The Ford Barn

Karl · 01-11-2018, 01:00 AM

Last night I worked late and driving home I developed a bad shimmy in the front of my 34. Seemed to be worse or better depending on speed so I wondered about wheel balance.

Today My son took it into a Wheel Alignment/Tire Shop and told them the symptoms The result was "Yep sounds like wheel balance" and an hour later they declared that the front wheels were way out of balance and had been fixed.

When I got home form work i took it for a test drive - Same problem

A quick Look under the front revealed this

You've got to wonder why a shop would not have even looked -Now all I need to do is find a main spring leaf. Will start the search process tomorrow -Karl

pooch · 01-11-2018, 01:28 AM

That busted spring should not cause a shimmy.

Will be curious if when you fix the spring if the shimmy is still there.

Karl · 01-11-2018, 01:47 AM

Probably shimmy is the wrong word at 50mph when I go over any bump in the road the front end vibrates back and forth side ways . The steering itself is largely ok you can just feel the front end going as moving back and forth side ways through the steering wheel -Karl

pooch · 01-11-2018, 02:25 AM

Yup OK. That would happen.

Phil Gillespie · 01-11-2018, 02:49 AM

That would happen for sure. Can also be tie rod ends adjustment. I had this simiar problem with a 34 coupe. The shimmy would start up and had to brake right down slow to get rid of if.
Did the kits in tie rod ends and fitted a steering damper for good measure. Did not experience this fault after that.
The Wheel Aligment people should have picked up this fault! But hard to get good help these days.
Phil NZ
Phil NZ

dumb person · 01-11-2018, 02:50 AM

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Isn't there spring shops that can make a new bottom leaf though?

Karl · 01-11-2018, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumb person

Isn't there spring shops that can make a new bottom leaf though?

Only one in New Zealand that I know of-Archers in Rotorua
I can get a complete new front spring out of the States but due to the weight the postage will be a killer So will probably go for the local option-The other problem is that the car is to be used for my god daughters wedding in two weeks so there is some time pressure -Karl

Karl · 01-11-2018, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Gillespie

That would happen for sure.
The Wheel Aligment people should have picked up this fault! But hard to get good help these days.
Phil NZ

Can't be to critical I should have looked myself last night -Karl

koates · 01-11-2018, 07:44 AM

Karl, have you tried AJAYS for a new or good second hand spring. Because of the time frame you could jack the broken spring back into position and weld a plate about 6" to 8" long along the bottom of the spring covering the break. Weld the edges and the ends of the plate to the spring. Now I know that is a bit rough but I have seen it done before and could get you out of trouble temporarily. Take it easy driving. Good luck with the wedding. Regards, Kevin.

slowforty · 01-11-2018, 08:20 AM

Back in the prehistoric days. I had a main leaf break,and I put it on a rack and used many muffler clamps to hold the spring in place temporarily so i could get home. Temporarily lasted six months.

Ian NZ · 01-11-2018, 05:02 PM

When I restored the 32 - 3/W I had a main front spring made for it in Palmerston North. they made a great job of it.

meric42 · 01-11-2018, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl

Only one in New Zealand that I know of-Archers in Rotorua
I can get a complete new front spring out of the States but due to the weight the postage will be a killer So will probably go for the local option-The other problem is that the car is to be used for my god daughters wedding in two weeks so there is some time pressure -Karl

Brown and Cope in Dunedin do very good spring work and have been in the business for years.

Ian NZ · 01-11-2018, 05:50 PM

Karl the firm in Palmerston North who made the main spring for the 32 was Auld & Voss
471 Tremaine Avenue. 06 358 - 7884 details taken from the original invoice.

Karl · 01-11-2018, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian NZ

Karl the firm in Palmerston North who made the main spring for the 32 was Auld & Voss
471 Tremaine Avenue. 06 358 - 7884 details taken from the original invoice.

Thanks Ian They used to be really good but closed down some years ago -Karl

Karl · 01-11-2018, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koates

Karl, have you tried AJAYS for a new or good second hand spring. Because of the time frame you could jack the broken spring back into position and weld a plate about 6" to 8" long along the bottom of the spring covering the break. Weld the edges and the ends of the plate to the spring. Now I know that is a bit rough but I have seen it done before and could get you out of trouble temporarily. Take it easy driving. Good luck with the wedding. Regards, Kevin.

