Front Spring Question Again

LeroyM

LeroyM

Senior Member
Last weekend I put in new reverse eye front springs because I had several broken springs and I wanted to lower the front of the car some over a set of standard springs. I had a chance to take it out on the road and its very stiff. The new springs also seemed to raise the front over my old standard springs.

I'm looking to remove some springs to get a better ride and lower the car some in the front. Is it true that the bigger springs control ride quality and the smaller springs control height?

I'm running 600x16's on the front and would like to take some of the gap out in the fender well by removing springs. Question is which springs to remove?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
LeroyM, How did your lower job go? Lets see some pictures. I just reversed my eye and removed 3 leaves... some deal as Kelly. Kelly post some pics please. Here is how mine turned out.

P7190017.jpg
 
I didn't get around to removing any springs yet. I'm having a spacer made to take up the width of the three springs I plan on removing and installing it at the bottom so I use the same U-bolts.

Which springs did you take out? I'm thinking about taking spring 5, 7 and 9 out from the bottom up.

Also what size tires are you running? I have 600x16's on the front and 700x16's on the back.
 
I removed from the top 1, 3, and 5. She's a little soft. I still need to rebuild and reconnect my shocks...which will help out. My tires are redial 225/70-16's, they are close to the some hight as 600x16's. I will be changing the tires to bias 600x16's on front and 750x16's on the rear.
 
I'm looking for a center spring bolt since I have to take the springs apart to remove some leafs. I looked around and found a spring shop that has them in 3/8" & 7/16" diameter with a round head. The reverse eye spring I got from Snyder's came with a round head center spring bolt but I peened it over before installing the new springs.

Will a 3/8" center spring bolt work? Mac's shows the bolt a 21/64" in diameter, but Snyder's says 3/8" is the size. I don't have the springs or bolt out to measure at the moment so I can't find out myself and I wanted to install this over the weekend and not have to place a order for a single center spring bolt.

Anybody got a front center spring bolt around to measure before I run to the spring shop at lunch and get one?
 
LeroyM said:
I'm looking for a center spring bolt since I have to take the springs apart to remove some leafs. I looked around and found a spring shop that has them in 3/8" & 7/16" diameter with a round head. The reverse eye spring I got from Snyder's came with a round head center spring bolt but I peened it over before installing the new springs.

Will a 3/8" center spring bolt work? Mac's shows the bolt a 21/64" in diameter, but Snyder's says 3/8" is the size. I don't have the springs or bolt out to measure at the moment so I can't find out myself and I wanted to install this over the weekend and not have to place a order for a single center spring bolt.

Anybody got a front center spring bolt around to measure before I run to the spring shop at lunch and get one?
Click to expand...

LeroyM, Did you get that bolt situation taken care of?

Bassman/NZ said:
JunkOSC..... I'm digging your A.... very sharp.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
 
JunkOSC said:
LeroyM, How did your lower job go? Lets see some pictures. I just reversed my eye and removed 3 leaves... some deal as Kelly. Kelly post some pics please. Here is how mine turned out.

P7190017.jpg
Click to expand...


i also went with a 32 axle so mine will be a little lower than yours
i think that the 3 spring removal will make it a little bit too soft, but we will see
tk
p.s. i get this all the time but its kelley :)
 
I went ahead and order it from Bratton's. They are over in Maryland and said they could get it here by Saturday. Now if it doesn't get so hot Saturday I should be able to get everything done. Suppose to be around 100 outside Saturday.
 
Well I finally got the springs removed. I got up at 5:30 am this morning and started on it. Tried to get it done before it got hot out since it's at 100 degrees outside at the moment. It took 1 hour to get everything out and another 2 hours to get everything back in. I hate carter pins, they're a pain to line up.

I took spring 2, 3 and 4 out from the top. Before taking them out I measured 30 1/2 inches from the ground to fender from the center of the wheel up with the new 10 leaf reverse eye spring from Sndyer's. After taking the three springs out it measures 29 1/4 inches. I have 4 1/2 inches from the top of the tire to the fender bracket inside the fender well. I have about 1 1/4 inches from the top of the tire to the outside fender lip.

So all in all with the reverse eye front spring from Snyder's with those 3 springs removed it lowered the front about 3 inches over stock since the reverse eye spring claimed 1 1/2 inches lower then a stock spring. I took it out for a short drive and it really makes a difference over the 10 leafs which were very stiff.

Here's some pictures. The tires are 700 x16's on the back and 600x16's on the front. I'm going to just drive it some the rest of this year and see if it settles down a little more in the front. If not I may have another Model A axle dropped 2 inches or so and see how that looks

The only thing I need to do now is put my radiator apron back on and the bumpers. That'll be another day though when its cooler then it is now. So how did I do? Does it come close to the late 40's and early 50's look?

DCP_1110.jpg




DCP_1111.jpg


DCP_1114.jpg


DCP_1115.jpg
 
Looks good, I'd like to go to 16's but have both fenders with wells for spare. I think you may have trouble w/brake rods if you go to a dropped axle, not sure, you might inquire on the HAMB. There's a "banger" forum over there.
Paul in CT
 
Looks good, and I have been thinking the same thing. Any problems with brake rods, wishbone and caster angle? How much clearance between the front axle and the spring? Looks close in the pic. Thanks
 
No problem with the brake rods or wishbone. I'll have to get back to you on the caster angle once I figure out how to check for it and I'll also get a measurement on the clearance between the front axle and the spring. Would that be measured at the spring perches or center?

As far as the dropped axle goes if I do drop one I'm planning on only doing a mild drop. I've been checking some pictures of cars I like and and ones that look the best to me are 32's with a reverse eye spring. I did a little research and the 32 factory axle has a 1 1/2 inch factory drop. I was thinking of doing that same amount to a Model A axle. The question is would everything bolt up without making changes to anything else?
 
I believe axle is narrower where spring perch goes but most just fit a spacer to make up difference, again try the HAMB.
Paul in CT
 
LeroyM: I saw an article somewhere about measuring the caster angle something about dropping a plumb bob from the axle to get the vertical leg and laying a straight edge across the front of the axle to ground, and measure how far the straight edge is in front of the plumb bob on a level surface. If I can find it I will email you direct. I would think lowering would change the toe in and maybe the camber but I may be over analyzing this. The ultimate test of course is if you notice any difference in steering and handling when you drive it. I was wondering about how close the bottom of the spring eye is to the axle. I assume there is sufficient clearance so as not to rub or wear as the shackle moves and that Snyders tested it and it was a common mod back in the day, but just wondering. I took one leaf out of the front and rear and while the drop is imperceptible, it is a bit softer and noticably holds the road (and bumps) better with stock 19" tires. I know this is heretical, but I dont think that on modern roads the A needs such stiff springs. I think softer springs not only improves ride, but handling as well. IMHO. Thanks Pat
 
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