Spring disassembly...

B

BlockBuster

Member
With the rear spring removed from the car, how should I disassemble the spring pack. Big C clamps, remove center bolt/shackles, slowly back off clamps? I don't want to hurt anything (or anyone...;)). Thanks in advance.
 
If you used a spring spreader to remove it from the axle back off and remove the spreader so that there is no tension on the spring. In lieu of the C clamps a large bench vise works well.
 
No spreader on hand; this spring came removed with the project. But I do get what you're saying.

So the spring will rebound, but not catastrophically if done slowly and carefully...right?
 
Clamp the spring assembly vertically in a larger vice - remove spring clamps and center bolt - install threaded rod and nuts in the center bolt hole - either remove from the vice and back off nuts (threaded rod connectors work well) on the threaded rod, or back off both the threaded rod and vice alternately a little at a time if you're leery of taking the spring out of the vice first.
 
BlockBuster said:
No spreader on hand; this spring came removed with the project. But I do get what you're saying.

So the spring will rebound, but not catastrophically if done slowly and carefully...right?
Click to expand...
You know I just did this twice in the last 2 weeks. I use 2 large clamps on each side of the center bolt. then remove the bolt. Now just loosen the 2 clamps a little at a time until all tension is removed.
 
I also use the C-clamp and All-Thread method.

I came about this method following my first experience which left the impression of the top leaf in the ceiling of my parents garage. Thankfully no one got hurt.

I no longer use spring spreaders and disassemble and assemble the spring directly on the axle.
 
do not take the rear spring lightly ! it will hurt you . been there . good c clamps will work , but use all you have . the all thread way is safer . remove the center bolt after clamping the spring good . use a length of all thread in the center bolt hole . tighten it , release clamps & slowly back the all thread off untill its lose . again , be carefull ! .. steve
 
"C" clamps work xlnt, but use large american made clamps, harbor frieght clamps are chinesse made and subject to poor quality control, use two clamps as close to the center bolt hole as you can, just in case one fails the other will hold, i dont trust the all thread rods they are not grade 8 quality
 
My homemade speader was the subject of a heated debate here some months ago. I almost did a baadddd thing to my leg at shin height when my homemade speader (3/4pipe with 3/4X10 thread) decided to buckle and eject a section into my wife's forsythias about 10 - 12 feet away, missing my leg by inches. Some of us have to learn the hard way. I was lucky!
Here's what I learned!
Keep everything in a straight line. The wobble plus the surfaces being out of square allowed the thread section to get out of line and that was where the buckle began.
Loosen the bolt as much as possible (It isn't much) this will take a little tension off the springs.
I also welded loops onto the speader to accept a chain for insurance. I will also wrap it in an old carpet wherever possible to further contain it and soften any blows. These things are dangerous. I was telling a friend about this and he told me a story about his father who was working on a Mod A spring and it got away from him and a piece just missed his head and hit a light bulb. My friend was about ten at the time.
Terry
 
If the spring is out of the car and there is no spring spreader installed there is very little tension left in the asembly. Certainly not lethal. Put a heafty C-clamp near the center bolt and it will be more than sufficient to hold it together while you remove the center bolt. When the center bolt is out release the C-clamp and you will see how little tension it is holding.

When you are through restoring the individual leafs, install a new center bolt and nut. The center bolts generally come extra long to better accomodate assembly. When you have the nut pulled all the way up cut off the excess length with a hack saw and peen the end of the bolt.

Install the spring to the rear cross member in the car before you attach a spring spreader. The U-bolts and the cross member will hold the spring assembly safely and will not rely on the center bolt to hold all the tension.

Once the spring is installed then install a proper spring spreader and spread the spring enough to allow the rear end to be installed.

This is the safe way of going about it.

Tom Endy
 
Alrighty then. I kinda felt that the tension wasn't nearly as lethal out of the car as in the frame, so I went with the two big c-clamps and a nice piece of threaded rod with coupling nuts and washers (easier to grab with a wrench than regular sized nuts). As insurance I used a couple smaller c-clamps, 1 on each end, out near the last 3 leafs. Removed center bolt and then shackles. Slowly turned out the threaded rod, then a little twist of each big clamp with an occasional twist on the little clamps as needed towards the end. I took my sweet time and it all came apart nicely.

Thanks for all the input and thanks Tom Endy for the install procedure.
 
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