Do 1/2 ton panels and 1/2 ton pickups use the same rear leaf springs?

 

They are not differentiated in the Parts book, so I'd say they are the same.

 

What year panel are we talking about? Early catalogs showed different springs for panel delivery vs, F1 pickups for 48-52. 9 leaf for panel, 10 leaf for pickup, with an 11 leaf available as a heavy duty option. Presumably they are interchangeable. I'm not aware of the length being different on panel springs. 53 and 54 F100 show application by leaf count only, not type of truck. There were 4 options. 55 had different springs still, and I believe the length changed on rear springs in 55. They had 3 spring options for half ton trucks. By the time the later catalogs were printed, and I'm guessing that's what Ross is looking at, several springs may have gone obsolete and the available options were limited.

 

Good catch, in other posts he says he has a '56, I was assuming Bonus Built. The Parts CD shows all kinds of options for "J" trucks (panels) in that era. There doesn't seem to be any differentiation between 1/2-ton and 3/4-ton J trucks?

Need to add your truck info to your signature, Thomc!

 

The J code is for the parcel delivery trucks, not panel. Panels are listed under the C with the half tons, but have notations in the remarks if there's anything specific to panels. My old catalog shows a p/n 21C-A 9 leaf spring for 48-52 panel deliveries. Interesting Ford had narrowed down the available springs for 53-4 to one in your book, but have 4 options for 55-6. The B6C 7 leaf progressive must have been new for 56 and is not listed in my book.

 

Bill/Number Dummy has pointed out that the Parts CD tends to only show the available service parts at the end of the period, in this case sometime after '56. What's the date on your book?

I think the answer to OP's question is that 1/2-ton/F-100 springs will work, right?

 

The parts CD is based on the last printing of the 48-56 catalog from 1964, and it only lists service parts available at the time of printing. Many parts had gone obsolete, had numbers changed or consolidated in the years between. I have an original print catalog from November '54. It covers through 1955.

For 53-56 trucks, since there is no separate reference to panel, all the half ton springs should work in their specific year group, 53-4, and 55-6.

 

Correct no difference

 

Thanks, I should have given a little more info, I suppose. Actually I'm a little embarrassed to post about my project because it has taken me so long to get started back making any progress on it. But as some on here will know, about two years ago, July 18, 2017 , another driver crossed the center line and hit me head on. I was driving my '56 F100 truck, on my way home from work. The truck was totaled and I was badly injured. I spent several weeks in two different hospitals and several weeks after that in a wheelchair. I now walk with a cane, and at my age probably will the rest of my life. But God's grace has been sufficient and I can now turn wrenches again.
I kept the bent and broken chassis from the truck because it had a good running 500 Cadillac engine, a 400 TH trans, a 8 3/4 Chrysler rear, with leaf springs that had been sandblasted,lined, and painted. It also had a Volare IFS. Before the wreck I had bought back a '56 Panel project that I had sold to a friend 17 years prior. I had put a Volare IFS under the Panel but never finish welding it in. I now plan to use the Caddy, my spare trans ( because the one in the truck got busted in the wreck) and the Chrysler rear with the redone leaf springs under the Panel.

 

If you need new rear springs take a look at Posie super slides. Smooth operation and same as stock weight rating. I put these with a 3 inch drop on my 52 F1 and really like them.