Looking to Get Started...

I have several here but the shipping would cost more than finding one local to you. Try CL?

 

Posies? Speedway? or maybe @thunderbirdesq up in Williamsport, PA

 

https://www.millworkshotrod.com/collections/suspension/hot-rod

 

....Good advice. Posies would be a close enough drive and if @thunderbirdesq doesn't have one, he would know where to find one.

 

Ok. I think I screwed up my front spring pack.

I have been checking things off the ‘Pappy’ hot rod project checklist pretty much without issue, so I guess it was bound to happen at some point.

As I posted last night, my buddy and I removed my front spring pack, pulled out four leaves (1, 2, 5, and 8). I had 9 total to start with. I know now that was too ambitious. I also removed the spring clips off of leaf 3. When we put it back together (without the spring clips) and lowered it down the springs went flat and rested on the axle. Didn’t see that coming. So tonight I took the advice I got here and added a couple back (2 and 5). (I chopped up 8 to only be a spacer below the stack along with leaf 1 - Mistake) I put it all back together and it basically did the same thing as last night. So... did I screwed up by taking the spring clips off of 3? Did I screw up by chopping up 8? Did I screw up by bending the main leaf to reverse eye and messed up the leaf’s integrity? One thing is for sure... I thought I did my research on this and charged in boldly and now my hot rod is sadly stuck on jack stands.

 

Here is a measurement pic I took before I started work on the leaf springs. Plan was to post the before and after. Keep in mind this is with my 16” wheels and 550 tires. Is this a normal height?


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Dude, the same thing happened to me. That spring is under my bench now. I ordered a new one. I would be interested in what others have to say about this

 

No, you can't remove the second leaf (the one right next to the main). Sounds like that's the one you cut up into little pieces. Mistake.

You should have just cut an inch off each end with a cutoff wheel so it still fit nicely between the upward pointing eyes. Go find another second leaf.

Those little clamps aren't really needed. The spring is so small that it usually fits tightly into the crossmember and the leaves won't go too sideways.

Now, the practice of stacking leaves under the working spring is a backyard, amateur way of doing things. Best way to solve any gaposis is to measure the amount needed for a tight clamp, then cut and tackweld a rectangle of that thickness to the top of your lower clamp bar. Prevents any ugliness, as well as saves all the leaves in case you need to add them back in tomorrow. After driving the car for a while and making sure the spring is now working like it should, you can weld the spacer in more.

 

When you say the spring went flat on the axle, you mean totally flat, flat, laying right on the axle? You have a picture? Again, I’m new to Model A’s, but I’m having a hard time visualizing how it could flat if it is in the shackles and perches. Maybe the shackles are flipped over?

Here’s the leaves I took out of mine (the ones slid to the left)....almost. I put the second from the bottom (the longest of the 4 I removed) back in, deciding I was a little too low (hard for a Kustom guy to say that, but there you go. Lol). I had 10 leaves to start and I’m to 7 now.

 

Tm, maybe I missed this but did you recurve the spring to the same curve or arch as the original one? And I do agree that you will need the #2 leaf. I may have one at a buddies shop if it helps. He just ordered a new spring at a local spring shop so I believe the old one is setting somewhere.

 

Yeah. Maybe the lack of the second leaf is the biggest issue. I understand what you’re saying about the spacer. Good news about the clamps.


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Thanks drdave - here are the pics I have. I know they are hard to see. The first one is from the first attempt. The second is from last night the frame is on jack stands so it is not compressed.


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vtwhead - Thanks. Yes, I recurved the main spring to the same arch as the original. I guess I have to either get a new spring pack or find a second spring.


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Yup, that's pretty flat! LOL (sorry, it's not really funny). Yeah, I would agree, that second longest leaf is likely the culprit. When I look at the pic of the spring flat, it looks like that the main leaf is bent/flexed between the eye and the end of the next leaf you have there, so my guess would be that there is too much unsupported length of the main leaf without that long leaf that should have just been clipped on the ends rather than removed.

 

those shock mounts may have to be modified or changed

 

Looking into options for the spring mounts.


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I’ve tried all day to find a #2 leaf. I may go up to Posies in the morning and get a new front reverse eye spring pack. They don’t sell the leaves individually. Another lesson learned.


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Just picked up my new front spring from Posies.


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Back on the road now.
The front spring effort was a lot of work and a bit of an expense with little return. Of course, my mistakes didn’t help. I think my car was a bit low to begin with due to old worn out springs and I just didn’t know due to lack of experience. My front spring is now lowered about as low as it can go and still have clearance and it only amounted to about half an inch. I’ll eventually do a drop axle to get it down where I want it.


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Dropped axle is always the best route. We all learn that by trying the little things first. Dropped Axle with Stock A brakes can be done but much easier to go the hyd. route at that time.

 

new springs settle after driving them

 

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^^^^Love it^^^

 

That's a nice attitude adjustment. Getting them to sit what we call Low takes a lot more work. I think your starting to understand that now. I like the statement it's making.

 

TM it looks great. Well worth the effort.

 

Thanks for the positive feedback! I’m back to some regular routine inspections and adjustments now. I want to go through the steering components. I think I need to do another round of timing and carb set up/adjustments. I also have some coolant leaks I need to take care of.

More importantly - I had a great conversation with Okie Joe this week. I think he has convinced me to do the drop axle and keep the mechanical brakes. One of the things we discussed was using my spindles to get the correct camber angle with the new drop axle. I think I would rather send him some spindles that I plan to use instead of taking Pappy off the road by sending him my current spindles.

So here is my question - What spindles should I use on my new drop axle with my current set up that would also allow me the flexibility to go with Juice brakes sometime down the road? Is this even a possibility? And... where can an find them?

 

What your looking at here is all stock Model A steering, tierods and spindles with 46-48 Brakes on a 4-1/2" dropped Model A Axle. I did chase threads on the tierod to adjust for the drop getting a little narrower between the King Pins. That's just normal stuff.

 

Very cool! So, I should get another set of model a spindles or should I get 32 spindles since I am doing it?


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If you want to just bolt things back together with what you have stay with all Model A pieces. That said you may want to look very close at that photo and look at all the same things on you Coupe. You may have a few more questions.