Its Springtime in Falcon Land !! Pun intended....
Autos & Vehicles
Introduction
Welcome back to Kiwi Classics and Customs! Today, we're diving into the world of automotive restoration, focusing on our classic Falcon. It's that time to replace the rear springs—an effort we've finally geared up to tackle. As we hoisted the old Falcon onto the rack, some concerns lingered in the back of our minds. Given the vehicle's history with salt exposure and surface rust, we were prepared for a formidable challenge. I fully expected to battle this project every step of the way, especially with the leaf spring eye bolts.
Quick and Smooth Process
To our pleasant surprise, the job turned out to be much easier than anticipated. In just about 15 minutes, we managed to remove the old rear spring, despite my gut instinct telling me otherwise. We had already loosened the bolts and nuts on one side, making this unexpected ease reassuring. It was late Friday afternoon, and we initially thought we might hold off until Saturday to wrap everything up. However, at this rate, it seemed we could finish the job today.
While under the Falcon, we noticed a substantial hole in the exhaust system, which caused it to sound remarkably like an old tractor. Hence, while we had the car up in the air, we decided to tackle that issue too.
Examining the Old vs. New Springs
Upon examining both the old and new spring packs, the difference was stark. The old spring had definitely seen better days. We did receive a couple of questions from viewers about whether rust was the primary reason for the breakage. While there was some pitting, the failure point was right at the leading edge of the second leaf. It appeared that the leaf spring was simply overworked over the years.
Notably, about one-third of the break showed fresh fractures, indicating that a failure had been gradually occurring. Our new spring is a four-leaf design instead of the previous three-leaf configuration. General Springs assured us that this setup would preserve the original ride height while offering a smoother experience with the extra leaf’s added support.
The replacement came with new eye bushings, which was fantastic news. Frequently, the bolts in these setups can be much more difficult to manage, particularly in older Mustangs. Given how rust tends to lock everything together, we braced ourselves for a long fight. Surprisingly, when we applied the impact wrench, the bolts came right out! I would have placed a good bet that this task would take two hours, but smooth sailing it was.
Encountering Challenges
As we worked, one challenge emerged when aligning the U-bolts with the rear axle. Initially, I squeezed the U-bolts to line them up and fit through the holes. However, as soon as I pushed them back on the axle, they spread out again. The fix was to put a slight bend in each side of the U-bolts, which allowed them to fit without resistance. This little trick made the installation process far more manageable.
We decided to install KYB gas shocks, which would complement the new spring installation. Once we had everything back in place, it was time to drop the Falcon down and assess the ride height. Instinctively, I felt that it might sit a bit higher than intended. The initial stance did resemble a pro stock car—a notable increase of nearly a foot over how it arrived!
Typically, leaf springs do settle a little over the first 100 miles of driving. Therefore, we'll monitor how they perform after a short run to gauge whether we need to adjust the setup further.
Wrapping Up
In essence, what turned out to be a simple job transformed into a satisfying victory in mechanical restoration. The rear seats were temporarily removed to access the top shock absorber mount, and I decided to give the interior a quick clean before reinstallation. Most importantly, the Falcon is ready to become my daily driver once again.
As the week comes to a close, I want to say thank you for following along with us. Wishing you a wonderful weekend and looking forward to our next project together!
Keyword
- Falcon
- Rear springs
- Leaf spring eye bolts
- Classic car restoration
- KYB gas shocks
- U-bolts
- Ride height
FAQ
Q: What were the main challenges in changing the rear springs?
A: The original concern was the potential difficulty with rusted bolts, but surprisingly, the process went smoothly with the impact wrench, avoiding the expected lengthy struggle.
Q: Why was there a need to replace the leaf spring?
A: The leaf spring was found to have a fresh break, indicating it had weakened over time due to wear and pitting from rust.
Q: What kind of springs were installed?
A: We installed a new four-leaf spring pack instead of the original three-leaf design to help improve ride quality.
Q: How much higher does the Falcon sit after the new springs?
A: The Falcon sits approximately one foot higher than it did before the installation. However, new leaf springs typically settle within 100 miles of driving.
Q: What did you do while the Falcon was on the rack?
A: We also addressed a hole in the exhaust system that caused it to sound like an old tractor, alongside the spring installation.