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Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 8:35 pm
by DHort
Should the springs be tighter like in the first picture or looser
like in the second picture, or should they be tightened all the way?
Do not know why the first pic is shown twice.
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 9:31 pm
by Allan
First pic. is OK. They are not meant to be tightened right up. No point is having a spring loaded cap if the springs are already compressed tight.
Allan from down under.
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2025 12:16 pm
by Shrshot
Allan wrote: ↑Mon Oct 20, 2025 9:31 pm
First pic. is OK. They are not meant to be tightened right up. No point is having a spring loaded cap if the springs are already compressed tight.
Allan from down under.
Allen, I got a question. I understand the springs not being compressed, but why do some of the vendors sell the steel shims to put in the cap then?
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2025 12:30 pm
by speedytinc
It's a 1/2 essed way to take up the wear on the ball & socket. Those shims will pound out in time.
Note the gap between the cap & base. There must be a small gap.
The springs provide the tension to hold the wishbone ball firmly in place to stay snug without moving around loose.
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2025 1:13 pm
by DanTreace
Wishbone ball when new is 1 1/4" spherical ball. They wear, so shims are sold to help, but don't work on an oblong ball.
Best is a nice round ball, and a new cap. Then the springs on the cap (grease the ball and cap) can assist holding the wishbone snugly, but with the slight rotation needed for the Ford 3 point suspension of the front end.
Better than shims is an accessory spring loaded ball cap, that can give good results.
- 1.250 dia ball wishbone.jpg (68 KiB) Viewed 161 times
- 553655.jpg (152.11 KiB) Viewed 161 times
- 553653.jpg (121.71 KiB) Viewed 161 times
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2025 5:10 pm
by Jerry VanOoteghem
I usually assemble with the springs nearly fully compressed. The thought being, that if the wishbone gets yanked forward, the springs will not be able to further compress enough to allow the ball to come out of the socket. You only need to see that happen once in order to guard against it.
Re: Which motor/wishbone springs are correct?
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2025 5:35 pm
by big2bird
Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑Tue Oct 21, 2025 5:10 pm
I usually assemble with the springs nearly fully compressed. The thought being, that if the wishbone gets yanked forward, the springs will not be able to further compress enough to allow the ball to come out of the socket. You only need to see that happen once in order to guard against it.
Agreed.
Also that bulletin reminds you to use cotter pins. Don't. Safety wire there. Tie both together.