Technical Model A spring spred on '48 rear bones

A fellow greybeard told me that in the day they used an A rear spring on a '48 rear to lower the A a bunch. Anyone ever see this? I'm altering a frame now that is getting a '48 rear but respect those springs. Pics would be better yet

 

General,I'm using an AA frame and have about 15 inches more to play with than a car frame. Trying to figure out Zing the frame in the front to lower it without sacrificing foot or engine room.

 

Lowering the rear with this and planning a Z to lower the front.two different operations

 

I've heard of the T spring being used in an A frame (rear) to lower the ride height.
I don't think anyone would have used an AA frame...aren't they heavy as hell?

 

Using a '48 rear end will relocate the wheel in the fender and it will ruin the look of the truck. I'm not even sure the fender will fit with the wheel in the new location.

 

It will if you move the rear crossmember 8" rearwards.

 

Let me see if I understand you correctly, you are using a '48 ford rear with the '48 radius rods which have the spring hangers behind the axle. You are going to install the rear cross member in a location that puts the wheel where you want it.

If that is correct, then the '48 radius rods will lower the car about 6" or so.

In addition to the lowering from the radius rods, are you asking if an A spring is shorter than a '48 spring?

If you don't have a A spring I can jack my hot rod up and measure the unloaded height of the A spring. Its a speed way repop with the eyes the way Henry put them, it should be close to the factory spring. Let me know if this is the info you need.

Of course removing leafs will lower the car. Moving the cross member up will lower it as well. Just make sure you have enough travel before the axle bottoms out on the frame. I'm running a stock A frame that I stretched but did not Z with '35 radius rods, spring behind the axle, with an A spring. I have about 4" between the axle and frame and it does bottom out if I hit large bumps too fast. Wish I would have z'd it.

AA frames are cool, I got one for my A pickup project, they kinda look like a 32 but without the ridge, so it makes people scratch there head to figure out what the hell it is. Plenty heavy too, I do not intend to box mine. The gage and height are similar to a '70s pickup, I figure if one can put a big block in say a '70 Ford and beat the hell out of it running through the woods without frame twisting problems, then the AA frame should be just fine. Might add an x or k member though.

Kipp

 

The spring perch centers on an A rear end is 49 1/2", 1937 rear is 48", and a T is 47 1/2". I am not sure about the 1946-48 rear as I don't have one to look at. The A spring is too wide to use on other axles but the T spring is only 1/2" narrow which is only a 1/4" per side. Jim (55willys)

 

7 3/8"

 

how far are the perch's out back on a 39 axle, i.e centre of perch to centre of axle?

 

I move it 8" - it centers the wheel better in the wheel arch, but yes you're tectnically right.
Ed

 

The question in my mind is will a A spring stench to the hangers on the 48 rear? The v8 rears are wider

 

mine also.
I have an A rear crossmember (32 frame), and a 40 rear end. I'd like to use the A spring if possible. Not sure how well a 40 spring would work with the A crossmember.

 

With the rear end set up in my '26 lakes modified, I used a '40 rear end, '35 rear bones,
and a mod.A spring. I had no problem fitting the Mod. A spring to the stock '40 hangers, I did take out the 2 top leafs. I cut the spring mounts on the '35 bones and fabed new mounts to bolt them to the axle housing.

.....................Jack

 

Good to know Jack, thank you.

 

I went ahead today and put the '40 merc rear crossmember in the AA chassis. The drivehaft tube is about 2 feet too long. "40 Merc driveshaft is one piece with the pinion gear; are any others,besides model A's?

 

Cut, shorten, sleeve, drill, pin, weld.

 

Thank you,Soviet, so easy to do. maybe this thread can die now.