Lowering shackles source

[Fairlane514]

1946 2dr Sedan, looking for rear lowering shackles source.

Google hasn't helped me much.

Thanks

[TJ]

Check e-Bay. Mid West Early Ford has a set listed on there.

[Fairlane514]

Mid West has shackles, but they don't state "lowering." The lowering are up to 1941, unless I missed it......Looked over the list twice.

Nothing popped up on eBay, only up to 41....

[TJ]

Originally Posted by Fairlane514

Mid West has shackles, but they don't state "lowering." The lowering are up to 1941, unless I missed it......Looked over the list twice.

Nothing popped up on eBay, only up to 41....

Do your current shackles have the square hole or the round hole? If they have the square hole then those shackles will work. An alternate option is remove your spring and take it to a spring shop and have them de-arch it. I have done this on more than one occasion and it works fine. It also eliminates the excess swaying you get from the long shackles.

[Tim Brown]

https://carrillocustoms.com/

[Fairlane514]

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Thanks TJ and Tim.

I did read about the excessive swaying, so the de-arching or maybe the whole lowering spring is a better option

[47topless]

Originally Posted by Fairlane514

Thanks TJ and Tim.

I did read about the excessive swaying, so the de-arching or maybe the whole lowering spring is a better option

There you go. Lowering shackles are a recipe for disaster. Spend the time and money to do it right.

[tubman]

I'll play "Devil's Advocate" here for a bit. I have never had a spring "de-arched" myself, but wouldn't "de-arching" it to any significant extant make it longer between the eyes and cause interference with the suspension components? This in turn will probably lead to all kinds of other problems. I lowered my first '36 in 1960 by using long shackles and really don't remember any bad swaying problems (I was 18 and looks trumped everything else). When I did my '36 3-window 35 years later I had the sense and money to use "reversed eye" springs, which caused no problems at all. If I were going to start spending money at the spring shop, I would recommend reversing the eyes over de-aching.

Also, didn't the post war buggy sprung Fords come with sway bars? It sounds like the O/P may have been on the right track to begin with. I don't mean 6" shackles, but a set of 4" shackles might have the desired effect.

[Fairlane514]

I have also looked at the reverse eye main spring by Millworks. They say 1 to 1 1/2 inch drop by using the reverse eye and eliminating 2 leaves.

Eliminating leaves sounds like it would effect the ride in a negative way.

[aussie merc]

take a look at the post war sway bar their designed to stop shackle sway pre war require panhard rods .There is a major difference when you drive them .

[Fairlane514]

I thought before I did anything, I would check the height as it sits now.

Rear 25 3/4 from ground the bottom of fender lip

Front 27 1/2 from ground to fender

215/75/15 tires, with proper Joe Biden (inflation).

It appears to be stock springs, no reverse eye, just looks like some teflon sliders between leaves.

I do want some wider tires....235 or so

[Ol' Ron]

Long shackles = evel handling car. not good for passengers, OK for driver.
Gramps

[Fairlane514]

Yeah, leaning towards reverse eye main spring or whole new spring pack.

Im not sure what stock height is, so I may end up doing little to nothing with new springs....

[Ggmac]

Ive got a 46 now working with tires . 215 x75 can barely be removed when jacked very high . I tried 225s but could not install . Mine is at stock height . Just something to think about.

[Fairlane514]

Do you know your stock height measurements so I can verify against mine?

Mine are 15 inch wheels. Just looking under the car, seems Like I have a lot of room on either side (inner/outer).

[Robert/Texas]

When I bought my '34 roadster in 1995 it had reversed eyes on the front spring. When I hit bumps sometimes the eyes would hit the axle with a bang and I could see on the axle where they were hitting. I replaced the main leaf with another used one which solved the problem until about 3 years ago when the replaced main leaf broke so I replaced the whole spring set with NOS one.

[Fairlane514]

I guess we are practically neighbors.....

Im in Brenham, my parents are in Burton off Nixon Lake rd.

Im going to call Posies today and maybe Millworks and see if they know any stock height measurements.

One thing I did notice when looking at my current springs.....there are liners between the leaves. Not small round buttons, full liners....

[Ggmac]

If your post 15 was in response to mine , its not the front or rear spacing . Its the space between the axle/ drum and the fender lip . You can’t tilt the wheel enough to remove . I’ve tried 2 jacks one under frame to raise the car off the ground and one between the top of axle to underside of frame to get the axle / drum further from the body . Even diggin a trough for the tire . Cant get it . Mine are 5” x 15” wheels .
Now if you can hinge the fender up ( joking ) or mount the 235 - 75 x15 to the axle and then mount the fender it’ll work . But then in order to remove the wheel you would need to remove the fender first . Again joking .
Seriously , I still have the original style shocks and links which may limit the amount the axle drops when jacking up the frame . Just thought of that .

[Fairlane514]

Yes, I have the same issue with a 63 Fairlane I have. Have to jack the body up once I have the axle supported by jack stands.

I did call Posies and all they said was their lowering spring would lower the car about 2 inches from stock height. They could not help me with a stock height measurement. My luck is my springs are relaxed now and I would only get about 1/2 inch drop after 400.00 plus in a new spring.

[TJ]

Before you lower the car you should put the tires and wheels on the car that you plan on using. Then look at the gap that you have from the fender lip to the top of the tire. If there is a big gap then consider the options to lower the car. Your car could easily take 235X75 tires on 15 inch wheels on the rear.