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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Link removal and steering drag link

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Link removal and steering drag link     46coupe 08-03-2021 @ 10:58 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 271 Joined: Oct 2015 The saga of the broken shock link continues. I'll try to post pics as well. The broken part of the link is jammed against the shackle. I tried to jack the axle up next to the shackle and the whole car came up. No help. Does anyone have any other ideas on removing this broken link? In the mean time there was a mishap that might have damaged the steering drag link, Ford part 3306-B. Can someone send me a picture of what theirs looks like? There is a slight bend as shown in the Green Book, but it and the ones in catalogs are the same picture. I need to know if mine was bent during the mishap. The pics show the right side of the car drooping toward the floor. The next one shows how high the left rear fender is because of that and the lack of a shock link. The other one shows the broken link against the shackle. I'm hoping that the front end is being caused by the lack of left rear connections. Hopefully one or more of you have run across these problems before and have been able to correct them. The car is a 1946 sedan coupe, all stock. Thanks in advance for the pics and the help. Pics and emails can be sent to nhhistand@yahoo.com I noticed after this posted the pics are backwards. The first one looks like the left front when it really is the right front. The other two are reversed also. Don't know why. This message was edited by 46coupe on 8-3-21 @ 11:02 AM 42oink 08-03-2021 @ 12:10 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 119 Joined: Nov 2010 It's a little hard to see what broke the shock link, but can't you support the spring (i.e. take the weight off it) and take the shackle apart? Is that shackle one that was being used to lower the front? It doesn't look like Henrys'. Let me know if you need new shock links or shackles. I have some extras in my garage. 42oink 46coupe 08-04-2021 @ 4:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 271 Joined: Oct 2015 Thanks for the offer. I have a new shock and link shipped. The link failed because of a frozen shock, we think. I'm going to try separating the parts later today by jacking the frame up and then trying to jack the spring shackle. It's difficult when the car is leaning down in the front passenger side. Do you possibly have a picture you could send of the steering drag link on your car, assuming it's like mine? I'd appreciate it. 40 Coupe 08-04-2021 @ 8:06 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1648 Joined: Oct 2009 I do not believe the end of the spring should be above the axle spring shackle. If it is, the end of the spring would hammer the shock link and break it. It would also cause the car to sit unevenly. How long are the spring shackle bars? They appear to be too long, should be 2.4" C/L to C/L. You may need a spring spreader to remove the shackle bars and get the end of the spring below the axle spring shackle. 46coupe 08-04-2021 @ 10:10 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 271 Joined: Oct 2015 I just went to the garage to check and that is exactly right. On the drivers side the shackle is below the link and on the passenger side it is way above the link which is up and the other is down. I don't know how this could happen. I do know when I finally got the car off the lift the drivers side tire was sticking out further than the passenger side which is rubbing the spring end and the shock link. However I see no sign that the spring has moved to the left (drivers}side. It would have to swivel on one bolt to get the spring to move the shackle bar below the link to match the right side. Do you have a picture of the front suspension showing the steering drag link? I want to compare it with mine to see if mine got bent by the steady rod when the car tried to come off the lift. Thanks for your help and advice Brad 40 Coupe 08-04-2021 @ 10:45 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1648 Joined: Oct 2009 Forget about the front end for now and fix the rear spring mount to the shackles. Then the shock link and then the shock. The shocks and their links do not typically determine the way the car sits. They are for the ride and how stiff or soft the ride is. The height of the car is determined by the springs and the rear spring can effect the stance of the front. Spring shackle bars that are too long could have resulted in one side of the rear spring to flip above the axle mount so also get new bars that are the correct length. A spring spreader is necessary to get the spring back under the rear axle and to replace the shackle bars. 1931 Flamingo 08-04-2021 @ 11:37 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 381 Joined: Nov 2019 "the drivers side tire was sticking out further than the passenger side" The bolt that ties the spring together is either broken or has come out of the hole in the frame. JMO Paul in CT Also, the top of the spring in the picture looks odd. 46coupe 08-04-2021 @ 12:25 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 271 Joined: Oct 2015 Thanks guys for your responses. The shackles are 5" long and I am attaching a picture of the center of the spring which shows two fastening straps and the grease fitting in the middle. The car has several 1945 features and as near as can be determined it was built possibly in Dec of 45. I don't know at this time if any 45 cars had this type of set up that carried over in the 46 models. As I said in an earlier post the car is mostly original, but that doesn't mean that the setup couldn't have been changed since then. I don't understand how all this could have happened as the rear end wasn't on the floor so no extreme weight was on the rear of the car when it started to slide. What weight was on the floor was the right front. In the meantime, I'll see about getting a spring spreader and my new shock and link should be here this week. It's frustrating that there is no one around here that knows anything about these cars. I'm very thankful that you all are able and willing to help us newbies. The pic should be posted now 42oink 08-04-2021 @ 1:01 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 119 Joined: Nov 2010 40coupe above is right. The spring is below the shackle. If you google 1946 ford front suspension, there is a picture from H.A.M.B. that shows how it should be. And the shackles you have are too long I tried 4" once to lower my 42 Ford in front and the frame bottomed out on a decent bump (I made shackles that looked much like yours). Wish I could send you a picture, but once you get yours all apart it will seem obvious. And your right, these other guys have all the knowledge you'll ever need. Just ask. 42oink

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