Found a new pair of stock eye main leaf only springs with new bushings already installed and new 2 sets of spring clips on ebay. This would normally run about $289. I got them for 49 bucks!





I wanted to replace my old springs because the eyes on my main leafs were stretched out and the bushings were loose. I will re-use the rest of the spring pack but I will remove every other leaf to give me a bit of a drop in the front suspension. This should soften up the stock ride as well.


Time to break down the old spring packs...mine are kind of weird in that they have nine leaves rather than the stock eight. One is a helper spring that wraps around the spring eye. I first clamped the pack tightly with c-clamps then cut off the wraps with the cutoff wheel.


After the wraps were cut I slowly losened the center bolt and slowly released the tension on the clamps until all the leaves were free and not under any pressure.


both springs apart:


They were pretty cruddy and there is some pitting in there...I was hoping for better, but there were no cracks. The midfifty catalog suggests removing every other leaf by keeping the shortest then alternating every other one on up to the main leaf (1, 3, 5, 7) Well, I wasn't very happy with a few of those leaves I was supposed to keep so I used 1, 4, 5, 6. I hope it is OK? I have seen others use different leaves with no complaints so I felt OK doing it. We'll see.
I cleaned them up as best I could with a scuffing ball on a drill. It did fairly well, but I would have liked better.



After I cleaned up all the leaves and beveled the edges with a grinder, I placed strips of Poly-liner in between each of the leaves before clamping it all back down and putting in the longer head center bolts and spring clamps. Hopefully this will even out the pits and make the springs work more smoothly. I did not paint the leaves as many others advised against it. After I had it all done, I was kind of wishing I would have painted them just for the heck of it. The only question I had was how tight to make the spring clips on the the springs? I didn't know if I should leave some room for them to move or make them tight...I went kind of tight on them. Hope that was right?



I forgot to take pics in between of cutting the liner 1/4 longer on each end of the spring and laying them in place. I also forgot to take pics of me beveling the edges with the grinder.

Both spring packs...all done up with spring liner and new clamps:





All the extra leaves...I may keep them for a while just in case I need them again ??



I'll post another thread when I install them...got some other honey do's to do first.

I bet picking up my rusty mess in the drive is first, followed by throwing away those rusty pieces of metal on the side of the house..."but honey, I might need those!"

 

well they look pretty darn good ,i hope they work well for you.
i still have that 53 f-100 front end,if you need anything just let me know.

 

Please keep us posted on how much this dropped you get and how's the ride. Lookin good.

 

Thanks, I sure appreciate the offer. I think I have everything, but ya never know!

 

Will do...I'll post my progress with the rest of the frame as I do it. After the springs I am going to finish up the front suspension and then the brakes need plumbed.

I hope to someday get to the point that I can get to ride in it!

 

i just pulled mine apart { extra set } and removed some leaves , waiting to get the reverse eye mains , and i mesured the height before and after and i came up with an inch difference , probably be more after you put weight on 'em .