Should my A springs have "give" like a modern car?

[roblesterjr04]

The title says it all folks. My springs seem very... stiff...

Can't really "push down" on the car. And from watching videos of my car pulling in to the driveway, its almost like instead of the wheel going up the curb as i pull in, its like the frame twists a bit. (no hood on the car at the time, so I could see the radiator shift in angle in comparison to the cowl.

Maybe I have to high expectations for this old girl?

[2manycars]

Your springs may be rusted, dry, worn to ridges, or some other ailment. They should move like other leaf sprung cars. If you have original shocks, they might be stuck and keeping the car from moving as it should.
You could try jacking up the car, putting jack stands under the frame rails and lowering the axel so the spring is not loaded, then lube the spring. Do one end of the car at a time.

[roblesterjr04]

I will try to lube the spring.

We don't have shocks on it at all. This was a barn/field find so you're probably on the right track with the rusted spring.

[5lugnuts]

I had a similar problem until I realized the rust was holding the springs stiff. I lubed the springs with kerosene and oil. Things didn't really loosen up until I drove slowly on an off road trail with with lumps and holes that really worked the suspension. On paved roads it was much better after that. Then I lubed it with trans grease.

[roblesterjr04]

great tip! I'll look in to it. Car isn't done yet. So it was just an observation. The ride seemed stiffer than it should be considering it had no shocks... so I'll look in to that when I get the body put back together.

[Bulligen]

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If you take the spring apart and file the ridges down where they have contacted the neighboring spring, then lube it with grease, you wont believe the difference!

[CarlG]

Add to all of that, it will ride stiffer with no body on the chassis.

[J Franklin]

My fordor always rode extra nice when I had all the seats filled with my buddies.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Rob,

A. Usually after 80+ years of continued use, both ends of all upper spring leaves dig into and wear into the top of the spring leaf immediately below.

B. At the ends of this worn spring top spot is an abrupt 90 degree steel spot which resembles an approximately 1/8" high, 90 degree cliff.

C. When the top leaves flex, their ends all slide a short distance outward from the spring's center bolt, and their ends run into this 90 degree cliff on top of the leaf directly below and completely "stop" the spring action ....... e.g., like having "no" springs.

D. Fix:

1. Carefully dissemble springs, and with a side grinder, completely smooth out the approximately 1/8" high cliff on the tops of spring leaves.

2. Again with a side grinder, round off the 90 degree leading bottom edge of all spring leaves.

3. As such, this round bottom leading edge of the top leaf cannot dig into the spring leaf below; and, the cliff will be removed so the ends of the spring leaves can flex and move all of the way outward.

4. Reassemble springs with graphite and grease and enjoy the next 150 years of Model A soft rides "without" sharp edged top spring leaves that can dig into the tops of the bottom leaves & form abrupt 90 degree cliffs.

[roblesterjr04]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Add to all of that, it will ride stiffer with no body on the chassis.

I said I was putting the body back together, never said it was off the chassis.

We're doing a rolling restore, not a show car. Just making it solid-ish and driveable. Ima use it as a grocery getter.

[H. L. Chauvin]

If not buying eggs on a grocery run, soft riding springs may not be needed.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

OLD CAR springs were not built for COMFORT! Just there to hold the car up.
Bill W.

[Kurt in NJ]

If you don't have shocks leave the springs the way they are---now they are performing the function of friction shocks, if you lube and free up the springs you will be surprised at how much worse it drives---I found this out when i put the engine in and went for a drive before I put the shocks back that were rebuilt at the same time

[H. L. Chauvin]

No doubt every Model A owner has entirely different opinions on springs.

Test Drive:

A. Maybe try driving 20 miles, on a vintage tractor with no springs, at 35 mph, on one of "your" local rural roads .

B. Then, try driving 20 miles in a Model A with lubricated springs, at 35 mph on the same one of "your" local rural roads .

C. After reading all of the above comments, you may find not only differences of spring opinions ................ but mainly ............. after 20 miles, spring opinions may be formed by Model A owners .......... based solely on his/her type of rear end ......