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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

Front Coil Spring Help

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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 03:18 PM
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Front Coil Spring Help

I dismantled the front suspension on my 1986 2WD with ball joint spindles. I have two perches that the coil springs mount atop of. They differ in size. I don't know which side which goes on. I didn't notice during the dissassembly. Can anyone offer insight?
 
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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 07:56 PM
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The taller, E2TA 5A307 ??
The shorter, E2TA 5B316 CA

Found a page from a Ford publication for 1987 / F150 that shows 5A307s as RH and the 5A316s as LH. Thinking the two character suffix is the thickness.

In Gary's Garagemahal, 5A307 appears on a exploded view drawing. It is LH side view.
 
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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 08:36 PM
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A reputable source reports that the taller spacer goes on the right side. He is a poster here but I found his report on another site.
 
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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by diggerrigger
The taller, E2TA 5A307 ??
The shorter, E2TA 5B316 CA

Found a page from a Ford publication for 1987 / F150 that shows 5A307s as RH and the 5A316s as LH. Thinking the two character suffix is the thickness.

In Gary's Garagemahal, 5A307 appears on a exploded view drawing. It is LH side view.
I'm seeing the same part, 5A307 on the left hand side in a detail in Chiltons. Are both I beams the same length? If one side is longer it's probably the side that takes the taller perch. I think the left hand side IFS on 4x4's is longer than the right side. Not sure about twin I beams.
 
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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 08:58 PM
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I also found information that leads me to believe that 5A307 is a spring spacer, period. It can be any thickness or shape. In my case, I think the E2TA is just a prefix showing when and what division developed them.

The first four characters are all over the place from year to year, model to model. Those second five characters never change. The suffixes must denote the differences.
 
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Old Jun 15, 2020 | 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by diggerrigger
I also found information that leads me to believe that 5A307 is a spring spacer, period. It can be any thickness or shape. In my case, I think the E2TA is the shape of the spacer.

The first four characters are all over the place from year to year, model to model. Those second five characters never change.
I have the 87-96 Chiltons but no part number listed on the illustration. Perhaps Number Dummy can help you with LH and RH part numbers and if they are the same?
 
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Old Jun 16, 2020 | 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by diggerrigger
I also found information that leads me to believe that 5A307 is a spring spacer, period. It can be any thickness or shape. In my case, I think the E2TA is the shape of the spacer.

The first four characters are all over the place from year to year, model to model. Those second five characters never change.

The 5A307 is the parts actual number, in this case, 5A307indcates a spring spacer All Front spring and stabilizer parts fall between 5300 and 5499

The E2TA is application.

In this case E is the decade, E= (1980's). 2 is the year 2 = (19X2), T is the application T= Truck
And A is the Engineering group A= light truck engineering division

So your bits part number is E2TA-5A307
And reads as such 1982, Truck, Light Truck Engineering Group, Sping spacer, no revisions.

Any suffixes following the part number would indicate the revisions

Example E2TA-5A307-A2B

A2B A= major revision. 2= minor revision B=subminor revisions.
Revisions codes can be 1- 3 digits long.

So E2TA-5A307-A2B would read as
1982, Truck, Light Truck Engineering Group - Spring spacer - one major revision, 2 minor revisions, and 2 sub minor revisions.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2020 | 12:16 AM
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Originally Posted by diggerrigger
I also found information that leads me to believe that 5A307 is a spring spacer, period. It can be any thickness or shape. In my case, I think the E2TA is the shape of the spacer.

The first four characters are all over the place from year to year, model to model. Those second five characters never change.

The 5A307 is the parts actual number, in this case, 5A307indcates a spring spacer All Front spring and stabilizer parts fall between 5300 and 5499

The E2TA is application.

In this case E is the decade, E= (1980's). 2 is the year 2 = (19X2), T is the application T= Truck
And A is the Engineering group A= light truck engineering division

So your bits part number is E2TA-5A307
And reads as such 1982, Truck, Light Truck Engineering Group, Sping spacer, no revisions.

Any suffixes following the part number would indicate the revisions

Example E2TA-5A307-A2B

A2B A= major revision. 2= minor revision B=subminor revisions.
Revisions codes can be 1- 3 digits long.

So E2TA-5A307-A2B would read as
1982, Truck, Light Truck Engineering Group - Spring spacer - one major revision, 2 minor revisions, and 2 sub minor revisions.
 
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Old Jun 16, 2020 | 07:32 AM
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Thanks. We should all know this by now. Takes longer to sink in with some... me.
 
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