Lower a 35 front end

[jrvariel48]

I have a question for anyone who has lowered the front of their 35.
Is removing leafs from the front spring a good idea?
I was told that removing three leafs would lower the front about an inch or so as well as give it a smoother ride. I have the original spring in my car with liners and I can tell you when I hop up & down on my front bumper, the car doesn't move to much. Maybe because I only go about 165lbs.!
Also, once you remove the leafs, are the original u-bolts still gonna work?
It doesn't look like there's enough thread on them to tighten everything up properly. Or is some sort of spacer needed?
Any thoughts are always appreciated!
Joe

[Terry,OH]

The 35 should have a very smooth ride on the front end, with all the spring leafs. If you remove leafs the mounting clips will have to be shimmed. You may want to see if you have the correct spring. 35 springs do not have the groove in the center for a grease passage. No Zerk fitting on the center bolt and the #2 leaf does not wrap around the end of the #1 longest leaf. Because the spring can not be lubed in place, you may want to remove it and clean between leafs re-lube and try it.

[jrvariel48]

Terry, I believe this is the correct spring. It has been taken apart, blasted & powder coated. I then installed the liners. No groove or grease fitting.
The second leaf bends about half way around the eye. Is that correct?
I could attach a picture if needed.
Thanks for your reply.
Joe

[jrvariel48]

Here's a couple of pictures

[Terry,OH]

The second leaf is bending around the 1st. Can't tell from the photos if the ends of the leafs are tapered thinner and thinner to a rounded point, should be. may have some leafs replaced or the entire spring.

[TJ]

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I generally run a 9 leaf front spring and get rid of the shortest ones on top. You will need to make a spacer on the bottom side, so the U bolts and plates can pull up tight. Using the Teflon spring liner will "fatten up" the spring and your spacer will only need to be about 1/4". I also use a reversed eye lower leaf which will give you another 1" drop.

[joel]

I tried to answer with pix, but It said I was missing a security token, sorry. Never happened before. About the same answer as TJ and this will make a huge difference in the ride. go for it.

[V8COOPMAN]

FWIW, almost appears bottom two leaves are original, and the rest possibly newer. DD

[Kurt in NJ]

The type of spring with the 2nd leaf wrapped around the eye came out later, it should be the type with the hollow center bolt with a fitting looking like a grease fitting, but it wasn't for grease, it was for spring lube.(Ford spring lube specs--77-1/2% ice machine oil, 20% talc,2-1/2% pulverized asbestos)

I tried liners in my 46, though it was an improvement until we got an original 39 that had properly lubed springs

The condition, type and adjustment of the shocks is also a factor

In your picture of the front spring mounting it looks like you must already have less than the noemal leaf count, there are washers and the cotter pin holes look to be redrilled, liners make the spring thicker, but it looks like your setup is with a thinner spring

[blucar]

The procedure used to lowering the front and/or rear of an EFV8 depends on two things.. Do you want a car that is potentially unsafe, then use the old-school method of removing leafs, heating the springs, reverse spring eyes, using long shackles, etc.
If you want a car that is safe to drive with good control, use a dropped axle on the front end.
When I was young and broke, I used all of the "Old School" methods, as I got a little older and smarter, with a little more money in my pocket, I embraced the dropped axle, stock springs and shackles school of thought..

[jrvariel48]

I looked in the Early Ford book and it shows the spring to have 12 leafs, which I have.
The picture doesn't show the 2nd leaf wrapped around the eye though.
I have a early 35. Maybe this is not the correct spring hence the stiffness!
blucar-this is in addition to a dropped axle. Sorry I should have mentioned that!

[PeterC]

I have full stock front spring which was disassembled, cleaned with the lower spring reversed and re-arched for a reverse eye - then the stock axle was dropped 3 inches so you have the lower stance seem in my avatar. That with the big little combo gets you to this stance.

[dude]

dropped axle, re-arched main leaf. re-arched spring good for 2" + dropped axle good for another 2".

[Bassman/NZ]

Originally Posted by blucar

The procedure used to lowering the front and/or rear of an EFV8 depends on two things.. Do you want a car that is potentially unsafe, then use the old-school method of removing leafs, heating the springs, reverse spring eyes, using long shackles, etc.
If you want a car that is safe to drive with good control, use a dropped axle on the front end.
When I was young and broke, I used all of the "Old School" methods, as I got a little older and smarter, with a little more money in my pocket, I embraced the dropped axle, stock springs and shackles school of thought..

Long shackles.... bad
Heating springs.... bad
Reversing spring eyes.... good. Has absolutely nothing to do with safety.

[Fe26]

[Quote] I generally run a 9 leaf front spring and get rid of the shortest ones on top.

This is an approach I would not take. The first two springs act as stiffeners, they help keep the very centre section of the spring rigid. This is neccessay to limit movement at the centre of the spring where the hole is. The hole is the weak point on the spring, and to prevent stress cracking around the bolt hole this area has less flexibility than the rest of the spring. Also the first spring is shaped to allow the spring to fit into the crossmember, this is important.

When removing leaves from a spring and counting from the top remove #3, 6 & 9. This allows the spring to maintain a steady and consistant resistance to the loading the spring will undergo is use.

[Bassman/NZ]

[QUOTE=Fe26;824379]

I generally run a 9 leaf front spring and get rid of the shortest ones on top.

This is an approach I would not take. The first two springs act as stiffeners, they help keep the very centre section of the spring rigid. This is neccessay to limit movement at the centre of the spring where the hole is. The hole is the weak point on the spring, and to prevent stress cracking around the bolt hole this area has less flexibility than the rest of the spring. Also the first spring is shaped to allow the spring to fit into the crossmember, this is important.

When removing leaves from a spring and counting from the top remove #3, 6 & 9. This allows the spring to maintain a steady and consistant resistance to the loading the spring will undergo is use.

Well said.

[swedishsteel]

I have a '36 coupe and tudor sedan--both have a monoleaf spring with reversed eyes in the front. Sedan has stock axle, coupe 2 1/2 inch drop. Monoleafs come with several blocks that, along with the spring, make the total thickness of a stock spring so the original u bolts work. You can adjust the ride height by putting blocks above or below the spring. Works great and rides good, too. Rod

[FL&WVMIKE]

I don't think that I will lower my '35. I think that the original, stock level look is perfect.
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE - Twice

[VeryTangled]

Hubba hubba! That's the way I like it.

-VT/JeffH

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

I don't think that I will lower my '35. I think that the original, stock level look is perfect.

Your 35 is beautiful! Congrats!