Thanks Kevin Ajays don't have anything but the spring makers can turn it round in two days so we should be fine -Karl

RalphM · 01-11-2018, 08:53 PM

I restored a 1945 Ford pickup back in the 80’s. One of the leaves(broken) was welded to the one above it, since I couldn’t find a replacement, left it that way. Worked just fine.

Ian NZ · 01-11-2018, 09:13 PM

You can weld the leaf up with a 'high ten 8' electrode to keep you going I have done that with different leaf springs. You will need a springe spreader too.

01-11-2018, 01:28 AM	#2
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South Coast NSW Australia Posts: 2,596	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" That busted spring should not cause a shimmy. Will be curious if when you fix the spring if the shimmy is still there.

01-11-2018, 01:47 AM	#3
Karl Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Manawatu, New Zealand Posts: 1,416	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Probably shimmy is the wrong word at 50mph when I go over any bump in the road the front end vibrates back and forth side ways . The steering itself is largely ok you can just feel the front end going as moving back and forth side ways through the steering wheel -Karl Last edited by Karl; 01-11-2018 at 02:29 AM.

01-11-2018, 02:25 AM	#4
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South Coast NSW Australia Posts: 2,596	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Yup OK. That would happen.

01-11-2018, 02:49 AM	#5
Phil Gillespie Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Christchurch New Zealand Posts: 1,611	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" That would happen for sure. Can also be tie rod ends adjustment. I had this simiar problem with a 34 coupe. The shimmy would start up and had to brake right down slow to get rid of if. Did the kits in tie rod ends and fitted a steering damper for good measure. Did not experience this fault after that. The Wheel Aligment people should have picked up this fault! But hard to get good help these days. Phil NZ Phil NZ

01-11-2018, 02:50 AM	#6
dumb person Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South pacific island Posts: 1,724	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Isn't there spring shops that can make a new bottom leaf though? __________________ <Link> This is how we roll<Link> "I'm Convinced that no one really reads posts anymore; they just fabricate what they think the post says then ramble on about red herrings."--Bob Outcasts rules of old cars #1 Fun is imperative, mainstream is overrated #2 If they think it is impossible, prove them wrong #3 If the science says it impossible you are not being creative enough. #4 No shame in recreating something you never had #5 If it were not for the law & physics you would be unstoppable

01-11-2018, 07:44 AM	#9
koates Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Melbourne Australia. Posts: 2,079	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Karl, have you tried AJAYS for a new or good second hand spring. Because of the time frame you could jack the broken spring back into position and weld a plate about 6" to 8" long along the bottom of the spring covering the break. Weld the edges and the ends of the plate to the spring. Now I know that is a bit rough but I have seen it done before and could get you out of trouble temporarily. Take it easy driving. Good luck with the wedding. Regards, Kevin.

01-11-2018, 08:20 AM	#10
slowforty Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tinley Park Ill Posts: 1,062	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Back in the prehistoric days. I had a main leaf break,and I put it on a rack and used many muffler clamps to hold the spring in place temporarily so i could get home. Temporarily lasted six months.

01-11-2018, 05:02 PM	#11
Ian NZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Taranaki, New Zealand Posts: 922	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" When I restored the 32 - 3/W I had a main front spring made for it in Palmerston North. they made a great job of it.

01-11-2018, 05:50 PM	#13
Ian NZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Taranaki, New Zealand Posts: 922	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" Karl the firm in Palmerston North who made the main spring for the 32 was Auld & Voss 471 Tremaine Avenue. 06 358 - 7884 details taken from the original invoice.

01-11-2018, 08:53 PM	#16
RalphM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 2,651	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" I restored a 1945 Ford pickup back in the 80’s. One of the leaves(broken) was welded to the one above it, since I couldn’t find a replacement, left it that way. Worked just fine.

01-11-2018, 09:13 PM	#17
Ian NZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Taranaki, New Zealand Posts: 922	Re: Bad "Wheel Balance" You can weld the leaf up with a 'high ten 8' electrode to keep you going I have done that with different leaf springs. You will need a springe spreader too.