Sunken Spring

Been a while since I've posted, although I've done a few things since the last post.

Main thing was mounting the rear spring and hanging the rear end.

FIrst I took apart the Model T spring (think it's '26-'27) using C-clamps so as not to get hurt.


Then assembled the main leaf onto the top of the rear axle using the Model A spring hangers I previously installed. (Had to install the backing plates and grease baffles, too, otherwise I wouldn't be able to install the brakes once the spring was mounted.) After the main leaf was mounted, I stacked, compressed with C-clamps, and bolted together the remaining leaves. This was easier than stretching the main leaf, but that only took a C-clamp between the spring eye and the spring mount (no pic).



You can see here the spring eye is clearing and the shackle's at a good angle. Looking good so far!


Next, I disassembled and greased the spring, and reassembled it (messy!).



Then, tada! I mounted the rear spring in the rear crossmember. No pics of the install, but I was grateful for my friend to come over and help me install it without getting hurt. After I got it bolted in and sitting on jack stands, I removed the jack stands from under the rear axle, so it was hanging from the spring. I then lifted, twisted, and finagled with the rear axle to be able to snug up the mounting (U-)bolts, to take out any slack.



The spring retainers (just visible in the pictures above) are 1935 (right) and 1941 (left); go figure; they looked the same when I mucked around with them some time ago and modified them to hold the Model T spring (which is narrower than Model A) in the rear crossmember. Oh, well, I can only tell them apart by their part numbers. You do know your early Ford part numbers, right?

So, after tightening up the bolts snugly, I decided to set the axle on jack stands and remove for the first time in over a year the jack stands holding up the frame, so the body and frame would be setting on the rear spring, mounted on the rear axle, sitting on jack stands.

Tada! This was exciting, and then disconcerting, as the body and frame sank down and settled the spring so low that the eyes rested on or just above the axle tubes. You can see how much lower the body is in the photo below when you compare it to an earlier photo. This was unexpected, to say the least. I knew the Model T spring would be more supple, and give a softer rider, but I hadn't expected it would rest on the rear axle.




So...and this process of mocking up is the part of car building my fiance finds hard to understand...I have to disassemble the spring again, and reassemble it with a standard eye spring, if I can find one. Since this is a reversed eye spring (eyes are above the leaf), a standard eye spring will put the eyes below the leaf, which should keep it off the axle tubes.

Thankfully, I contacted my friend who's been helping me with fixing up parts recently, as he has a stash of Model T parts. Turns out he has a standard eye spring in storage, was heading there today, and is willing to trade. Hooray! I'm supposed to get the spring tomorrow and I hope to make the switch this weekend to see if the spring situation improves. Until then,

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