which ones to leave out? '39 pickup project
 

have the rear chassis pieces back together for my '39 pickup and am ready to reinstall springs.my question is it has a 14 leaf spring but since I won't be hauling a 1/2 ton of anything which ones should be left out to make a 12 leaf like passenger cars.going for a smoother ride.thanks GaryU.

Re: which ones to leave out? '39 pickup project
 

I would reinstall all of them, the suspension was designed for all of them.

Re: which ones to leave out? '39 pickup project
 

I disagree with your other adviser.While the suspension was designed for the spring with all leaves,it will ride VERY rough if you do not remove some leaves and while you are at it, grind where the shorter leaves have rubbed,make it smooth,paint each leaf and put silicone between the leaves.You won't believe the difference. James

Re: which ones to leave out? '39 pickup project
 

I've forgotten exactly how many I removed but I think it was about 5. Note that you will likely have to reuse at least some of the removed springs BELOW the main spring as a spacer so the spring retaining bolts will hold the revised spring stack firmly.

Attached are before and after pics of the same truck that I changed.

Looks better to me and rode better as well.

Good luck, Al

Re: which ones to leave out? '39 pickup project
 

I have 11 or 12 in my 39 P/U in the rear. It rides good in the rear but the front is a little soft and bottoms out once in a while, I need to add a leaf in the front. Take them out up above the bottom 5 so the ends are about where they belong. You don't want to take out 2 or 3 next to each other, the load won't spread on the leaf below and could break. G.M.