Reinstalling rear spring

J Witt

J Witt

Well-known member
This post results from my earlier thread about changing the spring pack for my roadster.

Once I have the spring reassembled, is it better to remount the spring on the shackles while the axle is sitting on the floor or is it easier to put the spring back in the frame and the raise the axle to reconnect the shackles?

I'm just thinking about getting the spring bolt reseated into the hole in the frame with the whole axle attached. I have read that most folks pull the rear axle for trans/clutch work and leave the spring attached to the axle.

John
 
I think its easier to mount the spring in the frame first. Leave the u-bolts loose to help with shackle alignment and of course use a good spring expander. It can be a pain if lifting rear with spring if spring angle wedges in frame and getting the square head spring bolt to land in frame hole. Others may have different things to say.
 
You should keep in mind that a rear spring under tension can be lethal. The consideration should be the safest method of installation, not the easiest.

The safe way to go about it is to bolt the spring to the frame first. Use a proper spring spreader to spread it, then install the rear axle assembly to it.

Fooling around with a spring on an axle housing removed from the car is dangerous. If it slips out of the spreader you are liable to find it in your neighbors yard. In addition if the center bolt lets go it will go through the roof of your garage and take your head with it if you are standing over it.

Be very careful with a rear spring under tension.

Tom Endy
 
OK, that all makes good sense. Spring in frame first it is. I'm all in favor of having the spring well captured.

FTIW, there was not a lot of tension on that center bolt, at least as measured by the amount of turning torque it took to run down the nut on the all-thread used to compress to the point of putting on the C-clamps.

There was, however, quite a bit of force exerted by the spring spreader.

I still wouldn't want to be in the way if something slipped!

Thanks for the advice,

John
 
Your not getting paid at the shop rate so as you are assembling the spring put a heavy chain around it, or heavy c clamps and then tighten the center bolt. I would not bet my well being on the quality of the replacement center bolt. I leave the c clamps in place until the spring is captured.
Bob
 
Everything is back together with no drama, which is good.

The ride height came out to be 18 3/4 in the front and 19 1/2 in the rear measured to t he center of the bumper bars. The stance of the car looks good, not so much daylight between the tires and the fender lip, and sitting level. The rear is still higher than the drawing shows by about three inches. Given the way the car looks right now, I question whether the 16 1/2 shown on the drawing is correct.

The ride is a little softer, which is also good.

The photo shows the disassembled ten leaf spring. Kind of hard to see, but the top two leaves aren't separated. The leaves with blue tape are the ones removed and the third from the top was moved to the bottom to be the dummy spacer.

Dsc_1869 crop.jpg
 
J Witt said:
This post results from my earlier thread about changing the spring pack for my roadster.

Once I have the spring reassembled, is it better to remount the spring on the shackles while the axle is sitting on the floor or is it easier to put the spring back in the frame and the raise the axle to reconnect the shackles?

I'm just thinking about getting the spring bolt reseated into the hole in the frame with the whole axle attached. I have read that most folks pull the rear axle for trans/clutch work and leave the spring attached to the axle.

John
Click to expand...

It is a PITA to use a spring spreader. I used it once and then when I pull the rear end I leave the spring attached.
 
Tom Endy said:
You should keep in mind that a rear spring under tension can be lethal. The consideration should be the safest method of installation, not the easiest.

The safe way to go about it is to bolt the spring to the frame first. Use a proper spring spreader to spread it, then install the rear axle assembly to it.

Fooling around with a spring on an axle housing removed from the car is dangerous. If it slips out of the spreader you are liable to find it in your neighbors yard. In addition if the center bolt lets go it will go through the roof of your garage and take your head with it if you are standing over it.

Be very careful with a rear spring under tension.

Tom Endy
Click to expand...

yup
 
J Witt said:
Everything is back together with no drama, which is good.

The ride height came out to be 18 3/4 in the front and 19 1/2 in the rear measured to t he center of the bumper bars. The stance of the car looks good, not so much daylight between the tires and the fender lip, and sitting level. The rear is still higher than the drawing shows by about three inches. Given the way the car looks right now, I question whether the 16 1/2 shown on the drawing is correct.

The ride is a little softer, which is also good.

The photo shows the disassembled ten leaf spring. Kind of hard to see, but the top two leaves aren't separated. The leaves with blue tape are the ones removed and the third from the top was moved to the bottom to be the dummy spacer.

View attachment 235748
Click to expand...

springs generally settle down a bit once their driven and gone over a few bumps but not 3"...but may have to take into account you and a passenger and rear seat passengers are present you may want that extra 3":cool:
 
I remember when my dad helped me swap out my Ford's rear end in our back yard. We had to disconnect the left axle housing. I don't recall how we did that, but I do recall that when it came time to reinstall the housing, he sent me into the house to get my mom to sit in the back seat to compress the rear spring sufficient to line up the shackle so we could reinsert the shackle bolts.

By the way, the "new" axle and rear end innards cost me $20 at the local junkyard. That was for the whole drive shaft/axles/rear end/backing plates/wheels and tires that could be re-inflated long enough to tow the whole rig home. I cringe to think how we just threw out all the parts we didn't need.
 
After doing some online research, I found some other drawings that show the rear ride height to be 19 1/2 inches, not 16 1/2 inches.

I am convinced that the drawing posted in the other thread is incorrect for that dimension, it should be 19 1/2 inches, from center between the bumper bars to ground, no passengers or driver aboard.

28-29-roadster correct.jpg

Correct rear ride height

30-31-roadster incorrect rear.jpg

Incorrect rear ride height

Note the front ride height is slightly different, but that would not account for 3 inches difference in the rear and keep the car more or less level. I think the 16 1/2 has the "6" as a hand drawn typo.

John
 
Last edited:
J Witt said:
After doing some online research, I found some other drawings that show the rear ride height to be 19 1/2 inches, not 16 1/2 inches.

I am convinced that the drawing posted in the other thread is incorrect for that dimension, it should be 19 1/2 inches, from center between the bumper bars to ground, no passengers or driver aboard.

View attachment 235810

Correct rear ride height

View attachment 235811

Incorrect rear ride height

Note the front ride height is slightly different, but that would not account for 3 inches difference in the rear and keep the car more or less level. I think the 16 1/2 has the "6" as a hand drawn typo.

John
Click to expand...

The '28-'29 did have bigger wheels/tires so the height above the ground would be a little higher then the '30-'31 with smaller/tires.
 
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