VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 36 Standard Front Leaf Springs

I'm in the process of replacing front leaf spring threaded bushings, shackle pins, and seals. The bushings in the springs came out relatively easy using a hefty C-clamp and sockets, but the bushings in the frame hangers were another story. I wound up bending 2 of the C-clamps and after several hours of frustration I finally went to Autozone and rented a ball joint removal tool that looks like a C-clamp and was able to get the bushings removed. Anyway, I noticed the springs have 2 small plates/leaves at the very bottom and they are flush with the center bolt. Does that appear to be correct? I was thinking I read that the 36 standard had 9 leaves.

Here's a picture of one of the front springs


Here's the 2 clamps I bent and the ball joint tool that worked.


Finally this setup worked

leagl
I am not surprised that "G" clamps bent on the chassis bushes. I was lucky that the brackets had come loose at the rivets so I used the shop press and it made horrible noises in the process.
As for the packers under the spring I think you will find 1 is tapered which is the caster adjustment but I have no idea why there are 2 there especially when they lift the centre bolt head out of the locating hole in the axle allowing the axle to shift on the spring (not a good idea).
Tony

Tonyw, I think you are right, they are shims for the caster adjustment. The taper goes to the rear so that would make sense. I don't like that the bolt head does not protrude enough to allow the spring to orient correctly to the axle. Maybe a longer bolt is made? I may just remove one of the shims and if this car ever gets on the road hope it doesn't wander all over.

If you need to keep the same angle produced by the two shims, 'bet can find a single shim that affords the same angle while not "using up" so much of the bolt. Likely an alignment shop will have 'em.

With the caster shims the thick part goes to the rear, that tilts the king pin so that the steer axis line is just forward of the of the wheel centre vertical line. This provides the self centreing of the steering.
Tony

Castor - - -

My Standard has nine and that includes the castor shim as a leaf.

Tonyw, are you sure about how the shims are placed? I've looked at 3 sets of springs and axles for a 36, 2 of which I'm pretty sure have never been apart, and the taper is toward the rear. The thickest part is toward the front. My very limited knowledge of caster is it's the backward tilt of the axle and king pin, so it would seem the thick part of the shim would need to be at the front.

With the thick part of the shim in the front the king pin would put the steering axis behind the wheel centre.
Caster is the same as shopping trolley wheels, the pivot in front so the wheel wants to follow not lead.
Camber is the angle that the top of the king pin slopes towards the centre line of the car, this reduces the effort required to turn the wheel on its axis.
Tony

OK, I know nothing! Castor tilts the TOP of the king pin (and thus the inclination of the spindle support) toward the rear of the car. Without the proper (Specified) angle of castor, a car would be very difficult (and unpleasant) to drive.

Castor, although necessary, also causes your front tires to wear on the edges.

Gaither
Caster is the king pin tilt forward of backward along the car and generally doesnt effect the angle the wheel stands at, camber is the tilt across the car which effects the angle the wheel stands.
It is camber the causes the edges of the tyre to wear, wheel tilting in or out off the vertical line. With some suspension designs the camber alters drastically on turns which will cause edge wear the wider the tyre the more noticeable the edge wear in both cases.
Some independant rear suspension systems the rear wheel camber to alter with loading on the rear and resulting edge wear (early VW rear is a typical example).
Basically camber and toe in/out will cause tyre wear, caster has very little effect on wear but can have just as much if not more to do with steerability.
Tony

On these models the thick part of the shim is to the front. There is a hole drilled in the pad of the axle abit over an inch behind the centre hole. This is to locate a depression which is punched into the thin part of the shim.

Proper castor on a car is not like a shopping cart front wheel.
On a car, it tilts the top of the king pin toward the rear of the car. As a result, when the front wheels (car) are turned they are tilted somewhat onto the edges of the tires, causing edge wear.

Go jack the front of your car up and turn the wheels either direction. You'll readily see the tilt.

345chevy, the thick part of the shim in the front is what I have found in 3 different spring and axle assemblies.

Chassis design, length of shackles and even the way the axle is forged can alter the king pin inclination. Pretty sure I can see the raised pimple in the shim in the first photo. This locates the shim in the hole drilled in the axle behind the centre bolt hole.

You can see the shim leaf from the front of the car on the axle.. (count nine leafs) You can not see the shim leaf from the rear of the car side on the axle. (count 8 leafs)