I may have donar springs in my 56 F-250 by a previous owner. My question is regarding the first spring after the main spring. The main spring has eyes in each end for mounting to the frame rails. The next spring has a large loop on one end and the other end has no loop. The looped end wraps around one of the spring eyes on the main spring. I do not know if this spring wraps around the spring eye at the front of the main spring or the rear of the main spring. Has anyone came across this on anything bigger than a F-100?

 

That second wrap was practiced way after 1956, either they were replaced by
a spring shop or somebody put later springs. No cause to worry the only
critical measurement is the rear hanger to the center bolt, and the total
lenght.

 

I also has that second loop on my -56 f100 pickup front springs?

 

The loop is on the front springs only. I suspect several leafs were added, including the (looped leaf) end was added to the stock springs. Does this loop face front or rear when used? When I took the springs apart, I can make an exact match with the stock springs on my 1/2 ton F-150's. I suspect the previous owner wanted to get the front end a little higher in the air for tire clearance. My F-250 is a long box and I installed a dually axel on the rear and dual adaptors on the front. Some guy on this forum have some really neat old fords that really sparked my interest in something other than my F-150's. This one is going to be a flatbed dually with smoke stacks. I would think a better option for tire clearance on the front would be less leafs, or at least stock, and a spacer to get her up a little.

 

I just got off the phone with a spring manufacturer in Michagin. He said the looped end of these springs (mid 70's) faces the front of the truck. Assuming the springs are a donar from this era, Im hoping they will work in my 56 F-250. They were in the truck when I bought it, but I never payed any attention to the oreintation when I took them out. I took a ton of pictures of the rear axel but non of the front, go figure.

 

In mine they are faceing forward

EDIT:

Backward and nothing else

 

Thanks JC. I found another artilcle on this forum about "military loop" on these springs. Its supposedly a safety feature that if the other springs break, this will hold them together. But in the same forum, one guy says to the front and another guy says no way, rear. The guy who argues the rear says the looped end always goes to the "fixed" end of the spring. I would assume that means that is not the end with the shackle arms that allow the spring to move back and forwards. Thanks for letting me know how yours are mounted.

 

If you are talking to Eaton spring in MI, those guys definitely know their s***!

 

Its Mishigan Springs......but I will try Eatons. Thanks AX. Getting more information comming in as I do more research. I had understood the mid 70's had the military loop but turns out it was before then based on your post and other information which confirmed exactly as you said.

 

I always cut the wraps off and bevel/round off the end.

 

Them wraps are kinda ugly..............and certainly if the logic was to keep whatever spring leafs did not break "secured" it never caught on to a lot of trucks.

 

I was in the garage yesterday AND

I must have had a brainfart they are fasing backwards, neglect anything I have written before

 

I already mounted them forward. The general consensus was forward, but there was also considerable research elsewhere that suggested cutting the loops off. If the purpose of the loops was to keep a portion of the springs in tacked in case of breakage, it would be logical to assume it would be pulled to a stop instead of pushed to a stop. The hole in the center of the looped leaf is dead center, which allows it or any of the other springs to be mounted in either direction. In my case, the springs had been removed and modified, so its hard to assume they were reinstalled correctly. I cant state either way is correct becasue there is just no absolute way to confirm which is correct as of this post. Everyone keep an eye on this issue and if someone can come up with an absolute and support it, we can all get our springs on the right way (if it matters).

 

Of the 3- F250 frames/trucks I have rebuilt, all three had the "loops" towards the front and the back. Not sure if all manufacturers are the same. I have always cut them off (got the idea from Mid-50 catalog).

Rear Loop



Front loop

 

Thanks for the photos....sounds like there are more than one way they can be mounted.