Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-08-2011, 07:49 AM   #1
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Rear roadster spring

Can someone school me on the roadster spring.. I believe they are all 7 leaves....my question is if there is a difference between a 1928 and a 1929,1930, 1931? thanks
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2011, 10:38 AM   #2
d.j. moordigian
Senior Member
 
d.j. moordigian's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fresno, Ca.
Posts: 3,636
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

brokenspoke,

Try this, should cover all cars....BTW, no difference.

. .. Rear spring exploded drawing....

didn't work, look in search, at the top of the page.

Last edited by d.j. moordigian; 02-11-2011 at 08:04 PM.
d.j. moordigian is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 02-08-2011, 06:56 PM   #3
dave in australia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 1,175
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

The roadster spring is the same for all years. It has seven leaves plus a spacer, so the chassis clamps are the same as a coupe or phaeton.
dave in australia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2011, 07:17 PM   #4
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

I was told that the roadster spring is shaped differently, from all the others
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2011, 07:22 PM   #5
msmaron
Senior Member
 
msmaron's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wauconda, IL
Posts: 3,600
Send a message via AIM to msmaron
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

The Dummy plate is shaped different.. more square ends that is all
__________________
Mark Maron
Ill., Region MARC & MAFCA
MARC JSC Member MAFFI Trustee
National Facebook Admin.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MARC.group/

A7191-Sport Coupe
29 Roadster
29-Town Sedan
29-Original Special Coupe
msmaron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2011, 09:02 PM   #6
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I was told by a old timer that in 1928 the roadster had a spring shaped like a Model T spring..then changed it to the more common roadster spring....any one have a picture of it if this is true

Last edited by brokenspoke; 02-08-2011 at 09:04 PM. Reason: spelling
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 07:53 AM   #7
dave in australia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 1,175
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Quote:
Originally Posted by brokenspoke View Post
I was told by a old timer that in 1928 the roadster had a spring shaped like a Model T spring..then changed it to the more common roadster spring....any one have a picture of it if this is true
The different shape comes from the different number of leaves amounting to different spring pressure on the main leaf.
dave in australia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 09:53 AM   #8
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

The "True" roadster spring has a different configuration than the 8 or 10 leave springs....the amout of leaves does not change that....My orginal question is if there is a difference between 1928 and the others, 29, 30, and 31 on the roadsters?
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 10:59 AM   #9
d.j. moordigian
Senior Member
 
d.j. moordigian's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fresno, Ca.
Posts: 3,636
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Marco told me NO, they are all the same. Seven leaves on the top and a dummy
on the bottom. If you are looking at the drawing in the Service Bulletins? It left
me confused also, my roadster spring " looks " like an ordinary spring ( same shape ).
If you did the search, from my first post, you can measure the springs to see if you
have the correct one. Still frustrated ?
d.j. moordigian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 12:10 PM   #10
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

I just found a ( A springs.com ) he has a true roadster spring listed...he says that they are different configuration but the same cord length, I'm still confused yes

Last edited by brokenspoke; 02-09-2011 at 12:10 PM. Reason: addition
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 02:56 PM   #11
Mikeinnj
Senior Member
 
Mikeinnj's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,262
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

I bought a 7 leaf roadster spring from (A springs.com) and it only had 7 leaves and did not include the dummy leaf that is necessary to make it a true roadster spring. The ends of each leaf were not beveled, so the whole spring had to be disassembled and I beveled each leaf so they would not wear on the leaves below them. The paint quality was terrible so the leaves had to be sanded,cleaned, primed and painted, greased and reassembled.....

Last edited by Mikeinnj; 02-09-2011 at 02:56 PM. Reason: typo
Mikeinnj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 06:29 PM   #12
hardtimes
Senior Member
 
hardtimes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South California
Posts: 6,188
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Marco..told me 7 leafs on top and filler on the bottom Question:
What difference or problem, if any, to locate filler/dummy leaf on bottom or top of the roadster spring? Does it have to do with contour of rear cross member?
hardtimes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 06:41 PM   #13
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeinnj View Post
I bought a 7 leaf roadster spring from (A springs.com) and it only had 7 leaves and did not include the dummy leaf that is necessary to make it a true roadster spring. The ends of each leaf were not beveled, so the whole spring had to be disassembled and I beveled each leaf so they would not wear on the leaves below them. The paint quality was terrible so the leaves had to be sanded,cleaned, primed and painted, greased and reassembled.....

