyone make a decent set of parallel leafs for the 35-40 ford pickups?

I have been googling the web, called my local hot rod/street rod vendor but I have yet to find a nice setup for the 35-40 Ford rear spring setup.

I hate the looks of the Ch***is Engineering setup. It looks cheesey to me. The bracketry is ***bersome and looks like angle iron.

The TCI setup looks ok but I have never seen one installed. Anyone have any experience with them?

Who makes a nicely engineered kit for putting parallel leafs on a 35-40 Ford?

Thanks

Root

 

Root..

If you can see the ch***is engineering stuff your truck will be sitting to high..

 

I think SAC has them but thier web site blows. Just call Roy
http://www.sachotrod.com/index.htm

 

It's mainly the rear bracketry, where it meets the frame behind the rear fender. The pickups are more open than p*** cars. Also , I hate the idea on lowering blocks on a brand new setup.

The big bracket is shown here.
http://www.ch***isengineeringinc.com/page62.html

 

So build/scrounge your own brackets and have some new leaves made that are de-arched and reverse eye in the amount you want the truck lowered from stock.

Why use a kit if it isn't what you want?

 

Have you considered a transverse spring/ladder bar w/panhard? That is what I have under my '41, and it seems to do all the things I want. Ride is not exceptional, but the old girl has no problems lugging stuff around in the bed, and the handling is ok. Also, the ride height is adjustable within a pretty broad range. Just a thought in a little different direction......

 

Have you looked at Weedeater in CA? Put one of their kits under a 40 tudor, works/looks great.

 

Posies sells a universal kit http://www.posiesrodsandcustoms.com/images/pages3247.pdf

I got one setup in my '37...

 

That's what I am taking off Ben. It never rode like it should have. I'm getting cranky in my old age.

 

I just put the tranverse leaf setup in my model A and I think for this particular application the parallel will be better.


Bishop, that is a nice setup. I will call them. I don't mind paying for quality but I can't stand paying for something I don't like the looks of.

 

I have had the Ch***is Engineering rear spring kit on my 40 coupe since 1983 with 55,000 on it and never had any problem.Thats my story and i'm sticking to it. 40BCOOL

 

You might not like the looks of the C.E. kit but the stuff is solid, well-built and easy to install. If you're sitting by the road with a busted bracket on the rear-end pretty won't be so important.

 

I've used CE's rear kit in 4 coupes & sedans with no problems. put 1 in a 40 pickup and had to modified the bkts to lower the rear end

 

TCI Kits work and look good. I have used SAC, CE, TCI and Posie's and all of them do the job, but TCI looks the best if thats what you want. The TCI springs seem to provide a stiffer ride (bouncy) than I like so you may want to use Eaton springs as they do provide a better ride. They are pricey!

 

I have tried both CE and others and I prefer weedeater-just my choice--have installed in 4 40's in the last few years and they tuck up under the car and sit inside the frame rails and ride very well. Order the reversed eye rear springs and no blocks are required.

 

Go Weedetr!!!

 

here are pics---springs sit inside frame so they are lower to begin with---no blocks and car sits right--index off of factory holes. Also center wheel in wheel well which some don't. I've done 4 now with this setup.

 

Are the weedetr kits parallel (both front and rear mounts inside frame) or not quite parallel like posies kit where the springs are pinched in at the front (rear mount under frame front mount inside frame)?

 

Weedetr, gets the springs in away from the tires.....

 

Used the rear springs and hangers from an '80 Isuzu pickup under the '38 Ford pickup.

 

Update. I ended up using the front parallel leafs off of an AD truck 47-53 as suggested by a fellow hamber. Worked out beautifully.

 

How bout some pictures of your set-up Roothawg?

 

It's all in the LeGrange Produce Tribute build thread. It's on the bottom of my signature line.

 

nice job--spring setup looks great-gonna be a nice nice truck--my favorite early Ford PU body style

 

Thanks. My favorite too.

 

I'm guessing it was member MJ's40? he explained the setup in his '40 Ford truck build.

 

Yes sir, you are correct. The reason I listened to him over all the other suggestions was his mileage. He has 80k on the coupe. That says a lot to me about drivability and reliability.