Technical Model A Reverse Eye Front Spring Clearance

Have been working on lowering the front end of my 1929 Model A build (running the banger engine) and have run into a snag. I am using a 32 axle, 32 perches (aftermarket not original), 32 spindles, Model A kingpins, Model A wishbone and the 10 leaf Model A front spring with the main leaf replaced with the 1928-1934 Old Yankee Speed Shop Reverse Eye Main Leaf. I am also using the Old Yankee Speed Shop Shackles. As shown in the pics below, I am running into a clearance issue and can't quite figure out if the OYS Main Leaf is too long (others seem to run it with no problems) or if the rest of the spring pack has possibly dearched? Any ideas are appreciated including suggestions on other spring packs / main leafs that might work better with this setup. Thx.

 

Everything looks pretty good except for the clearance at the bottom of the shackle. Your shackles look like they are around 45 deg. which means the spring length is ok. Perhaps a washer or two between the shackle perch and the spring would give you the clearance you need.

 

Options as I see it :
a) Shorter main leaf, and probably trim second leaf.
b) redo/ re-roll eyes, to shorten main leaf.
c) re-arch all leaves - which will lift ride height.
d) shorten shackles. I had a similar problem and this is what I did, made 1/4” shorter shackles

note that the spring may still sag more over time

what did it look like before you put the load of the car on it ?

 

or maybe some helpful suggestions on here…..

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tranverse-springs-tech-info.1112840/

 

Thanks Ol Blue and Clem. Here are pictures of when I had it mocked up on the bench with just the main leaf. I hadn’t really notice it at the time but shackle angle seems like it should have been closer to horizontal.

 

With your Model A wishbone having 2 1/4” yokes you have 1/4” spacers at the bottom I would switch them to the top of the axle, that will buy you a little space. But in looking at the top of the axle I see divots, maybe caused by your last spring? With the distance from the divot to the bottom of the spring eye I think your spring needs to be re-arched or fitted with a main leaf that is just a bit shorter.

 

I'm thinking that the Old Yankee spring is somewhat longer than other springs by at least and inch. On the other hand looking at a photo that Tim posted in another thread the part of his wishbone that is above the axle is about twice or more as thick as yours is raising the perch up off the axle. Angle looks close to the same. Good thread for what you are running into https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/different-model-a-front-springs.1136850/

 

In this photo I was running a stock A spring that I had reversed and in the process made wider making my shackle angle poor. I ended up changing the spring pack to one made reversed from the start and solved it.

Also shown in the photo is that I’m running a 46-8 wishbone which un modified will sit the perches up higher. I’ve found it pretty common to see A axles and even a springs flat spotted from hitting each other when tearing donor cars apart

 

Looks too long. When i fitted a reverse eye on a stock model i had to shorten the adjacent leaf to stop it fowling on the eye.

Check the free length against the original one. I think it should be 31"

A quick and dirty way to reverse the eye is just to flip the stock leaf over and clamp it back together in a vice to get the center bolt back in.

 

Thanks for all the quick responses - ordered a new 31.5" spring pack from Roadster Supply - will see how that fits.

 

I think Fordors has the right answer; put the spacers on top of the axle.

 

I just looked at some old photos from doing this a few years ago. Spacers were on top.

 

TCTND and j ripper - thanks - agree that shifting the spacer would address the spring clearance issue but I am worried that the Model A mechanical brake actuator would then be out of alignment with the kingpin.

 

Wouldn't putting the spacer on top of the axle eliminate much of the lowering benefit of the reverse-eye spring?

 

Regarding alignment of brake actuator; with the spacer on top, you’re indexing off the bottom of the axle, which in turn should be correct.

 

Reversed eye spring about 1" lower. Moving the spacer reduces it by 1/4".

Lynn

 

Thanks j ripper - appreciate the pics.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. Installed the Roadster Supply spring today and it looks like it fixed the issue - needed to use a couple leaves from the old spring pack as a spacer since the Road Supply spring is shorter than the stock item.

 

Thanks for the update.
That looks like it will be a lot better !
How does it look with the weight on it and I would be curious to see how close the second leaf is to the eye ?

 

Looks like your shop is ready for carrying out medical procedures!

Spring looks happy.

Chris

 

Thanks Clem and Happydaze - will post a photo of the spring with weight on it when I next head to the garage - checked it post-install but forgot to take a pic.

 

Here is the front suspension under load - plenty of clearance