Was the spring a different configeration from standard spring?
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 07:59 PM   #14
d.j. moordigian
Senior Member
 
d.j. moordigian's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fresno, Ca.
Posts: 3,636
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

..." configuration "... as in shape ? I asked you this in my second response,
are YOU looking at the picture in the Service Bulletins ?

Maybe somebody can post a photo of a Roadster rear spring...PLEASE
d.j. moordigian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 08:16 PM   #15
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Quote:
Originally Posted by hardtimes View Post
Marco..told me 7 leafs on top and filler on the bottom Question:
What difference or problem, if any, to locate filler/dummy leaf on bottom or top of the roadster spring? Does it have to do with contour of rear cross member?
If you put the dummy leaf on top it will jack up the rear of the car by that thickness.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 09:59 PM   #16
Ron in Quincy
Senior Member
 
Ron in Quincy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Quincy, CA.
Posts: 1,708
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Al original A spring leaves were tapered on the ends; replacement springs leaves, front or rear, will usually be square cut on the ends.

I believe a original Roadster main leaf rear spring had a different shape than the main leaf spring in a 8 leaf rear spring.

As said above, the roadster 7 leaf rear spring had a dummy spring on the bottom; the u-bolts and spacer bars were the same as used on 8 leaf springs installed in Coupes and Phaetons.

Some where among my litature I have an article that Ford issued (sorry can't seem to locate) . The just of the article was : the Roadster rear spring will no longer be produced, the article went on to say to use a 8 leaf rear spring, it told which leaf to remove, and to make a dummy leaf for the bottom. I recall the leaf to be removed was above the spring clamps so the clamps wouldn't have to be changed.

I made the above modification on my 28 Roadster back in 1968 as I couldn't locate an original 7 leaf spring. I put lots of miles on the Roadster and never had a problem nor did this spring change the appearance of the Roadster regarding side view.

Ron
Ron in Quincy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 11:30 PM   #17
Mikeinnj
Senior Member
 
Mikeinnj's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,262
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

I bought a 7 leaf roadster spring from (A springs.com) and it only had 7 leaves and did not include the dummy leaf that is necessary to make it a true roadster spring. The ends of each leaf were not beveled, so the whole spring had to be disassembled and I beveled each leaf so they would not wear on the leaves below them. The paint quality was terrible so the leaves had to be sanded,cleaned, primed and painted, greased and reassembled.....

"Was the spring a different configeration from standard spring?"

I do not know, I had no original to compare it with....
Mikeinnj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2011, 11:50 PM   #18
Geo. H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 374
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

If I'm interepreting the parts price list correctly, the main leaf was the same on all years, 28-31, and was used on several body styles including the 40A & B. I bought a new spring from Snyders for my roadster. I took it apart, sand blasted it, sprayed the mating surface with slip spray, reassembled and painted. It works.
Geo. H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 12:13 AM   #19
hardtimes
Senior Member
 
hardtimes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South California
Posts: 6,188
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg View Post
If you put the dummy leaf on top it will jack up the rear of the car by that thickness.
Tom,
Of course! Thanks..brain lock.
hardtimes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 08:04 AM   #20
brokenspoke
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anderson, Texas
Posts: 275
Default Re: Rear roadster spring

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in Quincy View Post
Al original A spring leaves were tapered on the ends; replacement springs leaves, front or rear, will usually be square cut on the ends.

I believe a original Roadster main leaf rear spring had a different shape than the main leaf spring in a 8 leaf rear spring.

As said above, the roadster 7 leaf rear spring had a dummy spring on the bottom; the u-bolts and spacer bars were the same as used on 8 leaf springs installed in Coupes and Phaetons.

Some where among my litature I have an article that Ford issued (sorry can't seem to locate) . The just of the article was : the Roadster rear spring will no longer be produced, the article went on to say to use a 8 leaf rear spring, it told which leaf to remove, and to make a dummy leaf for the bottom. I recall the leaf to be removed was above the spring clamps so the clamps wouldn't have to be changed.

I made the above modification on my 28 Roadster back in 1968 as I couldn't locate an original 7 leaf spring. I put lots of miles on the Roadster and never had a problem nor did this spring change the appearance of the Roadster regarding side view.

Ron
So its true that the true 1928 roadster spring had a different shape. I wonder if the roadster sit lower using it? I appreicate your effort in answering my question
brokenspoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:02 PM.