I bought some rear springs from mcveigh's. They have more leafs than my original springs, which makes me wonder if they will lift my rear end at all?
I have already removed the smallest leaf but am wondering if I should remove one more?
Can anyone answer my question?
Sounds like they sent you a set of heavy Duty springs, I would put them in and see how they ride before I would remove any leafs.
If they sent you '57 springs, they should fit. I had noticed in Mcveigh's ads all of the '57 springs he offered were 6 leaf. Mine has 4, and I was going to check with them when I ordered to see if they had the 4's available....or I may do as Lou suggested and try the 6's, and just remove a leaf or two if I don't like it. I definetly don't want a stiff ride, but some of the guys have said they had gone to the heavier springs with no negative results. Lou had posted a while back that some came with 5 or 7 springs, but I believe most had 4 or 6. Wagons, retracs, and converts. had the ones with more leafs. Rich
The cars I saw with 5 and 7 leaf springs were cars built in the Northeast. Ford may have put heaver springs in them because the roads here in the NE were really in such poor shape. (not that local roads are any better today)
i wasn't worried about them fitting, i just didn't want my rear end to have a "monster truck" style stance.
sorry I misread your initial post....where you said "lift" I somehow read "fit".
aLEX...LET US KNOW WHICH WAY YOU PUT THEM IN AND HOW YOU LIKED IT. dID YOU GET NEW SHACKLES AND BOLTS FROM MCVEIGH'S ALSO?
I got new shackles but i did not get new bolts. i didn't think about it, so i am currently looking for them locally. I think they are 12mm.
Alex, the stock '57 bolts would not have been metric..mine's still assembled until I get the rear member built to the specs I want, so I don't have one I can look at.
Hmmm...got me wondering...Canadian Fords weren't built with metric bolts were they? I can imagine the mass of confusion that would have caused!
Rich
i know that the factory bolts would be sae, but i measured the bolt hole in the front mount which is currently pressed into the spring and it came out at 11.96mm
That is 15/32 or a clearance hole for a 5/16 bolt.
Clearance hole? That is not a term i am familiar with.
The hole in your spring mount has 1/32 clearance so that the 5/16 diameter bolt will slide in without an interference fit. Metric sizes were not in common useage on North American Ford products until about 1979.
Correction!! I should have done the math before i jumped in here. Your hole is 15/32" as stated. The bolt will be 7/16".
i just got an email from mcveigh's, 7/16th is correct. I should have just emailed them to begin with.
Bad typing on my part, I meant to say "That is 15/32 or a clearance hole for a 7/16 bolt."
Alex, I was curious if the springs you got from McVeigh had any markings on them as to where they were made?
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=638
check it out. It says in a rather blurry fashion "Dayton Parts LLC"
Made in USA...very cool. I got to wondering since they were so cheap if they were made in Chchchchina. Thanks for posting that. Rich
No problem
I got them installed today. I did remove the smallest leaf from the pack and the outcome was good. I also used some 2" drop blocks so the stance is right.
Everything fit well and i would recommend these springs for anyone wanting new springs.
X2 on the recommendation. Put a set of 4 leaf springs on my Custom 300. Sits right where I want it & rides great.
I keep forgetting we have a supplier product review location. I took the liberty of quoting you guys and adding McVeigh to that board. Rich
Based on the good reviews for the McVeigh springs, I just ordered a set, including shipping, the cost is only $279, several hundred less than Concours Parts, the previous "best" price I could find. It was going to cost about $400 + tax to have them cold rearched locally. However, the local guys would have added one leaf and given me new U bolts.
Rich
My rear springs arrived and I got them installed without any problems. Right off, the rear of the car was no longer listing to the drivers side and the rear end was a little higher. This almost surprised me. I put one of the old springs next to a new spring and they measured the same height when sitting on the floor. I was thinking that the new spring would be sitting higher.
Driving was a big improvement. The lean in turns was markedly reduced. Just driving down the road you can't really tell much. Great price - good result - easy to do.
If anyone wants the old springs you can have them for the cost of shipping. Speak up soon or they will go to recycle.
Rich
I assume you got the 6 leaf springs? We're all due for something to go easy for a change...glad to hear the springs went well.
No, I did not get the 6-leaf springs. Got the stock units. They are working fine.
My next project will be to see if I can quiet the interior of the car. Too many squeaks and groans. I am pretty sure that my car is the only one on the planet that does this. I put in a bunch of sound deadening materials in the 1937 Chevy that I restored and what a difference that made.
Rich