Leaning issue

A

Alex Dragone

Member
How do I get my car to sit up straight? It likes to lean over to the drivers side. The car is a deluxe phaeton (180 A) and it only has one sidemount (on the drivers side). If you lift up on the drivers side it sits up straight and stays until you get back in the car. Would turning the springs around possibly address this issue? I had bought a new rear spring a while back and changed the front spring to a nice used one because the original springs were a bit worn and it was better but went back to leaning as usual. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!
 
Did you check to see if the square heads of the front & rear center-of-spring bolts are still seated in the square holes centered in both the front & rear chassis cross members?
 
Make sure the springs are clean of rust and well lubricated. My 29 Tudor completely changed the ride by just squirting oil on the spring leaves. I correct my 29 Tudor left lean by loosening the 4 rear nuts on the spring clamps and retightening them.
 
As Tom said, loosen the four rear u-bolt nuts and retighten them evenly. If you tightened them unevenly when you replaced the rear spring, you may have caused the lean. If you still have a lean after evenly retightening them, you may want to try tightening the high side first and the low side last.
 
You said you had bought a rear spring but you didn't say that you installed it. Had the same problem. My frame was not sagging at the rear motor mount; changed the front spring to new. Even tightened the U-bolt nuts first on the passenger side and made sure the center bolt head was nested in the cross member hole. Ended up being the rear spring. Was fatigued on the driver's side. Replaced and stayed level.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Make sure the springs are clean of rust and well lubricated. My 29 Tudor completely changed the ride by just squirting oil on the spring leaves. I correct my 29 Tudor left lean by loosening the 4 rear nuts on the spring clamps and retightening them.
Click to expand...


Tom, do you use motor oil for this job?
 
Skibb said:
Tom, do you use motor oil for this job?
Click to expand...

Yes, it works well to get by until I take the spring pack apart and sandblast, paint, and grease the leafs. I also sprinkle some powdered graphite on top of the grease, then use spring covers to keep the dirt out and grease in.
 
Hey fellows I am new to this site ,so bear with me . I have a 1928 ford tudor sedan it was restored 100 % 3 or 4 years ago and my dad bought it 2 years ago and drove it daily .He is gone and now its mine . I am in the process of replacing leaf springs I have already checked the frame alignment and its good because of driver side lean .It is definitely a weak rear spring . But the driver side rear shock is leaking . Could that be an added cause to the lean and would replaceing the seals repair it if all else was good in the shock . Also vacuum wiper , I can not figure where to stick the knob to control wiper but yet I can reuild the engine . Go figure ? Please respond thank you
 
Scotty H said:
Hey fellows I am new to this site ,so bear with me . I have a 1928 ford tudor sedan it was restored 100 % 3 or 4 years ago and my dad bought it 2 years ago and drove it daily .He is gone and now its mine . I am in the process of replacing leaf springs I have already checked the frame alignment and its good because of driver side lean .It is definitely a weak rear spring . But the driver side rear shock is leaking . Could that be an added cause to the lean and would replaceing the seals repair it if all else was good in the shock . Also vacuum wiper , I can not figure where to stick the knob to control wiper but yet I can reuild the engine . Go figure ? Please respond thank you
Click to expand...

Contrary to popular opinion, shocks have nothing to do with lean, unless it's got air shocks or the original shocks are rusted solid and holding the body from moving. My car also leaned down on the left side, but it was an easy fix. I loosened the 2 nuts on the left U bolt, and snugged up the nuts on the right U bolt. Now it's level.
 
It is the weight of the driver over 80 plus years which causes this . As the springs are solidly clamped to the chassis one half of the spring does not know there is another half so one side weakens while the other side does not . We have a mix of RHD and LHD cars in UK . At a meet you can tell at a distance which is which before you see the steering wheel,The RHD cars lean to the right and the LHD lean to the left . Change both springs around and your car will lean to the right and when you sit in it it will be upright !!!.Problem solved works on cars with a true frame . This does work I have tried it .After another 80 plus years your car will sit level with no one in it !!!

John in cool rain showers sunny spells Suffolk County England .
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top