spring opinion

[smilebigtt]

How rough does an AA ride? If it rides stiff and my wife won't ride me (wait let me rethink this) what if I took a few rear spring out? Has anyone taken springs out?

[Chris Haynes]

Why ruin a good thing. Leave the springs alone and find someone else to ride with you.

[REM]

How rough it rides kind of goes back to how fast it runs. It won't get too rough on a decent road at 40/45 MPH. You just won't hit the bumps hard enough to bounce very high however you will feel every one of them. The longer wheel base also helps the ride some.
I don't know if modifying the springs will help much. It would take a lot to make them flex easily. A moderate load in the back would help somewhat though.
Good luck REM

[smilebigtt]

thanks bud

[Hayslip]

One of the back issues of the MARC News suggested grinding off and rounding a little of the bottom tip of each leaf so it doesn't tend to burrow into the leaf below. I've also seen an AA with several leaves removed and replaced with a block of oak the same thickness and height of the removed leaves, but just enough longer than the U-bolt spacing. I've also seen several upper leaves hack sawed off. I wouldn't recommend just removing leaves which would lower the body and perhaps cause shimmy in the front end. You might try a load in the body. Best, Ed

[akstraw]

I don't think I've ever seen the rear springs on mine flex at all. I have the low speed rear, so don't drive it much. I used to wonder if the metal became brittle or stiffer over the years, but I don't think there is a scientific basis for that. I think the 15 leaves are just very rigid.

[Matt Kroll]

I find that my springs do in fact flex when weight is applied to the rear of the frame (either by standing on it and jumping up and down, or pushing down off the garage ceiling).

I disassembled the springs, completely stripped and cleaned each leaf, beveled the bottom edges of both ends of each leaf, powder coated them and applied Slip-Plate to both contacting surfaces.



Prior to this, the only movement I could detect was in the tires.

[smilebigtt]

Matt, where did you find the new u-bolts?

[Matt Kroll]

Matt, where did you find the new u-bolts?

They are the original 'U' bolts. I just cleaned them up and plated them with bright zinc and yellow chromate.

[smilebigtt]

They look great. I should send you mine.

[rollingsculpture]

some spring options are listed in the service bulletins ,one for lowering the truck bed 1.5 inchs in the april 1931 page 552 bulletin pg 275 book and one suggestion for a lighter rear spring on
march 1931 "softer spring action" page 544 bulletin pg 268 book .that suggestion requires the position of the spring to be changed. BTW the service bulletins are a must have and the judging standards are helpful too ...as stated by many ...,im glad i finally found those two books they keep me from asking the dumb questions! although im always glad to see things discussed here,and the info here is very helpful because it comes with the experience behind it! you guys are great !

[smilebigtt]

thank you rolling. Good to hear there is a way to lower the bed height too.

[Chris Haynes]

I once saw a AA with two spring shackles. One bolted to the other. This lowers the truck.

[Drew Mashburn]

Matt:

What is "Slip-Plate"? Where does one get it? I'm not far from reassembling my rear springs. I did the same as you..........cleaned each leaf and beveled the ends. I was planning on using Teflon tape between the leaves, but if your springs flex, I'm interested in doing it exactly as you've done.

Years ago, I had purchased a partially restored early '28 Dump Truck. My brother and I climbed into the bed and jumped up and down to see if we could flex the rear springs while another person watched. Combined we weighed just short of 400 pounds. No movement was detected.

-- Drew

[smilebigtt]

Chris, explain please