1957 ford fairlane 500 stance

Bill Mills

Bill Mills

Junior Member
Front suspension on my new to me 57 fairlane 500 has the front end higher than the rear. Someone probably put in wrong springs when they rebuilt front end. So, what do you suggest I do to lower it bout 3 inches?

Regards,

Bill
 
My ranchero has 7 leafs in the rear, might be to much rake. Granada or torino spindles will drop the front a couple inches. Aerostar fornt coils will give you the 3 inches, they say its a better ride too, Mark
 
I just had the same issue with my 69 Torino, after installing new front coil springs. I removed the springs and cut off one coil. Now it sits the way I want it. One coil removed, lowered it about 4 inches.
 
Those old rear leafs are probably flat as a board. A cheap remedy would be to get those shock absorber booster springs and add them onto your shock absorbers. I did that and they lifted my rear end up a few inches. I assembled the bottom clamps on the shocks so that they are about 2 inches above the bottom of the shock absorber housing.
Way more expensive way to fix it would be to remove old springs and have them re-arched.
 
Daves55Sedan said:
Those old rear leafs are probably flat as a board. A cheap remedy would be to get those shock absorber booster springs and add them onto your shock absorbers. I did that and they lifted my rear end up a few inches. I assembled the bottom clamps on the shocks so that they are about 2 inches above the bottom of the shock absorber housing.
Way more expensive way to fix it would be to remove old springs and have them re-arched.
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You are so right. Rear springs are as flat as a board. Are new rear springs available? Can you give me the specifics on the rear shock coil booster springs? Thanks so much for your reply.
 
If you remove your rear springs and take them to a place where springs are made, they will re-arch and install new bushing for a fraction of the cost of new springs.
 
Ole Don said:
If you remove your rear springs and take them to a place where springs are made, they will re-arch and install new bushing for a fraction of the cost of new springs.
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That is good advice Bill. I had to do the very same thing to a '57 I had some time ago. You may have to go to Shreveport or even Dallas to find a spring rebuilder.
 
Every major city should have a place to get this done. Look for the place with heavy trucks and busses parked outside. I have mine done at St. Louis Spring. Ship them in, they will ship them out. You have choices of stock hight, or a lowered stance.
 
I also had business in the past with St Louis Spring co. I don't live that far from St. Louis. When I was building my '55 Courier sedan delivery wagon, I had no springs to begin with, so I just had them make me a pair of rear leaf springs. They are atomic.
 
Bill, I am pretty sure these overload springs came from J.C. Whitney & Co several decades ago. I seriously doubt they carry them anymore, but you could look em up online or call and get one of their mail order catalogs.
 
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