Thread: 36 Ford rear suspension

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Looking for suggestions on updates for my 36 Fords rear suspension. It's an older build with some sort of paralell leaf suspension.

It sits way too high and doesn't ride too well. Looking for ideas on updates.

A new Chassis engineering setup ? Or a Progressive triangulated 4 bar setup with coil overs?

This will be installed with the body still on the chassis.

Any other ideas ? It seems to me I read somewhere that guys are using dodge Caravan rear springs

Junkyard tech is ok too

Here is one idea I like. Technical Low Buck rear springs for 35-40 Fords - THE H.A.M.B.

Very pleased with all the response and help

Looks like I will go with a Posies kit so no need to bother. Like anyone did anyway

Some idea of what you don't like about the rear springs and maybe a picture would help. Maybe it just needs tweaking to work good. I would take a good look at what you have before a complete replacement.

Originally Posted by Blue One

Very pleased with all the response and help

Looks like I will go with a Posies kit so no need to bother. Like anyone did anyway

Man, the younger generation sure is not very patient ! What do you expect , post a question and suddenly 10 people who have an answer magically appear? It takes time for someone who may have a suggestion to be on line, we don't sit here 24-7 ya know. I've posted questions on the Cadillac forum about my daily and it sometimes takes a week or more to get any response, so we are pretty fast around here.

My Son Don had to make the same decision for his 46 Tudor and he went with the regular Speedway setup as opposed to the composite spring one. His logic was that regular springs are a known quantity and have been around forever. He didn't see the need to spend the additonal money, although he would have if he thought the benefits were tremendously greater.

The Speedway setup ended up being a Chassis Engineering one, although I can't guarantee that is what yours might be if you order it. You wouldn't go wrong with the Posies either.

Don

Well, I was outta town and didn't see this until now on Sunday at 5:52 PM CDT---so----maybe by dark you can post some pics of what you have, and describe it to me and what you don't like about the stance and ride, what you would like to have and maybe some budjet considerations.

Many times when working on suspension issues, people are looking at the wrong end of the car for the problem/answer.

Clocks running----

Ok well first of all this crusty old guy is definitely not of the younger generation. Not at 57 yrs old!

As far as being impatient goes, I guess I'm used to more active forums where someone is always ready to chime in.

What I have is a 70s built street rod that is badly in need of updating. It sits way too high and has a Corvair IFS with Chevelle spindles and discs on front.

I plan to remove it and install a TCI Mustang II to solve the front.

The rear is some sort of axle (not sure what make) mounted on paralell leaves with way to many leaves. The springs seem to be too long and are mounted with brackets welded under the frame.

The rear end may be too wide, I have not measured it yet but I also have a rebuilt maverick rear end with 3.00 gears I could put in.

I thought the Posies rear kit looks good.

I also plan to put in an under chassis ECI power booster with a remote fill reservoir.

It has a 327 which was built with 11.5 compression and a tunnel ram back in the 70s which will be removed in favor of a new GM 290 hp crate motor I just picked up. It has a good turbo 400 in it.

That's the general plan unless someone has better ideas.

By the way, the wheel and tire combo will be history as well. I plan on using Wheel Vintiques smoothies and 41 ford caps and rings.

We used a Chassis Engineering kit on our '35. It went in pretty easily and a gen 1 Camaro rear went right in as they say. I think they have a kit to be used with a Maverick rear also, but I could be remembering wrong. It is a bolt it kit, but we had it welded up also. As far as how it rides I can't quite say yet as the car hasn't gone further than 100 feet yet

Does sit a bit high in the back, looks like the track is too wide for the tires and wheels you're using, too. Chassis Engineering offers quality parts at a decent price. Posie's stuff is high quality, too--but probably a bit more spendy.

Also looking at TCI, seems like they have a decent kit as well.