[Dogslut]

'39 Pontiac w/ '76 Mustang II front end, Olds 306 engine, 350 Trans., power steering, small a/c unit.
Shocks are wore out, and I'm sure coil springs need replacing as well. Car really BANGS when I go
over even shallow recesses....shocks only show a MAXIMUM of 3/4" travel at normal "sitting" position.
Weighed car at truck stop scales....1,800# front end. From investigating, everything points to needing
coil springs to be at 450# rating, w/ 1,800# load.
Closest I can come to the above specs is coil springs w/ 364" rating, with 1561# load rating. Obviously
I'm basing choices by staying w/ 3.50" spring I.D., as the top locator for the springs require this I.D.
I haven't been able to find ANY place that can take the spring & put it in a press with a gauge to tell me
what the existing springs are rated for......not that it REALLY matters, as I'm going to replace them
regardless, but I'd like to know just out of curiosity...as I have no way of knowing just what engine and
other options were in the car that this front suspension came out of.
I'd appreciate ANY input/suggestions for obtaining the soil springs I need!!

 

[Dogslut]

Don't know how to edit my post, but I wanted to ad the fact that I HAVE changed the upper & lower ball joints on
both sides, as well as the tie rod inner & outer ends, and wheel bearings and races.

 

['48 Austin]

You'll need a set of 425# Springs for 1800 lbs on front end. Click on Below.

Mustang II Suspension Front Springs

Our Mustang II springs come in rates from 275 thru 425 and in 13.5” free height/length. They will require cutting to the necessary length on the majority of applications. For the heavier vehicles such as full size pickup trucks and fat fendered cars the spring rate used will normally be in the...

www.speedwaymotors.com

 

[Dogslut]

You'll need a set of 425# Springs for 1800 lbs on front end.

1) OK....I had reviewed that very spring on your site before....the part that bothers me is the fact that it has a PIGTAIL end on the bottom end....which concerns me when I go to cut that end off for the proper height, that it will be too short after cutting the PIGTAIL portion off.....
2) Can you ASSURE me that these are indeed IN STOCK??
3) What is your return policy in case these do NOT fit??
Thanks for the reply.

 

['48 Austin]

1) OK....I had reviewed that very spring on your site before....the part that bothers me is the fact that it has a PIGTAIL end on the bottom end....which concerns me when I go to cut that end off for the proper height, that it will be too short after cutting the PIGTAIL portion off.....
2) Can you ASSURE me that these are indeed IN STOCK??
3) What is your return policy in case these do NOT fit??
Thanks for the reply.

I don't sell the springs. Speedway Motors does. You are right, if you need to cut the springs, the free end (pig tail) gets cut and goes on the bottom. There is a saddle in the lower control arm to accommodate the pig tail. Remember, if you shorten the spring 1" it lowers the car approximately 2". Cut a little at a time and try it in your car. Expect 3 trials to get it right. Do both springs and install for each trial. Leave the car a little high. It will settle. It's real easy to overshoot and then you need new springs or a spacer donut on top of the spring. Call Speedway Motors at 1-800-979-0122.

 

[jimmothershead]

Closed knee action front end. Been there.
For 5 bucks I would hand you a yard stick, I crawl under the car, strike my Craftsman torch, and yell "Say when ". Ditto for the rear leaf springs. 1957 high tech stuff.
Original steering box ? How much slop ? Check tie rod ends for slop. Any other worn parts ?
Probably best to go with a Fat Man MII. Soon you will want power steering, modern disc brakes, power disc brakes. I think Brent's MII is a bolt in ?
Jim Mothershead, Bangin' on old cars since 1957
School of Hot Rod Hard Knocks
410 474 2244 cell

, 410 535 1933, 410 535 1932

 

[Dogslut]

jimmothershead:

I am NOT understanding how your post relates at all to my original post.....you must be thinking you're on another thread....??? I've always done my own work, I know EXACTLY what's in my vehicles...so WTF??

 

[Dogslut]

You are right, if you need to cut the springs, the free end (pig tail) gets cut and goes on the bottom. There is a saddle in the lower control arm to accommodate the pig tail.

I think your are mistaken...there is NO "pocket" for the pigtail...I DON'T want any spring with a pigtail end....afraid
it'll be too damn short.....so I'll look at something else......

 

['48 Austin]

I think your are mistaken...there is NO "pocket" for the pigtail...I DON'T want any spring with a pigtail end....afraid
it'll be too damn short.....so I'll look at something else......

Notice the 2 attached pictures. The aftermarket unit shows how the pig tail of the spring installs in the lower control arm. The second picture is an OEM lower control arm. Both lower control arms are designed to accept the spring pig tail. I just went through all this on my Street Rod. I have found the springs from Speedway Motors are plenty long and all of the spring installations I've required some spring cutting to get desired ride height and tie rod geometry. You want the tie rod parallel to the ground or the spindle end of the tie rod slightly lower than the rack at ride height.

