front spring stuff

[Tacoma Bob]

Hi troops. I posted some steering issues a week or so ago and will be removing some conveyor belt material I placed "tween" the front spring and cross member several years ago. My question is this. Les Andrews says to put an 8" length of body webbing. What do most of you do? Do nothing, some sort of fabric or "waterproof" wheel bearing grease.

Thanks, TB

[msmaron]

Just changed the front spring and did nothing at all, never have in fact

[Patrick L.]

I just wrap a strip of thin oiled leather to fit between the top and side of the spring just to try and stop a chance of a squeak. I have enough other things that squeak.

[Barry B./ Ma.]

I know what you mean Patrick, I have a 30 Roadster too! I'll consider putting a webbing strip on mine.

[Tacoma Bob]

MMMM Thanks guys! I just now discovered another issue. years ago I put on a modern shock kit fore and aft. While taking the shocks off just now there is no travel in either shock to speak of. That tells me that if I hit say a speed bump the shocks will compress but when rebounding there is maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch of travel (if that). To my way of thinking I need to drill new holes on the upper mounting brackets to gain more "free" travel. Thoughts? I'm thinking of putting my friction shocks back on the front. Thoughts???

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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Hi Bob, glad to see you back and we're still thinking about you buddy!!

I guess the bottom line is you know that Henry did nothing on the Model-A here yet did so on the T's and early V8s. I guess it boils down to what are you trying to accomplish? In other words, what is the benefit? Personally I do not see any benefit of using leather/welting/grease IF everything is as originally spec-ed out. If the tie-bolt is correctly installed into the crossmember, along with the u-bolts correctly installed and tightened, the spring cannot move anyway. Also, the lower leaves are the moves that are moving the most whereas the upper spring that would be in contact with the crossmember hardly sees any deflection that would cause rubbing or a squeak. I guess my answer to you is decide what you are trying to accomplish and see if adding any of those helps you.

[Tacoma Bob]

Hi Brent and all and thanks by the way. I just removed the conveyor belt material and just got the axle back up into the cross member with nothing as henry did it. Any tricks to make sure I have the spring up in the cross member correctly. It's difficult to see up in there and I'm working alone today.

[paulizor]

Just did my front spring this week with new shackles along with a front brakes rebuild. the center bolt is square head and fits firmly into the cross member square hole. Glad you opted for no webbing since the extra thickness reduces the purchase into the hole. Before you crank down on the U-bolts, a good yank on the spring/axle assembly will tell you if you've captured the hole. U-bolt tightening should proceed on a crossing pattern and I torqued to nearly 100 ft/lbs. Nothing is moving. No squeaks.

[Larry Seemann]

Hi Bob, If you look from above behind the radiator you can clearly see the hand crank guide which you can move aside and see if the square bolt head is in the square hole in the cross member.

[Tacoma Bob]

Thanks all. What I wound up doing was to crawl underneath and passed a new hacksaw blade tween the spring and cross member. Realizing that the bolt head was not in the hole I reset the jack stands and dropped the front end down just a touch. I the raised the assembly back up to where the bolt head "just" made contact. I grabbed the front bumper and KERSNAP ! I was in business. Buttoned everything up and went for a quick test drive through the hood. The steering is much more positive. All in all I'm very pleased. This winter I will tackle the front shock issue. Thanks guys!!!