Quality New Front Leaf Spring

A

AYooperA

Senior Member
Looking for a quality source for a new 10 leaf front spring. Spoke with Synders and they do not have a definitive time when their better “show” quality spring will be available again. Tried searching old posts & noted A Springs no longer in business. Posies Spring looks like geared towards a hot rod market. Detroit Eaton Spring looks promising like they make a nice replacement. Sure would appreciate some feedback if someone used their spring. Not doing a points car but want something that fits properly and provides the correct stance.
 
Good Evening...I purchased a new set of rear springs from Eaton Detroit Spring and they fit perfectly on our 1949 Packard. They ride well and the car sits as it should. They were produced on time to the day and shipped at reasonable cost. You can buy with confidence by my experience with them. Ernie in Arizona
 
Ernie, Thanks for the info on Detroit/Eaton. My front spring is very tired from holding up the car for 94 years. Says it would like to retire, perhaps move to one of those retirement communities maybe even some travel.
 
Understand...The Packard looked like it was about to sit down when we purchased her. The new springs put her back on her lines...she shares the garage with our 31 Tudor! Ernie in Arizona
 
A truck machine shop or repair shop can get your spring re-arched. I had the sagging rear springs done on my '66 Mustang. Told them I wanted the car to ride 1" over stock in the rear, and it turned out perfect.
 
YMMV, but I was not able to find any spring shop around these parts that was willing to re-arch Model A springs. To do it properly you need the original drawings or some kind of spec to fit to.
 
alexiskai said:
YMMV, but I was not able to find any spring shop around these parts that was willing to re-arch Model A springs. To do it properly you need the original drawings or some kind of spec to fit to.
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Colin, if they were saying they needed the original drawings, then IMO they were looking for an excuse not to do the work. What is the chances they have all of the factory drawings for every boat trailer spring, utility trailer spring, or truck spring they work on??


As far as the original drawing, it is available from the archives under part number A-5310. I used it for dimensions to cut sweeps for each of the leaves so we can re-arch them. While I have heard that a spring needs to be heated-treated again after it has been re-arched. I have Model-A springs that have been re-arched, -some nearly 10 years ago that do not appear to have lost their tension or shape. While I am sure it is possible for them to lose some, I liken it much like folks telling me not to weld on Model-A gas tanks because they will explode. :rolleyes:


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“Sweeps” is the word I was looking for but couldn’t think of, thanks. Anyway they didn’t want to do a one-off.
 
I live in Oregon and find machine shops that will straighten axles and other bent parts, re-arch springs, weld up and machine down worn parts, make and press bushings, hone cylinders to size, & etc. why are your shops so timid?
 
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What Brent said.... I agree.

Rearchinbg a spring that old may very well break, or a leaf will break soon thereafter. Just pointing this out.
 
I put a 12 leaf Detroit Eaton spring in the front of my 30 Tudor to replace the 11 leaf spring. I didn’t know the age of the old spring and it was noticeably flatter than the new spring. It fit well but I needed longer u-bolts. Keep that In mind.. it rides better.
 
Stage1gs said:
I put a 12 leaf Detroit Eaton spring in the front of my 30 Tudor to replace the 11 leaf spring. I didn’t know the age of the old spring and it was noticeably flatter than the new spring. It fit well but I needed longer u-bolts. Keep that In mind.. it rides better.
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What was your reasons for installing a 12 leaf vs. the original 10 leaf?? I would have thought it would have ridden like a truck.
 
Yeah, it rides pretty well considering it has 12 leafs. My original spring had 11 leafs. The Eaton Detroit website says the Tudor sedan originally had a 12 leaf spring with thinner leafs, and it was replaced with a 10 leaf spring with thicker leaves.. but they sent me a 12 leaf spring. Aside from needing longer u-bolts it rides pretty good and doesn’t have the up and down oscillation that I had with the old spring.

https://eatondetroitspring.com/db/e...l A&sbody=Tudor+Sedan&seng=L4+3.3L+-+200.5cid
 

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Pretty sure that only a 10 leaf spring was used on the Model A Ford CAR.

Sometime around 1929 a Service Bulletin announcement indicated that "12 Leaf Spring is now made available to those cars subject to severe service."

Meanwhile, the AA truck soldiered along from the beginning with a front spring that was the same width as the rear spring of the Model A Car. (2-1/4")

I have seen the Eaton "selector" and while the 12 leaf spring is shown, it has a "spring rate" of 343 lbs/inch. The 10 leaf spring has a spring rate of 315 lbs/inch. So it appears the 12 leaf spring is "stiffer." https://eatondetroitspring.com/db/es-partsinquiry2.php?syear=1929&smake=Ford&smodel=Model%20A&sbody=Tudor+Sedan&seng=L4+3.3L+-+200.5cid

This may or may not affect how you perceive your ride - your car will just ride at a different "height."

Curiously, Eaton Spring on their site indicates springs are made to original blueprints. This statement is at odds with a respondent here who indicated that Eaton had said to him they couldn't be troubled to produce the Model A spring in varying leaf thicknesses (as Travis Cook has) due to the cost, but that their "engineered" springs embodied the newest (and ostensibly better) technology - and allowed them adjustment to "ride height."

My 1970s era bought "JC Whitney" replacement spring "emulates" the Model A spring to include slightly tapered leaves. All 10 leaves are the same thickness. I have compared it "deflection wise" with an original but "worn" Model A spring. The JCWhitney is considerably "stiffer" but some of this may come from a now "relaxed" older Model A example.

As I've said elsewhere - JC Whitney likely a trailer spring of similar size.

And spring tensioning is not forever.

Joe K
 
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