MTFCA Forum

This front spring is on a 1926 ish frame. It has 9 leafs. They do not taper smoothly, the second to the bottom one is shorter than the third from the bottom. The fourth from the bottom may be broken at the tip. The spring clamps are missing on both sides. The stack is rotated a bit towards the camera and on the other side is rotated away. The top leaf tip is broken off as they usually are. I would like to save it if I can. I am thinking through a plan of what to do with this but could use advise/suggestions.

That spring has been cobbled together from multiple sources. Some of the leaves are tapered end items from a pre 1917 T, and no doubt somebody could use those. Rather than mess with what you have, it may be a better idea to look for another complete spring.

Allan from down under.

Guess a lot depends on what your goal is? I would find a proper 26/27 front spring that was correct or at the minimum one that was all the correct leafs, not a mixed bag of parts. Do you have the correct 26/27 spindles in place on it or are they the 25 back?

Makes me wonder if someone concocted this for extra support - leaning to one side from weak leaves, or maybe on a TT, heavy body (fordor?), or commerical service? Or built up because that's all the parts they had? I'm curious how they "feel" as compared to a car with "normal" springs.

Ideally, I would replace it with the correct spring for the car... not too hard, and not too expensive. Like Mark said, tho, it depends on your goals... If it works, and isn't overly stiff (say like if it would be were on a roadster or speedster) you could run it. That's what I love about T's... you can get away with a lot you can't on other cars.

Just speaking from experience and helping others build their Speedsters.., start drawing a sketch of the car or have good photos of others cars with your likes in the design. If you are lowering, extending, sliding items/components back will all have an effect on how many leafs vs arch of the spring will have. Your “hay wagon” is a start but should be in no way be an out of the box fit. Way too many variables in Speedster building. What is your vision in this car would be a bonus?

Just trying to Help,

Hank

Hey doc; do you know ‘26-‘27 Ford front springs are different from previous front springs ? The arch is lower. Yes, Allan is right. The spring in your picture has been assembled from multi years and assembled not in order (longer spring leafs above shorter leafs). For instance, if you install a ‘24 Front spring in a New and Improved Model T, it’ll sit up noticeably higher.
Hank- what makes you think hes only building a speedster?

Here are pictures of the spindles. Here is the differential. I found in my stash a set of front springs from Shirley. The top leaf is broken, where can I get one?

George et al, original thread 'Hay Wagon to Speedster' and goal Speedster links here: https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13134

Oh, ... OK.. then it’ll be a “speedster”. Then the front spring won’t matter. Use that one

Ignatio, the photos of the spindles do not allow me to tell if they are the later 26-7 lowered type. You are looking to see if the actual spindle on the spindle body is closer to the top, rather than at about the centre. The frame is 26-7, the rear axle is 26-7, but there is a wide variety of bits which are earlier. The spindles may not be 26-7. Both front and rear spring shackles are the earlier L type, so there is a mix of bits on the front axle too.

Allan from down under.

Allan, thanks here is another picture of the spindle. I do not see a number on the frame where I think it should be. I thought 1926-27 had a frame number?

That is a 26-7 spindle. The spindle is closer to the top of the spindle body, Thus lowering the car approx 1/2". a flatter front spring was used to drop it even further.

Allan from down under.

I have taken it out and and it has...10 leaves! The top leaf is intact. I think they put so many leaves in to level it as a hay wagon. The screen below is an early spring for comparison. -- IV