Rear spring spreader

pooch said:
Maybe someone could post the distance of a spring out of car.

Then I could measure mine in car and add 2 inches.
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pooch

I measured the spring in post 10 and the distance c to c was 40" (spring eye to spring eye). This spring is from a 29 roadster pickup.
 
Sturgis, ..40 inches, when it becomes dawn, I will measure my in car spring and check against Tom's figures and save post in my Model A folder for if or when I need to remove spring.

thanks.
 
2004bcaa.jpg


Here's a picture of the complete spring spreader I made. Sometime I plan to use a screen door spring inside the square tubing to hold the two threaded rods in place. In the meantime I'll just use a bungee cord.
 
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Tom Endy said:
This single bolt was never ment(sic) to hold that much tension.
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For example an A325 (36ksi) bolt 5/8" in diameter:

design tensile strength= 20.7 kips
design shear strength= 11.0 kips

(where kips is 1000 pounds)

Tom Endy said:
I can't enphisize enough how caution should be exercised when dealing with a Model A rear spring.
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I agree totally.

What I did was not use a spreader at all. I took the pack apart. Installed just the mainleaf with the shackles, then installed all the component leaves with 2-6" C-clamps.
 
ditto: but without c-clamps if my memory works. I must have been lucky back in the 60's. Always had either front or rear end out, 32 coupe, olds eng. Trying to make the "rake better.600/15-820/15, then a 3" block on top of rear spring. Then a few leaves out of front spring. Then the trend was to "gasser: look, add a block to front on top of spring, longer shackles (they didn't work). Never gave a thought to spring "exploding.
Paul in CT
 
I measured my 28 phaeton in-car spring inside eye to eye and it is 47 inches.

So, If I allowed for 1 inch out either side and 3 1/2 inches in each side to release, that would make 4 1/2 inches of thread each side.

Does this sound right? (49 to 40 inches total).
 
I have my coupe torn apart for restoration and am currently working on the rearend. I have 10 springs that in the relaxed position is 15 1/2 inches tall to the bottom of the stack, it is 40 inches from center of bolt hole to center of bolt hole.
 
pooch said:
I measured my 28 phaeton in-car spring inside eye to eye and it is 47 inches.

So, If I allowed for 1 inch out either side and 3 1/2 inches in each side to release, that would make 4 1/2 inches of thread each side.

Does this sound right? (49 to 40 inches total).
Click to expand...

You should make the spring compressor to collapse down to 38", or you may have to work some to get the spring off. And nobody likes work!:D
 
Tom Endy said:
The spring spreader in the photo is the less expensive version of the ones most suppliers offer. This one does not have the spring loaded retainers and the thrust bearings. They were originally sold by AC&R for between $60 and $85. and it is just as safe.

I also have a home made one similar to the one in the posted web site. By the time I obtained all the material and had it welded it cost as much as a ready made one. Whatever the price, a quality made rear spring spreader is cheap insurance.

Whatever you do, please do not attempt to use a pipe and an all-thread against a banjo bolt, it is extremely dangerous and a good way to get yourself killed. If the pipe slips off the bolt head it will launch like a medieval cross bow.

Anyone who owns a Model A and does most of their own work should own a quality rear spring spreader. You will find you will use it more than once.

Tom Endy
Click to expand...
how can pipe slip of bolt head
 
The Restorer club magazine Vol 23-4 Nov. Dec. 1978 has an excellent article on how to build a rear spring spreader. I built one and it is a real good one. Email me and I can send pictures and the plans. dickger-31@wi.rr.com Dick Hansen
 
Wonder how many aftermarket spreaders were available. Mine was made by ARPS Corporation of Snowbird fame. I have seen another like it.

SpringSpreader.jpg
 
pooch said:
Maybe someone could post the distance of a spring out of car.

Then I could measure mine in car and add 2 inches.
Click to expand...

I figured mine (30 T.S., 10 leaf) to be 49 1/2 " centerLine to centerline of the mounting holes on the axle housings, minus the shackles of 1 1/2'@ or 3" to give 46 1/2". And 42 1/4" C-line to C-line on the UNCOMPRESSED spring. I can't give the dimension of the compressed spring as I have disassembled the leaves. Hope this helps somewhat!
Terry
 
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