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Old 02-02-2020, 12:02 PM   #1
fordson
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Exclamation Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Iam thinking of removing 1 OR 2 leaves of my 10 leave - 34 Coupe rear spring, to just lower the car a little. I thought about the FIRST leave or ONE in the middle, but I am no expert on this. Maybe someone wants to share their experience or opinion on this:

How MANY and WHICH leave(s) are usually, or can be removed if one wants to lower the car, WITHOUT having issues with:
1) road driving safety
2) having with FRAME CONTACT when passengers (average weight of 70kg) are in the rumble seat

With respect to driving on modern tar roads!!!
Thank you
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Old 02-02-2020, 12:32 PM   #2
TomT/Williamsburg
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

In my avatar I removed the upper most springs first. What you have to make sure of is that you have enough thickness to cinch up the u- bolt properly. That usually means you take out the upper most leaves and put them on the bottom to retain the thickness needed.

While doing this you might want to think about installing a Teflon liner in between the remaining leaves for a better ride.

I am sure others will chime in here but I never remove any of the main long leaves as they are stepped in length and removing one might compromise the integrity of your spring.

Finally, Posies makes a nice rear spring that with a non reversed eye to your shackles lowers the car by about 2” and the reversed eye a bit more. Check their website for info if you are interested.
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Old 02-02-2020, 12:41 PM   #3
DavidG
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Couldn't you just shorten and add threads to the bolt? Apart from that and far more importantly, only the very top leaf of an original spring is relieved along its upper outer edges to compensate for the fact that there is a small radius to the top inside corners of the rear cross member (it is not a 90 degree corner). What you are suggesting would leave only the edges of the remaining top leaf in contact with the underside of the cross member which is well removed from the design intent.
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Old 02-02-2020, 10:21 PM   #4
RalphM
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

I removed a couple top springs, and made a spacer to compensate for the U bolts. But some dips in the road did allow rear radius arms to contact frame.
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Old 02-02-2020, 10:23 PM   #5
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

If you want more. get or make some longer spring shackle plates or a reverse eye spring. Shackles Not as crucial for sway in the rear as in the front. Weird thing about removing springs is it makes it more spongie. Likes to bounce.


At some point you will effect frame to axle. Just no way around it depending on inches of lowering or moddin' the frame. You can cut the bump stops a little. Look vs ride.

Last edited by Tinker; 02-02-2020 at 10:32 PM.
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Old 02-03-2020, 05:52 PM   #6
fordson
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

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I got a reverse eye main leaf from Vern Tardel, now were going to assemble the spring again. I looked at Posies, but i wanted to use original parts, like kind of traditional and was wondering what they would have done in the old days (leaving rear cross member stock that is)
Thought about the liner too, but does it make a real difference!?
The U-bolts i would shorten and add threads. Interesting solution to remove top leaf and add to bottom to retain thickness ( TomT&#128077.
However as David pointed out, i gather that the top leaf should stay as is to be in correct position to the inside corners of the rear cross member (what an insight&#128563 That would leave the 2nd leaf as an option to be removed. I think i would leave it at that, hoping one leaf removed (2nd from the top) gives the car an almost original ride without beeing too spongie.
Dont know if that makes any sense!🤔
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Old 02-03-2020, 07:21 PM   #7
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

If you want a slight lowering of the rear end, then yes, it does make sense.

One further note about adding plastic liners between the leaves or not is that cumulatively they add thickness to the overall spring assembly. Depending on the number of leaves and therefore liners, the original U-bolts will prove to be too short and will have to be replaced with longer ones.
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Old 02-04-2020, 01:31 PM   #8
TomT/Williamsburg
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

I should clarify my post above about the Teflon spring liners. I only use them between the longer leaves, not the short ones - about 5 I think. My avatar has them and it does make a difference for me driving the car across country as much as a I do. But, if you drive it occasionally with few long trips (50 miles plus one way say), you would not really need them.

Sorry for not saying this before .....
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Old 02-04-2020, 04:18 PM   #9
fordson
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Great, thank you so much for the detailed advice!!
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Old 02-04-2020, 10:03 PM   #10
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

If you just want to drop it an inch or so. Just replace the shackles. Vern approved.

Could do a combo of both, a spring and shackles.


Best of luck. look forward to the before and after pictures.



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Old 02-09-2020, 03:07 PM   #11
fordson
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Tinker, where can i get the shortened shackle plates you posted a j-peg of?
I would like to get as much drop as possible the traditional way.
If that works in conjunction with the reverse eye main leaf, its what i need to have!!
Thskks Randolf
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Old 02-09-2020, 03:38 PM   #12
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Longer Shackle bars. The shackles stock should be at a 45 degree angle when installed under pressure. The longer shackles decrease this angle a bit but does have some angle or tension at 1" or 2" drops. Angle/Tension is to control sway. Reason I wouldn't use it on the front personally. Drop axle is better.


