Roadster front spring questions

[Jacksonlll]

A roadster in our club has a very stiff front spring, and maybe the rear too. Very hard ride. I can stand on the front bumper and it hardly goes down. I searched the barn and someone said that the roadster only had 7 leafs instead of 10. Can I remove some leafs, and if so, which ones? Can I buy a new roadster spring? The catalogs all have ten leafs. I have not yet counted the leafs, but it must have 10 because it is so stiff.

[jhowes]

I would also like this answer. You could call Bratton's, Snyders, Berts, etc. and see what they say. This issue has come up before I'm sure. Jack

[Marshall V. Daut]

10 leaves in front (all Model A passenger cars), seven in the rear for a roadster.

Are the shocks connected? If so, disconnect the fronts and see if the connecting arms move. If they are frozen (as most are) that will make the ride harder because they prevent the spring from doing its job = springing. I am working on a car now with frozen V-8 front shocks that make the car ride and handle oddly. Off they come! Better no shocks that ones connected that are frozen up.
Marshall

[WHN]

I would look at the shocks (if there) also. Model A's ride great on good springs and shocks.

[Marshall V. Daut]

In the 1970's and early 1980's, Rick's Antique Auto in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, was selling imported front springs that were WAY too stiff for a Model A. They were perhaps designed for some other vehicle and just happened to fit a Model A. The price was cheaper than other vendors' correct springs (a limited number of vendors back then), so Rick's sold a bunch of these springs to dollar-conscious owners. I got stuck with one and had a H*ll of a time spreading it enough to slip in the shackles. It was almost like trying to spread a REAR spring! That should have been the first clue that something wasn't right. Guess what! The car rode like a gravel truck - like your friend's.
The leaves were also noticeably thicker than the standard Model A spring. Measure your friend's leaf thickness and compare the figures to a known good Ford spring. If thicker, that's part of the problem. He may have an older Rick's "Special" Argentinian front spring. If so, one or possibly two leaves could be removed to ease the springing action, yet not significantly alter the chassis' ride height because the leaves are thicker to start with.
The better way to go, however, is to belly up to the bar and order a new spring from a reputable Model A vendor. The company that makes these now has a website so that you can read about their springs, which are made to Ford spec's. Not cheap (like J.C. Whitney), but quality never is. http://www.a-springs.com/history.html
Marshall

[Marshall V. Daut]

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And don't forget to ensure that the shackles are not frozen in the spring's end eyes! That will suspend the spring and keep it from flexing, too. Use a long pry bar between the top of the axle and the bottom each spring end eye, and pry up. If the shackle swings in its arc, the shackle is not frozen (usually due to lack of lubrication over many years). If the shackle does not move, however, it's frozen. That will affect the ride and handling characteristics, as well. It's an easy and quick thing to check.
Marshall

[Kurt in NJ]

When was the last time the spring was lubricated?? ---when was oil last put in the spring lubricatioin point in the hand crank bearing

If the shocks don't work you may want to stay with the stiff spring though ---a well lubed flexible spring needs properly working shocks to stop the car from bouncing all over

Take a oil gun, fill it with AtF, motor oil ---squirt the spring real good up in the frame---make a mess, go for a drive, squirt it again ---do this a few times and most likely the spring will ooze gooey crap instead of dry red dust ,the ride will soften

[Bob C]

These springs are suppose to be good. http://www.a-springs.com/2b.html

Bob

[Jacksonlll]

Thanks for all the comments. Ill chase them all.

[Patrick L.]

In addition to the other info. These leaves have a tendency to wear cut grooves into each other which greatly limits their 'springability'.

Some leaves can be ground smooth, well, I guess all can be ground smooth, but, some end up too thin to use safely. I grind a relief radius to help reduce the cutting into each other.