How many leaf springs?

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Dave Young
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How many leaf springs?

Post by Dave Young » Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:02 am

I’m in the process of putting a much better frame (thanks to Charlie Gagel) under my 26 RPU. I’ve got the leaf springs all apart to paint them and apply Slip-Plate. My rear set has 8 leaves. Is this the correct number?


Fire_chief
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Fire_chief » Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:31 am

26/27 sedans and heavier vehicles used 9 leafs.
I would go with the 8, just how much weight are you planning on hauling?


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Dave Young
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Dave Young » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:56 am

Well, I gotta haul Cathy around. Maybe 10 leaves if she packs a cooler?


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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by 67pontiac » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:35 am

Sometimes the seemingly simplest questions require a very complicated answer. I have two 1926 roadster pick-ups. The earlier of the two was originally sold as a roadster and it had 8 leaves in the rear spring. The later of the two came from the factory as a pick-up and it has 9 leaves in the rear spring. I am the third owner on both pickups, (my father was the second owner of both). I'm sure neither rear spring was ever changed from what was supplied by the Ford Motor Company. I guess the short answer would be-- either 8 or 9 leaves will work, it just depends how much load you are planning to haul. I hope this helps. Regards, Bill


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Dave Young
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Dave Young » Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:04 am

Thanks guys. I’ll stick with slippery 8 and have a nice soft ride.


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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Original Smith » Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:31 pm

It all depends on how accurate you want to be. All pickups were supposed to have 9 leafs. It really doesn't matter if you don't care.


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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Norman Kling » Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:59 pm

If you want 8 leaves, fine. Very unlikely someone will crawl under to count. However, if you want 9 in the future, you will need to remove the spring and replace the through bolt with a longer one.
Norm


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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by speedytinc » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:16 pm

You can vary the tire pressure for a softer ride. I find 2 of us with no load rides nice @28#. When I am carrying a heavy load, up to 40#.
27 roadster P/U.

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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Oldav8tor » Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:10 pm

Related question. A friend is building up a depot hack and would like to add a leaf to the rear spring. How is that done? Do you have to buy an all-new spring pack?
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by George House » Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:32 pm

No on the all new spring pack. But it’ll depend on the year of his depot hack if he wants to be original. The new and improved Model Ts utilized a ‘flatter’ front and rear spring. Probably the easiest and quickest is to disconnect the entire rear end and spring from the frame with the latter on jack stands.. then attach 2 large C clamps tightly onto the ends of the 2nd to the top leaf. Now remove the bolt and install the extra spring leaf. But he’ll have to use a ‘19-‘25 leaf if that’s his present spring and a ‘26-27 spring leaf if that’s his present rear spring,
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Oldav8tor » Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:34 pm

Thanks George. it's a 1922. We'll be pulling the rear end for some work so this will be the time to do it. Now to find some springs.

BTW - You may not remember me but we met on the 2019 Covered Bridge tour in Indiana. One day we all took a wrong turn down a farmer's driveway and the guy from California (we met a couple that needed a ride) was driving and stalled my '17 touring. We all tried to crank with no luck and ended up pushing it down a slight hill towards his barn to get it started..... it was a hot day for us, probably not for a Texan :lol: Anyway, I don't know if I said thanks....but thanks!
Before I had a top installed.....My wife is the one with the crazy grin!
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by George Mills » Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:38 am

FWIW...My Depot Hack came with a brand new 9 leaf spring in the rear...previous owner didn't have it made, bought from a T supply house.

It rides like there is no spring in the back period...maybe because I never have a load, but I sure do feel it up front!

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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by TWrenn » Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:35 am

Dave Young wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:56 am
Well, I gotta haul Cathy around. Maybe 10 leaves if she packs a cooler?
Man you're cruisin' for a bruisin'!! :lol: :lol:

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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by George House » Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:48 am

Howdy Tim !! Sure I remember that wrong turn event 😜 and meeting your entourage. Happens to me on every tour. Makes it more enjoyable...
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪

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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:32 am

George - I forgot to ask, do you add an extra 2nd or 3rd spring? If a 3rd, do you trim it to an intermediate length?

------
As to the wrong turn...in our defense, the instructions could have been better. That happened to us a couple of times on that tour......
Just happened upon this photo. Trying to get the old buggy running again. When hot it was really hard to crank and the starter sometimes couldn't turn it over unless you cranked it beyond compression. I eventually got a 12 volt, modern geared WOSP starter and have never had a problem yet. Starts first time, every time, hot, cold, whatever.

Came across this photo....I think we'd all tried cranking and were trying to figure out what to do next. Found out that pushing works good if you've got a few folks that can give it a shove without falling over (oldtimers joke.)
DSC_8311-copy.jpg
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Re: How many leaf springs?

Post by George House » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:03 pm

Ha! What an adventure ! As I remember, the ladies pushed your touring too. ....,No ones going to look up to the inside of your rear frame crossmember. Just ensure you have a long enough rear spring leaf bolt and put a shorty on top of your spring stack. Don’t forget the rubber or leather pad on top.
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪

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