Front spring question.

mass A man

mass A man

Well-known member
I'm spending some time on a '31 town sedan project car I've had for many years now, and found the front spring that came with the car is not a 10 leaf model A front spring. 12 leaves, the top one shows a number/letter designation I'm not familiar with. Maybe some of you all can tell me a couple of things here---What the heck did this come off of, and can I remove the top two leaves, leaving me with what I believe to be a good spring,(with 10 leaves), that will fit the car properly. The numbering on top leaf is; A 5310 B. Measurement from center of each eye is a hair over 30-3/4". From shop floor to top of spring is 8". As I remember, 15 years ago when I took the spring off car, the U-bolt nuts were just jammed up tight as far as they could get them on the U-bolts, cotter pin holes nowhere in sight! Can you imagine this unit coming off while driving!!!:eek:
 
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Ford did offer a 12 leaf heavy duty spring, the 5310-B, for cars. See Service Bulletins page 510. It was supposed to be installed with a longer set of U bolts, mentioned on the same page. Repros were offered in the 1970 with 12 leaves too.
 
A-5310-B is a 12 leaf front spring. Came out in November 1930.
Service Bulletins page 510 "This spring is for use on cars in sections where there
are exceptionally rough roads".
 
I installed a heavy duty 12 leave spring under the front of my 68C Cabriolet & am very satisfied with the ride. It doesn't set high in the front either. I did look through my stock of front u-bolts & found a set of correct long ones to use. A 12 leave spring now probably gives about the same stance as a 10 leave spring did when it was new.
 
Thank you ALL for the input about my spring. I just knew I was in error by not ever getting the Ford service bulletins! I've decided to modify this spring back to a "10 leafer". It is not weak nor sagging according to some factory spec's., one being in the Andrews book. My roads are mostly all re-paved too, I guess that says something for my high taxes.(oops!, don't want to go there). I believe this Town sedan requires a "Town sedan ride", smooth and comfy, as far as an "A" can give. I hope I live long enough to finish this restoration. I bought this slant sedan for $300. It was slated for the "crusher". My heart was bigger than my wallet.
 
Dear asapguy in Snohomish, I wanted to post a quick reply to your input to my spring querry. First, thanks. I just spent an hour digging out old photo's and I did find the few I snapped with my trusty 35mm. of my Slant sedan when I bought it years ago. I was right, it was doing sort of a "reverse rake job" because of the odd front spring. Rear spring is off and it is in good shape (within spec's.). The front spring was bottomed out in cross member,the way it should be. The old tire remnants weren't an issue either. I feel it had to be the thicker spring?
 
You'll want to leave the top leaf in the pack because it has the beveled edge to fit the crossmember. Remove the double leaf and find another 10 leaf front original spring to figure out which other leaf is an extra, then remove that one too.

Just how long have you owned the car? I can't imaging any Model A headed for the crusher, much less being able to buy a Model A for $300.
 
While you are looking, inspect your front spring U bolts.

I have found they tend to have stripped threads or stretched threads. They should be even and proper height. Do not try to run a tap on these and most of the other threads as they are made to a tighter tolerances. Do use original nuts as they are extra hard, a file might lightly scratch them. Good U bolts are found at flea markets for just a few dollars. I even picked up extra good once just because they are so cheap.
 
Thanks again so very much for your help guys! Tom, here in Mass., the state has been giving extremely "liberal" amounts of money to scrap yards for their metal and also making it impossible for yards to even operate, thanks to all the EPA rules and regulations, so the old scrap yards are selling off the property(for years now). I guess I was at the right place at the right time to latch onto the 160-B sedan. I'd like to post a picture of the car when I got it in 1995, but I'm at a loss how to do that with a 35 mm. picture. I think I'll need a scanner, which I'm working on now. Kevin, Thank you too, I do have a set of std. Ford U-bolts and nuts, (originals).
 
If you have a parts book it shows which leaves were used in each location. Looks like
you will want to remove the 2nd or 3rd from the top and the 8th or 9th from
the top. The 7th from the top in the 10 leaf does not match any used on the 12 leaf spring.If you use the parts book I think the main leaf is referred to as #1.

Bob
 
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