1957 Front coil springs - driver's side spring stiffener?

Boozeman

Boozeman

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Thunderbird Year
1957
Rebuilding the suspension on my '57. Bought new front springs from Casco. The also sold me the rubber insulators for the top of the springs, as well as an additional spacer for the driver's side spring, which compensates for the weight of the battery / driver and keeps the car level. When I pulled the front springs last night, I didn't find a spacer like the one they sold me, but did find this little "clip" that I assume does the same thing. Can anyone confirm that this is what this clip is for? If so, upon reassembly, should I use it or the spacer they sold me?

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Boozeman said:
Rebuilding the suspension on my '57. Bought new front springs from Casco. The also sold me the rubber insulators for the top of the springs, as well as an additional spacer for the driver's side spring, which compensates for the weight of the battery / driver and keeps the car level. When I pulled the front springs last night, I didn't find a spacer like the one they sold me, but did find this little "clip" that I assume does the same thing. Can anyone confirm that this is what this clip is for? If so, upon reassembly, should I use it or the spacer they sold me?

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It would appear that the clip is designed to keep one coil from closing beyond a certain point, therefore, adding a small amount of increased stiffness. It's a good guess that this was Ford's method of compensating for the drivers side additional weight. The spacer will do the same job but it might cause the car to sit high on the drivers side when unloaded although I doubt you could tell by just looking. The clip, on the other hand, if properly sized won't add stiffness to the spring until the extra load is applied thus keeping the car level under both conditions. All of this assumes that the replacement spring is the same stiffness (lbs./in.) and length as the original. Any deviation from the original and you're better off using the spacer as the clip would not work as designed.
 
Looking at the clip again, I don't see how it could be used to compress the coils. Could it have been used to attach the brake hose? In the future, I suggest that you take photos before disassembling, and do one side at a time, so you can compare the disassembled side to the untouched, assembled side. Label and bag small parts.
 
The "clip" is not a Ford item. It is aftermarket and is designed to keep the coils apart and keep the spring from flattening too much. Ford used the ring on the driver's side.
 
55blacktie said:
Looking at the clip again, I don't see how it could be used to compress the coils. Could it have been used to attach the brake hose? In the future, I suggest that you take photos before disassembling, and do one side at a time, so you can compare the disassembled side to the untouched, assembled side. Label and bag small parts.
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55blacktie, here is a pic I took of the clip before I removed it or the spring from the car:

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You can see it in the spring just above the swaybar. There was not one on the other side when I took it apart. Only on the driver's side.
 
I'd just go old school. I don't think any of them came from the factory with spring 'fixes'. Mine sits level after I had it re-sprung over 30+ years ago. Just like some of the new pharmasuticals where the side effects are worse than the original symptoms.
 
Hello all,
I'm in the process of replacing my front coil springs. From past posts it appears that a spacer is used on the left side, driver's side, to compensate for the battery and driver. I'm assuming that the spacer go in top of the coil spring insulator ???
Thanks
 
Calistoga T-Bird said:
Hello all,
I'm in the process of replacing my front coil springs. From past posts it appears that a spacer is used on the left side, driver's side, to compensate for the battery and driver. I'm assuming that the spacer go in top of the coil spring insulator ???
Thanks
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Yes, as I remember, it goes on top of the spring insulator.
 
I just crawled under the front of my 57' and what the heck are these things between the front passenger side coil spring??
 

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SoloBird said:
I just crawled under the front of my 57' and what the heck are these things between the front passenger side coil spring??
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These are spring spacers used when the spring has lost some if its tension and has flattened. Basically the same as the "clip" noted above.
 
paul5456 said:
These are spring spacers used when the spring has lost some if its tension and has flattened. Basically the same as the "clip" noted above.
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I have never seen anything like this before. I guess it's a poor man's old school thang. So I am going to need new coil springs I guess as well as shocks
 
So, I am going to assume since my passenger front spring has these "spring spacers" on it then the spring is shot? Anyone know if they made a coilover conversion for the 57' Tbird, in which it comes assembled and I can easily swap out the old coil and shock on the front?
 
SoloBird said:
So, I am going to assume since my passenger front spring has these "spring spacers" on it then the spring is shot? Anyone know if they made a coilover conversion for the 57' Tbird, in which it comes assembled and I can easily swap out the old coil and shock on the front?
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Whatever you do on one side should be done on the other.. Not aware of any thing like your asking but it's possible
 
paul5456 said:
Whatever you do on one side should be done on the other.. Not aware of any thing like your asking but it's possible
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With exception of the spacer on the driver's side. Yes I think you can assume the previous owner either wanted a stiffer spring because they thought the ride was too soft for a 'sports' car or it sat too low. Those spring spacers were common 20 yrs ago. If you can remove them and check the ride height once removed then you can determine if the springs need to be replaced front & rear. Not a huge job and check the steering linkage bushings at the same time.
 
I am going to need to replace all the bushings. I have got the engine bay stripped out of just about everything now, but the small block, which I hope to lift out this weekend.
 

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Anyone here ever done a full front rack and pinion conversion? There are a few kits I have found online, but very expensive and not easy for the faint of heart on the install from the instructions I have been reading. You can do a front disk brake conversion with all new front suspension and power steering, but it would run ya around $3K just in parts.
 
SoloBird said:
Anyone here ever done a full front rack and pinion conversion? There are a few kits I have found online, but very expensive and not easy for the faint of heart on the install from the instructions I have been reading. You can do a front disk brake conversion with all new front suspension and power steering, but it would run ya around $3K just in parts.
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Some of the conversion kits that I have heard of increase the turning radius quite significantly so if you go further keep this in mind.
 
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