Front spring info

[akitagandy]

I have been looking at speedway trying to figure out which spring to buy,standard,reverse or what, all I know is I want to paint it,I found the look i am after.

 

[Humidi-T]

Spring is based on the width of the perches, which depend on axle confguration. You'll have to know your mounting specs before you can order one, or roll the dice and build the car to fit it.

 

[akitagandy]

Why are some springs mounted on top of the spring plate and some on the bottom

 

[LumenAl]

I have been looking at speedway trying to figure out which spring to buy,standard,reverse or what, all I know is I want to paint it,I found the look i am after.

Well as far as the spring goes, it's a spring over as opposed to a spring behind... also has traditional I beam axle typically seen on 32 hi-boys and such, but just personal preference of this or tube axle... as you can see with it car, it sits up a little taller with a spring over on the front end, but some of that is offset my mounting the springs to the top of the spring perch vs. below which is more common... Nice look!

 

[Rick]

Mounting the spring on top will make the car sit higher.Behind makes the car sit lower.Hope this helps

 

[LumenAl]

Why are some springs mounted on top of the spring plate and some on the bottom

simply preference and design... I like a more finished look to the spring perch so my spring is mounted below the perch and I use a spring behind axle... no exposed bolts...

 

[rooster57]

My advice is to pick one design and stay with it . As an example the CCR plans have the angle of the batwings set at the angle that is needed to have long radius rods using the CCR plans with short radius rods causes an angle problem. The placement of the motormounts on a CCR frame may not work so well with a total body or a spirit body. These are some of the things i had to work on. This is not to say you cant mix and match parts i did. But in the big picture if u buy spirit frame ,front axel and brackets shazam they will fit and function right.

 

[akitagandy]

I want to use an I beam and a spring behind I like that look and not a lot of chrome

 

[Humidi-T]

I want to use an I beam and a spring behind I like that look and not a lot of chrome

My bucket has a custom spring behind on an original Ford I-beam. No chrome.

I said custom because my spring mounts to the sides of original 47-49 dogleg split 'bones on brackets that I designed and built.

Spring over perch- Your spring sits on top of the perch and is retained only by the u-bolts, with the full weight of the car plus road loads on those U-bolts. You can lower the car with spacers, but have to cut the perch to raise the car.

Spring under perch- The weight of the car sits on top of the spring, and the bolts just retain the spring when the car is lifted. You can raise the car with spacers, but can't lower it without modifying the perch.

Spring over axle- more traditional design original Fords were built this way, requires a heavier drop axle to bring the frame down. Allows drag link behind the axle where it belongs. Keep Ackerman correct.

Spring behind axle- give cleaner front end, hides the shackles, allows less drop in the axle while still getting the car down low. usually (but not always) requires front mounted drag link which usually (but not always) means the ackerman is off.

If you don't have alot of fab skills, stick with one manufacturer and the parts that were designed to fit togethor. This usually means a long build time if you are on a budget.

If fabrication is your forte, then find you an axle and go with it. It is important to know your skill level. If you can't weld, or know someone who can, then go with a kit manufacturer's parts.

If you can, then make it work.

 

[akitagandy]

I'm lucky, I have always been able to build anything, When you don't have money you have to learn to do a lot of things

 

[rooster57]

That has been my problem ''no money'' so if u want one you have to build it yourself. You guys with sons to share this experence with are lucky. It is the memories you build with your kids that is the real result of this type of project. Good luck i hope u get started soon.

 

[Mikes Bucket]

I want to use an I beam and a spring behind I like that look and not a lot of chrome

Are you looking for something like the attached photo? This happens to be my T under construction (the second time around).

This front end uses the following parts from Speedway Motors: Super Bell front axle(4" drop for 28-34 Ford) with a Posies reverse eye spring (2"drop), long upper steering arm, tie-rod, spring perch u-bolts, axle perch bolts and spring shackles.

These parts are from Total Performance: Chassis, Radius Rods, Lower Steering Arms(note how they point outward for better Ackerman), spring hangers, and bat wings. I plan to use shock mounts from Total Performance as well.

I could probably come up with a parts list if this is what you're looking for.

If you happen to look in my gallery on this site, you can see how this spring/axle setup looks in a spring-over configuration too.

Mike

 

[LumenAl]

Like I said... all a mater of preference and look you want... all of them are options... what I like about the picture you referenced is the tie rod is behind the axle... keeps that old school look to it...