1934 pickup -dropping rear springs

M

mikebell

Member
I like to know what is the safest way to drop your rear transverse Springs. I'd like to drop the rear axle and would like to know what kind of tension is still on the spring if I try to remove the shackle bolts
 
Do what we did back in the 40's, use 3" shackle links.
this don't change the ride and are easy to remove if
you don't want them. G.M.
 
G.M. said:
Do what we did back in the 40's, use 3" shackle links.
this don't change the ride and are easy to remove if
you don't want them. G.M.
Click to expand...
Some in the 50's might have considered 3" shackles for wimps.
6" shackles seemed to be the norm. :)
 
I don't want to separate the springs ,I want to know how do I drop the rear axle. Do I jack up the rear end so the springs sag and use a bottle jack under one side to relieve the spring tension? How much tension will be left?
 
mikebell said:
I don't want to separate the springs ,I want to know how do I drop the rear axle. Do I jack up the rear end so the springs sag and use a bottle jack under one side to relieve the spring tension? How much tension will be left?
Click to expand...

A LOT.

Be careful.
 
There's likely only one safe way since I'm assuming that you want to remove the spring from the rear axle assembly and that your shackle links are more or less stock and that is to use a spring spreader. You can then do it with the spring still attached to the rear cross member or with it unattached to the cross member dropped down with the rest of the axle assembly although I would not recommend the former alternative as the weight of the rear axle will greatly increase the amount of side-to-side force necessary to relieve the spring tension enough to remove the shackles from the spring and adjacent spring perches on the rear axle housings with zero tension on the shackles.

As Mike wrote, there' a lot of tension in a rear spring and even more so in a 12 or 13 leaf original commercial chassis rear spring such as that likely in your pickup.
 
mikebell said:
I don't want to separate the springs ,I want to know how do I drop the rear axle. Do I jack up the rear end so the springs sag and use a bottle jack under one side to relieve the spring tension? How much tension will be left?
Click to expand...

You need a spring spreader, as stated there is a LOT of energy in these springs. On later model years you can attempt some work arounds that are not overly dangerous, BUT not on the eary years! If you value your body parts be careful and use the proper tools.
 
Thanks guys. I think I will drop the axle and spring assembly altogether, then use the spring spreader to disassemble to remove tension
 
That's a good plan. As additional safety precautions you may wish to capture a significant majority of the spring leaves on each side with large C-clamps or something equally suitable just in case the bolt in the center of the spring that holds all of the leaves together gives up the ghost while you're spreading the spring. Those upside down C-shaped clamps on the spring only capture the first five leaves of the spring leaving the other seven or eight to take flight should that bolt fail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top