Have 1929 Model A street rod with a Chevy small block engine. Front end will seriously pogo if I hit a chuck hole or railroad track too hard. Only way to stop pogo is to stop car & start out again. Only info I have from former owner on front end build is: (1) “Long-arm suspension ties into single transverse leaf in front (2) Steering mechanism original style setup” Front wheels spoked, front tires are B.F. Goodrich Silvertown 5.50 x 17. I run about 30 PSI. Any ideas on possible cause of problem, pogoing? Two photos below. Thank you. Ernie Wickersham Avon, Indiana
What is the condition of your shocks? From the info you have given my first thought is the shocks are not dampening properly. Either blown or not the correct valving for your car. What you described is how a rod with no shocks installed behaves.
I see shackles that are angled almost backwards. The main leaf is about two inches too long. Or it needs a panhard bar.
Has it always had this problem or was it ok and now it just started? Like alchemy just said, the spring is too long
your front spring is at least 2 inches to long. Id say its bottoming out the maybe half inch of spring comprssion left before the shackles hit the perches, binding up and starting the bounce, exacerbated by 30 PSI in the front tires.It basically has no real suspension movement to even let the shocks do their job. I would not drive that again till you address your front spring issue. I would also replace those adjustable spring shackles. I've seen more than one of those break off. its not safe. Measure the distance between the spring perch bolt holes in the axle, center of hole to center of hole. Take that measurement and subtract 5. that will give you the length of spring you need with the stock spring perch bolts. Order up a spring that width and a set of perch bolts. Swap them out and your crazy bouncing will go away.
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