Make sure you leave some room between the axle and the frame. Don't want to bottom out.



socal 1" and 2": Lower your car in the front 1935-1940 Ford passenger car or 1935-1940 pick up or your 1932-1940 Ford passenger car or pick up in the rear.
https://www.socalsac.com/product-p/v...m?1=1&CartID=0
https://www.socalsac.com/category-s/1917.htm


verns: description says for 35-40 fords (maybe talking the front shackles, not of a fan of lowering shackles for the front). Not sure why not for 32-34 rear
https://www.verntardel.com/store/c17/Chassis.html






.

Last edited by Tinker; 02-09-2020 at 05:53 PM.
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Old 02-09-2020, 06:58 PM   #13
tubman
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

And the world comes full cycle. Go for it guys, It worked for me in 1959.
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Old 02-09-2020, 08:31 PM   #14
Tinker
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Randolf just be prepared that a new spring might have some lift/arch to it compared to the old spring. Even reversed it might not lower as much as promised. Over time it will settle in.
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Old 02-10-2020, 01:54 AM   #15
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Hope you realise that longer shackles on a early ford doesn´t ad to side stability...
I wouldn´t put it on my car since i like to drive like i stole it..
Friction between leafs is what turned cars over to coil springs...you can´t have a smooth starting of the suspension if you have friction...
To get a spring right you need it strong enough for the load first...then you arc it to fit you aplication/stand...and last you deal with the friction inside.
Just taking away leafs to lower it you end up bottoming out which is not good if you want to drive it hard either.
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Old 02-12-2020, 03:43 PM   #16
fordson
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Tinker, thanks for the info, Tardel is waiting for some stock from their foundry.
Of course longer shackle bars not shorter ones. Got to get the terminology right.
Flatheadmurre, thanks for pointing out the issue with sway!!
The more i think about it the more i realise the engineers at Ford were good at what they did, there is not much room to „play“and improve on their suspension design. Unless you alter the set up completely with coil springs, telescopic shocks or new modern designed springs or cutting and welding in a different rear crossmember and what not.
If i look at issues such as sponginess and bottoming out when removing leaves, sway and less sideway stability using longer shackle bars, i have to ask myself the uneasy question: why did and are people doing that??? Only for aesthetic reasons? Getting the looks and stance right?
I was under the impression these alterations could be done without sacrificing driving behaviour and would be more of an improvement. I obvoiusly have to give it a lot more thought than anticipated. With my dropped front axle and reverse eye spring i have to do something to the rear to get it down, otherwise itll look funny. I will try all the recommendations and hope it actually works, looks and driving wise!
Thanks
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Old 02-12-2020, 04:04 PM   #17
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Found this one, has a nice stance to it, not sure how it was accomplished.
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Old 02-12-2020, 05:12 PM   #18
alchemy
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

On my 32 tudor I started by removing a single leaf, I think about the fourth one up, to try and lower it a bit. Car sat OK (a mild hot rod), but I did notice hitting bottom on some hard bumps.

After about eight summers I took the spring out and de-arched all the leaves about an inch, and put that removed leaf back in. The car sits just slightly lower, but I noticed I bottomed out less. The as-Henry-designed-it spring works well for firmness on my sedan, and my de-arching got me the height I wanted. I can fit about three fingers between the axle and the 48 Ford axle snubbers (much softer than stock 32 snubbers).

I did all the de-arching on a 20-ton H press in my garage. There are lots of threads on the HAMB showing how to do it.
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Old 02-12-2020, 09:33 PM   #19
Tinker
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Less you have a really hopped up car and are doing donuts down the highway. I wouldn't worry about doing a 1" or 2" shackle drop on the rear, it is really less of an issue for 90% of cars. I never noticed anything, felt more so with taking a couple leaves out. Just remember if you feel the shackles are not what you want, just change them out. It's about a 2hr job once the bushings and pins are solid. It's really been done forever. I've seen them made as long as 5" dropped in the rear.

I use the 2" drop shackles on my 36. I drive it hard for a 36 with a healthy stockish 37 flathead block and stock drivetrain.

De-arching is an option.

.

Last edited by Tinker; 02-12-2020 at 09:42 PM.
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Old 02-16-2020, 12:56 PM   #20
fordson
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Default Re: Removing leaves of rear spring to lower 33/34 coupe

Ok, thank you for the advice, i will post my experience once we have done all the alterations. Itll be a while before the longer shackles have arrived!
Many regards, Randolf
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