My 54 Ford has a Granada rearend installed. The springs are slightly wider than the stock location. So the previous owner set it up like this. 1. The rear is to high 2. The springs and shackles can be seen from side view. 3. It does not look like a good setup I need to rework this setup. Any help or ideas?
That looks horrible and very unsafe,you need to cut the spring pad off the axle and relocate it to line up like it should. HRP
Holy crap that looks dangerous! The spring should be hanging between the mount and the frame, not below like that, and I can't believe anyone made that shackle and drove the car. Your options are to make (or have someone competent make) a mount on the side of your frame for a straight shackle that also raises the rear of the spring a couple inches OR to move the rear spring pads in a bit on each side of your axle to allow the springs to fall in line with their original orientation. Then you could just use stock replacement shackles. I would go for the second option - it's just a matter of pulling out the rear end, cutting those mounts loose, moving them in maybe a half inch on each side, and re-welding them to the axle. You need to pull your shackles anyway so you're halfway there to removing the rear axle.
WOW! Go out and buy some new spring perches ($12.99) at your local hot rod shop. Mount them on your rear end so they locate the leafs where they are in line with the spring hangers on the frame, get some replacement shackles and re-install but this time the shackle we be located on the topside of the rear hanger, and then throw those homemade shackles in the scrap bin! That alone should lower your ride 3-4".
I realize it's not the greatest photo but this is the frame under our '54 Wagon and I moved the spring pads in to line the springs up. HRP
Hey Everyone Thanks for all the advise. The first time I saw that setup I knew right away it wasnt good. Yes it will be handled ASAP !
Make sure the pinion angle doesn't get jacked when you move the mount or you'll be doin it twice. If it were me I'd pull the axle, set it up upside down on the mounts (block it up with something) and get a measurement from the floor to the center of the pinion. Maybe support the pinion part of the axle with a scissor jack. Then flip it and cut the old mounts off. Buy a pair of new ones, set it up with the measurements you took and the new mounts spaced correctly, tack them, flip it and weld them. The reason I say get new ones is that when you cut them off you're going to lose metal somewhere. Either from the mount or the axle tube. Neither is a good thing for getting them back on correctly. Cut the mount leaving some to grind flush with the axle tube. New mounts are cheap.
So I think Im going to replace the spring perches and move them so the springs line up with the hangers on the frame.Then replace the shackles with new ones that I just got. But reverse them so they mount on the topside of the original hanger.
Now that looks good and not a Mickey Mouse setup. I will definatly use your pics as reference. Thanks HRP.
My concerns will be after I set it up that way are the shock length and will I need the spacing blocks?
If you are not going to run lowering blocks the stock shock length should have enough travel. Of course with it being jacked up in the rear by the PO, it is hard to tell what shocks are on it now.
It will be trial and error. Once I move the perches and install the shackles I'll just see what the outcome will be.
Yeah you got some bad news happenin there bro. You're getting all the right advice. As to whether or not you want blocks, get your shackles in and up then check it out. Consider the bump stops too. For layout, double check that it's a centered pinion (it should be) then your spacing between the front hangers. To get center, inside hanger on one side, outside hanger on the other, center of axle, 50/50 from that measurement. I.E., If it's 50", 25 and 25. You be off just a wee bit but it's better to get it right on the money. Combination square and plumb bob are you friends for that. Comp engineering sells new spring pads for a song through Jegs or Summit. I'll call you in a day or 2. Just got over the flu...
Gottcha Jocko. I have new shackles, axle perches and U bolts. Got them from Jeg's. But I'm going to get another set that are shorter in case I don't use the 2 inch blocks. I don't think I will need them. I crawled under there today. I'm pretty sure just changing the shackles wont do it. I'd say the axle perches need moving.
I would replace that rear end with a 8 inch from a maverick then you can put the springs where they should be.
There was a 'speed shop' in San Jose in the '50s that 'set all kinds of cars up' with those goofy offset shackles! I spent most of one summer removing rear ends (Pontiac & Olds) from under '50s Fords and '49-'52 Chevys done that way...carefully cutting pads off the axle housings, centering everything up, rewelding the same pads back on. Louie Amarel (Santa Clara Industrial Welding) made me a slew of new axle pads, later on...Too late, as I had 10+ sets sitting on the shelf at Grandma's house when I 'ran away and became a Blues man'... I was only gonna do it 'til I got famous...
Those goofy offset shackles just don't look safe. Plus I don't want the raked look. And I also don't like looking at the leaf springs in the side view.
have 54-56 Ford springs under my 39 Ford ,used the stock hangers with some modification in the rear. Moved the pads on the axle so they matched the spring width. Setup has worked well for the past 45 years.
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