What Is This?

[shadetree77]

Cleaning underside of my '53 Manhattan and noticed this thing stuck between the spring on the passengers side. There isn't one on the drivers side. Anyone know what it is?

[Fid]

I haven't seen one like this but I have seen others - when coil springs get weak and cause the car to sag on one side, you could add spreaders between the coils to even it out. I forget what they are called. I'm sure there's enough knowledge here that someone can come up with the name.

[JoeKeys2010]

We call them spacers. Not sure if that is the correct term or not.

[joefrazer]

They are spacers. The open will fit a 1/2" drive socket that is used to drive it into the spring. I have a set on my 54. They should always be installed in pairs per spring, opposite one another to prevent loading up one side and snapping a coil.

The only problem I've ever had with mine is that they "walk" around the coil and eventually both end up next to one another.

[shadetree77]

Thanks for the info. guys. So what would be the best course of action here? There is only one spacer on that spring. Should I try to take it off or just leave it alone? If I should take it off, how do I accomplish that?

[51Deluxe]

You could always jack up the car,  take a ratchet, turn it counterclockwise and remove it. Then measure the ride height of the car at all four corners on level asphalt or concrete. Seems unlikely someone put it in there for no reason though.

[joefrazer]

Removing the spacer is easy. Just jack up the car to take the weight off the spring. The spacer should pop out with pressure on its back side. I used a long drift and hammer.

[Gordie]

Someone put that spring spacer on your car because one spring was partly collapsed and those spacers would make the car height equal.  I wouldn't take it off as it will make the car sag on that side.  You should look for some new front springs as probably both sides are sagging.  Those spacers will let your spring bottom out before it should.  Your brake hose looks like it needs to be replaced also.

[boatingbill]

I would try to find new replacements instead of used springs. When my dad's '53 Kaiser
started to sag in the late sixty's after 15 years of use most of the junk cars we looked at were
either sagging too or had spacers in them. We found new replacements from a spring
company. My '51 has spacers in both front coils. Please post if you find a new supplier.

[retired wrench]

These things kill one coil of your spring causing a harsher ride.

[shadetree77]

Thanks for all of the feedback guys. Very helpful. I believe I will leave it alone for the time being as the car won't be on the road until next Summer. Good to know what that is and how to deal with it though. I'm in the process of waking the car up after a 40 year slumber. I will keep my eye out for some new springs. I think I saw them in Rudy's KF Parts catalog for $90 each. Gordie, you are right about that hose. All of that stuff under there is original as far as I can tell and I will be rebuilding the entire braking system. That is, once I get the car running good. Hope to have it back on the road by next Summer. Thanks again for all of the help guys.

[mbflemingkf]

According to my Moog Industries spec sheet, your car originally used Moog #536 Front Coil Springs.  Don't know if there's a modern crossover.  Not any on e-bay right now but you might want to keep checking.   

[Logan]

Does Kanter carry them?  I know they carry some stuff like that.

[54manhattan13]

Kanter auto supply lists Kaiser coil springs in their 2014 Summer catalog.
$250.00- pr.( 4-6 weeks waiting)