Featured Technical 40-41 FORD PICKUP PARALLEL LEAFS

I still have my daughters truck on the lift (it's getting an engine build). Hopefully it will be out of here in a week or so. Machine shop finished the head. Then I can get to the 41.

 

When I built my '38 Ford pickup years ago, I used the rear leaf springs and hangers/shackles from an '80 Isuzu pickup. Worked well. Of course, I doubt that you'd find an '80 Isuzu pickup at your local pick-a-part now.

 

I'm just checking in : I hope you're healing up and feeling better. In cleaning out my mess in the garage, I found a pair of Dodge front spring main leafs that have been blasted and primed. IIRC ,I was going to use them on a '40 cpe I had in the 80s. This was about the time C.E. started selling springs; so I just bought them.

 

I'm still in a fog. I went to PT today, they are going to try 8 sessions of eye-retraining but the first appointment isn't until Jan 6. That ****s! I have another ENT that I am trying to get a referral to that came recommended. Daughter is coming over this weekend so hopefully the lift is clear by Sunday and I'll put the 41 up there.

I think I will likely be using those Dodge springs, or at least a leaf or two. Hang on to your springs, you may need to do the same depending on how she sits when you are done.

I had a couple buddies come over for a football game and one crawled under the truck while the other and I lifted on the rear bumper. It comes right off the stops like there is no weight there. I think it is settled as far as it is going to. I doubt the bed will ever hold anything other than an ice cooler and a chair but the air shocks are not a bad call once I have it suspended on its own. I did locate the pair off my dune buggy. I will have to buy an air line kit to pump them up to see if they hold air or not.

 

I got my shackles back and they is purty

And the pieces for the coke cooler. Handle and the bottle opener. I gotta have my wife drop off the frog mouth scoops. I have polished them for years and they just won't hold the shine, cheap aluminum. Chrome em!

 

I just went out and checked under my '40 1/2 ton. It has shortened '55 Chevy rear springs (2" x 44") that were installed in 1967. Still have an arc in them after all these years. And a car ride (I have removed 1 leaf). Bet somebody has a used set still good near you.

 

And it fits the wheel well

 

@nutter_street_rodder , that is a fine-looking pickup! Sits like it means business but still a truck.

 

Been following this just because I am curious to see how it works out and enjoy your threads. I did notice you're dealing with 2" wide springs. My '57 Chevy pickup uses 2" wide springs and from one source I found the front ones are 22"+22" (44" eye-to-eye with center bolt centered) and 6 leaf. Stock ones have eyes as normal - up. They don't have a lot of arch due to the configuration of the front end. If you go with the Posies version with 3" drop one eye is reversed and only 2 leafs. If you used the stock ones you could remove some leafs to get desired height and ride. I suggest to verify the length more tho to make sure. Just a thought that may help.

 

They are actually 2.5" wide and 48" eye-to-eye. A strange spring dimension I found that Posie's and others do not offer. MY daughter's truck is ready to leave my lift so maybe this weekend I can get the 41 up in the air and play with it a bit.

 

If I'm understanding correctly, you have a pair of used Dodge truck leaf springs in addition to the leafs currently under your truck?
I would suggest that you take the longest leaf out of the extra springs and add it under your current main leaf. If you can just cut the eyelets off the used main leaf, that would be the preferred leaf to add to your current truck leaf spring, if you don't have the ability to cut the eyelets off the used main, the next longest leaf in the used leaf would be my second option.

Another option that may be available would be a "helper" leaf that was designed to be added to the Dodge trucks that had a snow plow on it. That "helper leaf" may be available on line.

Adding an extra leaf will probably increase the stiffness of the spring, but it would probably still ride better then what you currently have with the leaf springs sitting on the rubber stop.

 

Interesting idea. Cut the eyes off the used bottom leaf and add it to my spring pack? Did I summarize that correctly? I don't like the helper spring idea. I spent a lot of time making the bottom of the truck look as nice as the top side. I want to keep it that way, it's a "me thing", I have issues.

 

Yes, you are correct, cut the ends off the used main leaf and add it under your main leaf. The local spring shop here cuts leaf spring to length with a cut off wheel on a chop saw. Gives a crisp, clean, straight cut.

You can usually add the "helper spring" into your spring pack under your main leaf as well, doesn't have to look like an add on.

 

I have been told that leaf springs are generally tempered only on the outside of the leaf, this would be an opportunity to check that theory. Issue though, my spring pack has 4 springs in it, if I add a leaf like we are discussing, my brackets are not going to be large enough to use. Perhaps the used springs I am getting have larger spring shackles.

 

IMO, go with the junkyard springs. I tried Eaton for custom-arched springs and they were un-usable, as is.

Gary

 

This is good information as I will be redoing the parallel leaves setup on my 40 Merc.

 

Unusable how? Too stiff? They are the most expensive option by far!

I hope this thread helps you out.

I got the daughters Yota off the lift and the 41 is now in the service bay. I slept in and just finished my workout so after the advil kicks in I will go out and pull the shackles. I have to get some new bolts and nylocs still to install the new shackles I had plated but I need some accurate dimensions, so I don't get too long or too short of bolts. You guys think SS is strong enough for shackle bolts? They would look nice polished against those shiny bits.

 

For clamping shackles up to spring eye pins, no problem, but strictly for spring eye bolts, I wouldn't trust them.
***anium can be polished up all purty

 

ARP has strong Stainless Steel bolts. I would use them if you want stainless.

I think adding a second main leaf with the ends trimmed would be your best bet with the least work.. I know from experience that will raise it about 1" to 1 1/2".

 

I actually found some ARP bolts online, SS and they are shanked rather than being threaded all the way down the bolt. They don't have 4.5" so I'll have to get 5" and trim them. They also come in fine thread 3/8 x 24, which I prefer on suspension parts.

 

A bit of garage work today. Out with the old…

And in with the new

shiny parts work better,

flat bump stops from energy suspension.

I bounced it around the best I could and this is where it settled.

If it stays there that would be great. We will see.

 

Never even considered being able to swap out a different design/ height bump stop with them being threaded.

truck looks good!

 

Yes, I am hoping that does it. It was an easy fix, just had to drop the shocks so the backend would release and allow me slack in the spring to add my long shackles. I did have to hit the new bolts with a sanding disc to make them fit the square holes in the shackles since the chrome process made the holes smaller. Not a biggie. I had to sand and polish the new bolts anyway.

Yeah, that was a nuts on idea by @DDDenny to add those short stops. I now have a nice distance to the axle at rest. Cheap fix too, they were like $9 on Amazon. So far, the fix was cheap and looks good. Fingers crossed.

 

Nuts on

 

Merry Christmas Douglas! May your nuts be roasty and your eggnog toasty!

 

This shot looks like you're right back where we planned for it to live.


This shot looks like the Ch***is Guy wasn't using his tape measure! Good thing we all know Henry wasn't real critical where the opening was in the Fenders being it was "Just a Truck!"


Let's hope the dang spring is done moving around. Only more miles are going to answer that.

 

Call EATON Spring and tell him what you're trying to accomplish and be ready to give dimensions. He'll take care of you.
OR
Call Deaver spring in Orange County CA and send him your springs for re-arch work.

DUH, wrote this before reading the entire thread. Sorry

 

This shot looks like the Ch***is Guy wasn't using his tape measure! Good thing we all know Henry wasn't real critical where the opening was in the Fenders being it was "Just a Truck!"


Pist-n-Broke,
Most '40 coupes/sedans (including my coupe) I've looked at over the years have the same issue, not just trucks. Custom lowering blocks are a good solution to better center the wheels visually, after verifying axle alignment.