spring too long?

[fftoddster]

Installing a dropped axle (socal narrowed forged) and Chassis engineering reversed eye leaf spring, shackles, sway bar, with a split wishbone.




When I went to install the spring I did not need to spread or disassemble the spring to install it to the shackles. This raised concern to me. I called Reids rod parts where I purchased the parts from and he suggested installing it and put the weight of the car on it and see where the shackles ended up (should be about 45 degrees)




So I did. Looks to be a little beyond 45 to me.




What do all you more experienced guys think?

[RalphM]

Looks like it will work.

[JSeery]

It depends to some extent what year car you are dealing with. The later cars used a pan bar for side to side stability. The earlier cars used the spring tension. The shackles don't look bad, is this with full weight on the spring?

[fftoddster]

37 ford. Full weight is on the spring. No panard bar. Am installing sway bar.

[deuce lover]

Looks good to me.I did a 35 & 36 and the position was like yours.I also added CE sway bar also.

[fftoddster]

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ok... sounding good. I was just concerned because installation was too easy. Did not have to spread the spring to get it attached.

Thanks

[Randy in ca]

Curious how the weight is being supported - in your pictures there doesn't appear to be anything under either the hubs/drums or the axle, and the jack stands look to be quite a ways to the rear of the axle(?).

[deuce_roadster]

What year axle is that supposed to be and what year spring are you using? I thought a 37 spring was above the axle.

[JSeery]

Good catch Randy. Are the photos you posted the ones that "had the weight on the spring". Are the jack stands on the wishbones? That could be an issue because that divides the weight between the spring and the wishbone attachment point. The jack stands need to be at the spindles/brake drums.

[fftoddster]

Floor jack under the middle of the ibeam, Full weight of the car on the spring. The jack stands were under the frame but I jacked the car up high enough to get the car off of those jack stands.

No 37 the spring is in front of axle... same as -40

[JSeery]

"Floor jack under the middle of the ibeam, Full weight of the car on the spring. The jack stands were under the frame but I jacked the car up high enough to get the car off of those jack stands."

That should work fine, just double checking. Seems strange the spring doesn't settle more than that, but the shackles look about perfect.

[Fordors]

I think the big question is what center to center dimension is the Chassis Engineering front spring made for? The SoCal 47" axle has a 34" C-C dimension between perch holes, and looking at the CE catalog I don't see that measurement given. The C-C will definitely have an effect here if the spring was designed for say 35" centers. Stock '32-'36 axles are 36 1/2" C-C.