Question for the twin I-beam experts

MY OL 66 · Post by **MY OL 66** » June 22, 2011, 11:32 pm

A couple weeks ago, I spent some time with the wire brush cleaning all of the front suspension parts prepping them for painting.
This last weekend, as I was laying out some of the smaller pieces on a piece of plywood to paint, I noticed that I had an odd number of parts lined up to paint.
When I started checking, it looked like I was missing one of the spacers that mounts below the lower spring perch on the I-beams.
This spacer is approximately 5" long X 1.5" wide X 1/4" thick, with an approx. 1" hole near one end.
I searched all around the garage, under the truck, under the other car, everywhere, and now I cannot find it.
Was I just imagining that I cleaned up two of these pieces, or did my slick only come with one?
I talked to Bill W. about this, and to his recollection, two of his slicks only had one of these spacers.
Also, if I only had one to begin with, does it matter which side the one goes on?
Finally, to really confuse myself, in looking at the blow-up illustration of the front suspension, it shows one of these spacers on both sides.
I need help from the experts here.

Thank you!

aeromech · Post by **aeromech** » June 23, 2011, 1:18 pm

On 3 trucks I have discovered one spacer on each side of one truck and the other 2 trucks had one spacer on the drivers side only (maybe to compensate for the weight of the driver?). All 3 trucks were 1965 models.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » June 23, 2011, 3:54 pm

that would be the same as my 65... one spacer on the drivers side only.

my 66's did not have any spacers.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 23, 2011, 4:19 pm

is it a 6/V8 thing?
would make some sense and maybe they decided after 65 there was no need.

pure speculation on my part...

Mellvis · Post by **Mellvis** » June 23, 2011, 4:35 pm

Must be an early form of track-bar adjustment!

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » June 23, 2011, 6:22 pm

Taken appart many 67-79 F-100-250s...never seen a spacer.

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » June 23, 2011, 6:41 pm

Never heard of a spacer.
Could he be talking about the metal cup that fits inside the spring and holds the bottom of the spring in place on the I-beam?
Pictures would really help us not stagger around in the dark like a bunch of drunks.....
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I'm going to go get myself another adult beverage.
U@ss

MY OL 66 · Post by **MY OL 66** » June 23, 2011, 7:22 pm

Here are some pictures, first the two pieces side by side, then with the spring perch or "cup" sitting on top of the spacer

Then for more confusion, I now remember that this spacer was on the passenger side of the truck (I think)...

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 23, 2011, 9:52 pm

looks like it was designed to keep the cup from turning

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » June 23, 2011, 10:16 pm

i wondered what the lip in the cup was for as my 66 had cups like that, but no spacers. interesting.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » June 23, 2011, 11:03 pm

I seem to remember there only being one on each truck, I wonder if it is there to compensate for the camber in the road.

64 f100 · Post by **64 f100** » June 24, 2011, 6:55 am

Something you may not be aware of is that one spring is taller than the other on the twin I beam trucks. I have 3 NOs spacers as een in the picture, and I believe these were used in front end Alignement but have never actually checked. I have some reason to believe this but forget what or where I ran accross this information. Some of you may have seen aftermarket shims for springs that screwed into the spring and were made out of aluminum to raise spring height. I think ford used these pieces for the same reason. Anyway, make sure you use the taller spring on the drivers side of yoru truck. I believe this was to compensate for the drivers weight on that side of the truck.

Rich

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » June 24, 2011, 10:00 am

i dont think the spring is taller, the coil will be bigger around, measure the thickness of the coils with calipers

they will be different.

FORDification · Post by **FORDification** » June 26, 2011, 10:43 pm

http://www.fordification.com/tsb/viewto ... =653&p=677

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » June 26, 2011, 10:48 pm

FORDification wrote:http://www.fordification.com/tsb/viewto ... =653&p=677

Bugger!, who would of thought of that!, thanks Keith!

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » June 26, 2011, 11:29 pm

makes sense that trucks would only have one....

cdherman · Post by **cdherman** » June 27, 2011, 7:18 pm

Note that the TSB says you can correct "cab to box" tilt as well -- ie lift the front end a touch....

MY OL 66 · Post by **MY OL 66** » June 29, 2011, 1:18 pm

Well, thanks for all the info, especially the link to Fordification with the explanation for the use of the shim.

Also, I finally found pictures of my tear down of the front suspension, and in those I see I only had one of these shims, on the passenger side of the truck.

Mystery Solved!!!

64 f100 · Post by **64 f100** » June 30, 2011, 9:34 am

Okay, you don't have to believe me on the springs, but I set my new ones side by side and one was taller than the other. The drivers side that is, and it said in the instructions to place the marked one (the taller one) on the drivers side.

Rich

douglloyd · Post by **douglloyd** » June 30, 2011, 1:08 pm

OK, you guys got me curious.

I went out to the barn last night and pulled apart a set of late 60's/maybe 70's I-beams with disc brakes. I had bought these from someone who changed his mind about upgrading his slick to discs.

He had torched these loose from the donor truck - still had the cabmount/cast beam rings and rubber spacers still attached to the radius arms, and a chunk of the coil spring was still trapped in each cup. Must have been in a hurry or all he had was a gaswrench.

Anyhow, when I broke down the assembly and separated the radius arms from the I beams I had two cups but only found one spacer. Can't remember which side it came from though. Old age will do that to you.

Just like in Steve's picture, just not as clean and shiny.

Doug

Question for the twin I-beam experts

Question for the twin I-beam experts

Spring spacers

Pictures of the lower spring perch (or "cup") and

Only one shim - can't remember which side