 

[Dogslut]

OK....I took a closer look at my lower control arm, and it IS just like your OEM pic.
However, I was afraid the pigtail spring would be too short after cutting it, AND the lower control arm
does have a "dimpled" pocket to LOCATE the end of the spring, which cannot be a pigtail end in order
to locate it on the arm.....SO...I called Moog Tech, and they recommended 3 different springs that are
NOT OBSOLETE ITEMS....and I picked one out, and it was STOCK at Amazon....got 'em coming, will
be here this Saturday! 415# rated, for a 1,740" front end (Mine weighs in at 1,800)

 

[MGK]

I don't know if this helps, but here's moog springs by size data catalog

 

[Dogslut]

I don't know if this helps, but here's moog springs by size data catalog

Appreciated...but in my post before yours, I said I have Moog springs coming here Saturday!!

 

['48 Austin]

OK....I took a closer look at my lower control arm, and it IS just like your OEM pic.
However, I was afraid the pigtail spring would be too short after cutting it, AND the lower control arm
does have a "dimpled" pocket to LOCATE the end of the spring, which cannot be a pigtail end in order
to locate it on the arm.....SO...I called Moog Tech, and they recommended 3 different springs that are
NOT OBSOLETE ITEMS....and I picked one out, and it was STOCK at Amazon....got 'em coming, will
be here this Saturday! 415# rated, for a 1,740" front end (Mine weighs in at 1,800)

One end is squared off and the other is a pig tail so you can shorten it at the pig tail and still seat the pig tail on the lower control arm in the correct rotational orientation. The squared off top part of the spring can be installed in any rotational orientation. As I said in my earlier post, go easy with cutting the spring, so you don't cut too much off. Cut with an angle grinder with cut off wheel. Your car is quite heavy so settling will take place. If you are in the north country and don't plan to drive the car until the spring, install the new springs and let the car's full weight rest on the springs for the winter. Granted they will settle more when you drive it, but you can get a jump on it through the Winter while you're working on other parts of the car.

 

[Dogslut]

Austin....I am fully aware of what you're saying...I think you have some description wrong....These springs have the
SQUARED end for placing in the TOP position, but have a TANGENTIAL end for placing in the bottom position,
where they do have to be properly oriented in the "pocket".
The PIGTAIL end is NOT the same as a TANGENTIAL end...the pigtail end is formed like a pig's tail....it actually
is wound INWARD toward the center of the inside diameter of the spring, which would NOT fit into the POCKET
correctly, whereas the TANGENTIAL end is formed as if the spring was "continuing" on it's full winding. YES, I do
plan on letting it sit til spring to allow it to settle better....NO rush to do any cutting til I'm SURE!!

 

['48 Austin]

Austin....I am fully aware of what you're saying...I think you have some description wrong....These springs have the
SQUARED end for placing in the TOP position, but have a TANGENTIAL end for placing in the bottom position,
where they do have to be properly oriented in the "pocket".
The PIGTAIL end is NOT the same as a TANGENTIAL end...the pigtail end is formed like a pig's tail....it actually
is wound INWARD toward the center of the inside diameter of the spring, which would NOT fit into the POCKET
correctly, whereas the TANGENTIAL end is formed as if the spring was "continuing" on it's full winding. YES, I do
plan on letting it sit til spring to allow it to settle better....NO rush to do any cutting til I'm SURE!!

See pictures. The first and fourth pictured spring is an OEM style MII spring used where the bottom of the spring mounts directly to the lower control arm. The forth picture uses an aftermarket lower control arm however still uses the OEM Spring. The 2nd and 3rd picture are aftermarket MII Coil Over springs where the bottom of the spring mounts to the shock absorber and ride height can be adjusted by moving the large nut on the shock. What set up do you have?????? A picture of what you have would be extremely helpful!

View attachment 620507

 

[Dogslut]

My setup is mostly like pic #4....but the bottome end is NOT a pigtail end, it's the stock "tangential" end,
and the top of the spring is the "tapered" end.....Not gonna bother posting any pics, as it'd be pointless,
as I already have the NEW stronger springs that I KNOW are what I need, especially after talking to a
MOOG COIL SPRING TECH......Here is a pic of the NEW springs on the left & right, and the OLD
spring in the middle......New springs are rated at 415#/inch of travel, and good for 1,740# front end
weight. My Poncho is 1,800# front end weight. Obviously the end that's sitting on the workbench
is the end that goes UP into the top position, and end that's up on the workbench locates into a
small "pocket" for proper orientation.

 

[Dogslut]

Just in case anyone cares:
I ended up using Moog #5600 coil springs...rated at 415# per inch of compression, and for 1,740# front end suspension weight. I ended up cutting off 2" on the springs, as not only are they rated higher than the stock ones, but they are also .070" larger wire diameter! (My Poncho weighs 1,800# front end)...AND I ordered Monroe #911516 monotube reflex shocks....I carefully measured the "static" setup on the car: the vertical dimension between the lower mounting bolt, and the upper end where the shock contacts the surface where the "stop" is on the shock mount itself....and made sure these NEW shocks would mount so that the MIDWAY POINT of the entire stroke is at the STATIC position of the car (load of car on tires)...shocks are due in Monday, Dec. 20...
I can hardly wait to see how it rides!! [IF the roads are clear, with no snow or ice, or no SALT!!]