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Old 06-11-2019, 01:44 PM   #1
corvette8n
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Default Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I'd like to lower the front of my car 1in., I just put "15 radials on three years ago, so the whole car is down a couple of inches but I like to go 1 more inch in front. Ideas?
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:22 PM   #2
19Fordy
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

Reversing the stock spring eye's will lower your car 1 more inch. Keep an eye on your scrub line.
There reaches a point where,if you lower it too much, you won't be able to get a jack under the car axle to raise it in case of a flat tire. Then you need 2 jacks, 1 to raise the frame and body and another to raise the front axle. Here's more:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...ower+front+end

You could take a leaf out of the spring. That's probably the easiest way to go.
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Old 06-11-2019, 03:22 PM   #3
JSeery
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

Reverse the spring eyes. A spring shop should be able to take care of it.
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Old 06-11-2019, 09:28 PM   #4
drolston
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I purchased a reversed eye Posies spring which was supposed to fit the '41, but it was almost an inch too short, and would have made the shackles too flat, which causes dangerous side loads on the perches. I adapted some 4" shackles to 3" and that got the shackle angle near 45 degrees. With that spring swap, the drop was maybe 3/4 inch.

The Posies spring is softer and low friction between leaves. I had to really stiffen the front shocks to get the ride dampened.

My recommendation, take out the second and fourth leaves of your stock spring. That is about 1/2 inch of spring thickness, and maybe another 1/4 inch of softer spring.
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Old 06-11-2019, 10:07 PM   #5
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

On my '41 I removed every other leaf and sub'd a chassis Engineering reversed eye '40 main leaf with stock shocks. About the best ride I could get with stock set-up.
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Old 06-12-2019, 05:59 AM   #6
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

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You really cut down on spring travel with a reversed eye spring (which is the cheapest and easiest solution). If you want to keep the good ride, a dropped axle is in order.
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Old 06-12-2019, 10:37 PM   #7
Chris Haynes
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I replaced the Posey spring bolt with a correct square headed bolt. I left it loose enough that the upper leaves weren't pressing on the main leaf. It made installing the spring a hands only job. No spreader necessary. After the shackles were installed I tightened up the center bolt and cut off the excess. Easy Peasy.
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Old 06-13-2019, 06:23 AM   #8
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

Turn the front wheels until a tyre protrudes out of the fender. This will give you a rough idea how much you can lower the front before you start to scrub against the fender when you turn.

Allow a little extra room in case you hit bumps when you are turning.

I have 6.50X16's on my 41, and there ain't a lot of room for lowering the front.
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Old 06-13-2019, 06:31 AM   #9
chuck stevens
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

longer shackles, cheep.
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Old 06-13-2019, 05:28 PM   #10
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I had the local truck shop make me a new reverse eye main leaf. Cheapest way out. I think I also removed 2 upper third leaves. Lowered about 2 in. and still rides the same. Total cost $60. I don't like longer shackles.
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Old 06-13-2019, 06:39 PM   #11
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

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Originally Posted by 42guy View Post
I had the local truck shop make me a new reverse eye main leaf. Cheapest way out. I think I also removed 2 upper third leaves. Lowered about 2 in. and still rides the same. Total cost $60. I don't like longer shackles.
This would be the most correct way to do it. Pulling the top two short leaves plus the new reversed leaf should get you down at least 1 1/2 inches. Have a spring shop make you the reversed leaf.
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Old 06-13-2019, 09:17 PM   #12
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

Or reverse the main leaf your self. It's pretty simple if you take your time.
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Old 06-13-2019, 10:29 PM   #13
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

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Originally Posted by drolston View Post
and would have made the shackles too flat, which causes dangerous side loads on the perches.
Whoever told you that sure did NOT have an engineering degree or looked at an early circle track car.

Actually, I had never heard that one before. It really made me giggle.
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Old 06-14-2019, 11:09 AM   #14
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

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Whoever told you that sure did NOT have an engineering degree or looked at an early circle track car.

Actually, I had never heard that one before. It really made me giggle.
Probably would not make you giggle when you hit a bump and it snaps the spring perch off of the axle. That has happened, with disastrous consequences. Think about it; when the spring compresses, it spreads. If there is some angle on the shackles, it easily spreads the shackles down and out. If the shackles are flat, it imposes side loads on the spring perch as the spring tries to spread under load.

There are warnings about too-flat shackles on older threads.
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Old 06-14-2019, 11:41 AM   #15
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by skidmarks View Post
Or reverse the main leaf your self. It's pretty simple if you take your time.
There are threads on the HAMB of various approaches to reversing the main spring yourself.
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Old 06-14-2019, 12:52 PM   #16
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

The title of this thread is, what is the BEST way to lower a 41 ?
The BEST way is a dropped axle.
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Old 06-14-2019, 01:38 PM   #17
Henry Floored
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I used a Magnum 4” drop axle which actually lowers the car 2”. It works and performs perfectly and the car handles well (I dropped the rear slightly more than the front, I hate a forward rake on fat fender cars.)

The drawback is you have to either bend or cut off and replace the spindle steering arms. I did the latter and as I said it works perfectly.
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Old 06-14-2019, 01:39 PM   #18
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

P. S. You can see the stance of the car in my avatar.
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Old 06-14-2019, 02:31 PM   #19
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I'm for big and littles.....................
Paul in CT
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Old 06-14-2019, 02:36 PM   #20
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Default Re: Best way to lower the front '41 coupe?

I like dropped axles, but no where near as simple as reversing the eyes on the spring! I'd do both, but I like them low.
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