Do I have an unusual front spring?

M

Mitch Newman

Member
I am in the long and tedious process of restoring a 1930 Standard Couple.
After removing the front spring, I noticed that it had 11 leaves. Everything I have seen in catalogs and such only shows 10. Is this an unusual spring or did they come with 11 sometimes?
 
To the best of my knowledge they all came with 10. I think that when the spring would flatten out and the drag link would rub on the tie rod people would add an extra leaf to get it back up.
 
I believe the original springs were 10 leaf. It is possible in th past someone has replaced a broken spring or added a spring to to beef it up.

The original spring leafs were tapered on the ends; if any of your leafs are square cut on the end you will know they have been replaced.

Ron
 
I have heard of a 12 leaf spring for a Model A. I was told they were for some unusual application, maybe on a pick up truck.

Tom Endy
 
Yes, They are all tapered. However, the stack and the lengths appear to be quite normal looking. It does appear to be very full, from the eyelet to the shortest one at the top.
 
According to the Ford Service Bulletins the 10 leaf front spring was standard for the "A chassis and there was a 12 leaf front spring for "special equipment".
 
Pg 510 of the Service Bulletins refers to the 12-leaf heavy front spring A-5310-B "for Model A cars in sections where there are exceptionally rough roads and cars are subjected to unusually severe service."

I have one of these 12 leaf springs (not installed), so no idea how it performs.
 
my '29 Leatherback came with 11 leaves. The top leaf has beveled edges and has the right part no. stamped on it. All the leaves are different lengths and look normal.
 
I have quite a number of front springs, although a majority are 10 leafers, some are 11 and some are 12 leafers. As far as I know, some front springs were restacked to add leafs to compensate for rough roads and/or heavy loads. Of the 10 leafers I have dismantled, I have 22 different length leafs and that doesn't include the main leaf.
 
I had a '29 with a 12 leaf spring. It also had longer spring hanger U bolts. I suppose if someone got a 12 leaf and not the bolts, they could have taken one leaf out to get it to fit.
 
As a Model T guy, tapered spring mean something entirely different to me. The term that is used is clipped. The corners on each leaf is clipped off. A tapered leaf goes from thick in the middle to thin on the ends.
 
Don't forget, there were always outside spring manufacturers that supplied parts through Pep Boys and such stores for " improved ride and handling", just as they do today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top