Hello everyone, I towed my 1927 Model T Ford today and realized that I made a major mistake when I originally set up the suspension on both my front and rear axles. I didn't know that you are supposed to spread the transverse leaf spring before you install them. So I mounted the spring perches too short in width. The shackles are hanging down at about a 45 degree angle instead of being being parallel and straight across. With the shackles being able to move side to side it is allowing the axles to move side to side under the car independent of each other or the centerline of the vehicle. I think I need to start from scratch and cut off the spring perch mounts fully from the axles, spread the springs front and rear and with the shackles parallel to the axle reweld the mounts farther out to take all the movement out of the shackles and put tension on the springs. Is this correct? I have never done this before and any help or advice would be appreciated. When the transverse springs are spread out and the slack is taken out of the shackles the spring keeps the axles from moving side to side correct? As well as providing the up and down suspension of the frame and body, etc correct? If any one can tell me where to buy a spring spreader for both front and rear springs or how to make one and what to make it out of? I would be grateful. Thank you for your help!
Go to Pete and Jakes, In their tech section they can answer most questions. https://www.peteandjakes.com/
Read: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tranverse-springs-tech-info.1112840/ Only if the shackles are the means of laterally locating the axle. If there is another lateral locating device, e.g. a Panhard bar, Watts linkage, etc., shackles closer to vertical make sense — provided that that doesn't cause the spring eyes to contact the perches at full bump.
Then they are even less. Maybe 25 degrees or even less. Here's some pictures of what is really going on. All of the mounts are homemade. I think because the shackles have so much slack and the spring is not in tension the axles are walking side to side. And I think that the angle that the shackles hang down changes from side to side as the axles walk side ways when it is rolling. I fully admit that I had no idea what I was doing when I set it up. But I want to fix it right however I need to do it. Thanks Passenger rear 20220908_102924 by chessterd5 posted Sep 8, 2022 at 10:39 AM Driver side rear 20220908_102948 by chessterd5 posted Sep 8, 2022 at 10:39 AM Driver front 20220908_103006 by chessterd5 posted Sep 8, 2022 at 10:39 AM Passenger front 20220908_103035 by chessterd5 posted Sep 8, 2022 at 10:39 AM
So my shackles are at the wrong angle. And the springs do need to be spread and the spring perches moved out to take out the slack?
If the spring has a nice action to it as it is I'd be looking at alternative means on controlling the sideways movement eg panhard. Chris
The spring ends do not hit the spring perches as far as I know. I have good suspension travel on both ends of the vehicle. So I could add a panhard bar, front and rear to stop my lateral movement problem? Or would it be better to just start over and get the springs and shackle angles right?
Done properly it can't do any harm fitting panhards and it will most likely solve things without further action. 'Right' and the 45 degree stuff, certainly on the rear, is one of those unresolved debates. Chris
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