Those of you that have increased the spring rates on their birds what if anything have you done to the rear springs? It seems as an upgrade should be in order for the rear also.

I note the springs for 57 fords and 59-60 Tbird will fit. 57 wagons have a higher rate,100#/in (Tbird) to 165 to possibly 195#/in for station wagons. 59 to 60 Tbirds have a 6 leaf spring but I have not been able to determine the rate. It seens as if there is a desireable ratio inthe front to rear spring rates. Any input?

If you want something other than the stock spring rate, you will have to have custom springs made. What is your problem? To harsh or too soft a ride? How old are the springs you have now - if old, they might have lost their "spring"

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I went at it from the other direction many years back. Broke a rear spring drag racing. Replaced them with a pair of '57 Ford station wagon springs out of the junkyard and a set of home built traction bars. Added spacers in the front springs to get it level again. Years late installed new stock front springs with a 1" spacer under the springs. Sits a little higher but corners and handles better.

The car now has new stock springs. The ride is fine for a leisurely Sunday cruise, but with the perforance upgrade it will be in a word unsafe. I have purchased some Aerostar Springs for the front, and need to increase the rate in the rear to maintain the balance of the car for reasonable handling. I would think stiffer front springs and leaving the rear soft would result in some strange handling characteristics.

I added front any rear sway bars to mine when I added a higher rate lowering spring in the front.

I bought the sway bar kit from Larry's T-Bird parts as they where the only ones that carried the TEAMCO brand.   They are a much higher quality and better fitting bar than the ebay ones.  I bought the ebay ones first, and the TEAMCO front and rear made a great improvement and gave me more rear suspension travel as well on my lowered bird.

I used the MonoLeaf Rear 2" lower rear spring on my Bird.   The are really soft riding, that is why I needed to add the rear sway bar.  I used some '66 mustang style rear gas shocks as they are a little shorter than my original shock which worked out with the lowering.

Pat Fleischman

I also used the Larrys front sway bar. Works well. Have not gone to the rear sway bar but am considering it. Not sure if I need it with the station wagon rear springs but it might be a good idea. I am also in the process of upgrading the engine with a different cam and Mummert heads so it might be a good idea.

I added the sway bar from Larrys, and KYB shocks  before I really drove the car after purchasing it. Even with these minor upgrades the Coker Repros are the weak link.

I have disc brakes, Aerostar springs in the works, cannot settle on what to ask for in the spring department. Summit does list a 1 1/8 bar from addco in their online cat. I do have onr that size on my 69 Mercury Montego 302, It works great there, but I think it may be a bit of overkill on the bird.

How much does a bird way? My bird (firebird) has the WS6 RPO (performance suspension) and has a 1 1/2" front sway bar, stock. It's about 3500lbs. It handles great for a stock suspension. I bet 1 1/8" will be fine, might actually leave some on the table.


Lawrenceville, GA

Mike Richards (miker) - told me he put on the Aerostar springs and (1) the car really rides and handles better with the variable rate coils. But...(2) it raised the front of his bird due to a combination of engine setback (more than a sedan) and all of the new aluminum parts (intake and Mummert heads) and tube headers. His plan is to cut the springs a bit and lower it again.

Charlie - remember that the distance from the A-arm attachment to the centerline of the sway bar / frame attachments is the operating lever for the torsion bar. A big bar with a long arm might be softer than a smaller bar with a short one.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

My '57 weighed 3600 pounds with the hardtop only.