Thread: front spring installation

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I had started a thread on the temp site (which has not made it back here) on how my SoCal front spring shackles had failed after only 3,000 miles. The shackle pins were frozen in the bushings, and the only movement was the pins turning in the shackle links where they should be a press fit. I had to drive the shackles and bushings out, and replacements from Drake slipped right in and worked great. I sent the failed shackles back to SoCal requesting an explanation, but never heard back from them. Anyone else ever have similar problems?
Also, while searching old threads yesterday I came across one talking about removing/installing front springs and how dangerous it was because they had to be stretched out to get the shackles in. I hadn't removed one in many years and that was my recollection too, but on this car all I had to do was slip one shackle in, block it horizontal, lift the other end of the spring, and slip the second shackle in. The spring has plenty of arch and looks right, and with the weight on it the shackles are still at a reasonable angle. Does this sound right? Do I have the right spring? The rear spring required a lot of jacking to get the ends where the shackles could be inserted, but this front one slipped right in. Based on my experience with the rest of SoCal's work, now I'm wondering if they used the wrong spring.

I am putting together a '32 roadster and I have a CE front axle with the proper Posie and they went together just as easy as your front did. I know what you mean about the rear springs. In my '37 I install just the main leaf and then add the rest of the leaves using a long threaded bar, with nuts on each end, through the center bolt hole. Once they are compressed by turning the nuts I C-clamp (GOOD clamps) the leaves, remove the threaded bar and install the center bolt. Been doing it this way since the 60's.

Agree with both conditions. Here's a chart that will help, you may want to put this in your favorites for future reference; http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Produc...&displayId=841

Call SoCal. I have had my '37 on the road since the mid '70's and never had a shackle problem. When installing them I use a graphite like Never Seize and I do preventative maintenence now and then. What front axle and length spring do you have? Although I don't see how anything to do with that could make the shackles freeze up. Are the spring and the kingpin inclination at the same angle so the shackles don't bind? Maybe ajustable spring perches would help if there's a problem with the angles.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean king pin inclination, I meant caster angle!!

Bob - thanks for the chart. My setup appears to be right on at 31"/34 1/2"/36". I would have thought that the spring would be longer with weight on it, but it didn't change much. The rear one certainly does.

My invoice from SoCal only indicates that it is a 47" CE axle; no identification specified for the spring. It is reverse eye with a pretty substantial arch, and they had it chromed. The front crossmember is "angled at 7 degrees for correct caster" according to their catalog. The perches appeared to be aligned correctly and not binding - I loosened them and retightened after installing the spring just to make sure. The old shackles, once removed by driving them out with a piece of wood, could not easily be put back into either the perches or the spring eyes. The pins did appear to have been coated with anti-seize. The new bushings from Drake slipped right into place, and the shackles then slipped right into the bushings with no problem. I just can't figure out how the old shackle pins could have gotten frozen in the bushings and started turning where pressed into the front side of the shackle links - twisting in the urethane bushings should have happened first. There was very little movement, but as the shackles wore out more I guess that would have improved - until they failed.

Has anyone else had problems with SoCal, in particular the Oregon shop? I could write a book about all of the issues I've had. Clutch linkage that wouldn't work; brake lines with incorrect fittings that couldn't be made to stop leaking; no clearance over the rearend; driveshaft hitting the crossmember; tie rod too long to allow proper toe-in adjustment; rear shock mounts that don't line up; frame too narrow to fit a stock deuce tank; body mounted too far back and off to one side in the front; providing hub caps that would not fit on the wheels they provided; prices much higher than listed retail; and generally sloppy work. I went with a "pro" shop to save time and get quality work, but now wish I had just done it all myself.

Posie's chart shows that the proper spring length for the 47" Chassis Engineering axle is 30" (28-34 Ford),this is what SoCal's site shows, too. I have the 30" Posie spring and it fits right. The distance between the spring perch hole centers is listed at 35" for that axle. Mine isn't installed right now so I measured it and the perch holes are 35" apart on the top of the axle.
I purchased headlight mounts from one SoCal shop and they sent me the wrong ones. Purchased a chrome axle from another one and when I received it the bottom of the axle was scuffed. I only buy SoCal stuff from the main store now and haven't had any problems with them.
Sounds like your not having fun with this '32 you have, that's a bummer!

It might pay to contact Chapouris and let him know his franchisee there near Portland is dropping the ball and giving his company a bad name, might get you some satisfaction. Couldn't be any worse than where you are now.

On the contrary I love the car and have a ball driving it. But it ticks me off to have had to fix all of the things I paid "pro" shops to do. And it isn't just SoCal - had a local engine builder do the motor and it had a major oil leak requiring me to remove it and take back to them; had a trans shop go through the Muncie only to have it leak in front where the countershaft goes in - "yeah, they do that sometimes" was the only response.

As for contacting Pete, I called plus wrote them a multi-page letter. He did call back once and missed me; never heard from him again. I doubt this is a very high priority for him. After a while you start sounding like a serial complainer and it's just better to fix the problems and move on, which is what I have done. But curiosity whether others are having similar problems is what prompted me to post here.

Lesson learned: do it yourself, even if it takes longer. At least then you know who to complain to.