Replacing Spring shackles/suggestions ?

[Steve Seidl]

I have a 35 Ford that I am looking at replacing the existing spring shackles with kit shackles that connect to tube shocks. Any suggestions on a good way to remove old shackles without a spring spreader ? I am considering lifting each spring side -one at a time with a hydraulic jack and cutting out/removing old shackle and installing new shackle set up. I know it is not an easy process. I am even considering loosening up front spring assembly and the leaves and removing total spring assembly to work on it on work bench ? Thanks for your comments !! Steve

 

[JSeery]

There is a lot of force in these springs. A spring spreader is needed to be safe. They are not that difficult to fabricate.

 

[19Fordy]

Rent a port a power.

 

[glennpm]

Jim's suggestion to rent a Pota-Power is the safest way to do it.

I made and have used a homemade one with pipe and threaded rod but it would start to bend when I had it threaded way out. I have seen some stronger homemade versions here.

A few years ago I bought Harbor Freight's 4-ton version. The 10-ton has more stroke though. I also made chisel end for it out of pipe. I tried to buy another end from the HF kit but no success with that. I closed the end and welded it then ground it. I just used it a couple of weeks ago and it worked great for the 40 spring in the rear of my 32.

Front springs are safer with less potential energy in them.

 

[philipswanson]

This is no time to go cheap. Rent, buy or make a good spring spreader. I bought a nice commercial one and improved the ends for better nesting. I would never attempt it without a good quality spreader. These springs can seriously injure you or worse.

 

[JSeery]

It can be done without a spreader if the axle and spring are not attached to the frame using a center bolt and c-clamps. You slowly release the spring pressure by alternating between the c-clamps and the center bolt. It is still better, faster and safer to use a spreader.

Don't be confused by stories about other ways of going this. Post war year vehicles do not have the static tension in them. A spreaders is still best, but they can be done by other means. These methods are not safe with the earlier vehicles!

As always I tend to learn things the hard way. I was having trouble getting a strut apart years ago. Decided to cut the coils with a cutting torch. That was a bad plan. Luckily I was out of the path when it came apart, it is hard to believe how far and how hard the pieces came apart! It could have easily killed me if it had hit me.

 

[blucar]

I do not recall ever seeing a tube shock conversion for a '35-40 Ford that attached to the shackle pins. The conversion I have on my '36 mounts to the original Ford shock mount on the axle/wishbone bolt, then to a bracket that bolts to the frame where the original lever shock mounted.

 

[blucar]

After giving some thought to the idea of attaching after-market shock mounts to the spring shackles I went out to the garage and took a look at the front axle and associated tube shock conversion my 36 has. As I have stated in my #7 contribution, the lower connection for my tube shocks is via the original lever shock location in the top portion of the axle/wishbone.
The front spring on a '35-36 is attached below the wishbone, I can not see anyway that the spring and shackles could be attached above the spring.

 

[TJ]

After giving some thought to the idea of attaching after-market shock mounts to the spring shackles I went out to the garage and took a look at the front axle and associated tube shock conversion my 36 has. As I have stated in my #7 contribution, the lower connection for my tube shocks is via the original lever shock location in the top portion of the axle/wishbone.
The front spring on a '35-36 is attached below the wishbone, I can not see anyway that the spring and shackles could be attached above the spring.

I think the OP was talking about using a shackle kit that supplies the shackles and shock mounts as a unit. In that case the shocks do mount off the shackles and the kits normally work on '35-'40.

 

[blucar]

I seem to recall that the '32-34 Ford front spring mounted to the top of axle via the wishbone bolt.

The '35 and later spring mounts in-front of the axle to a mounting point incorporated into the front portion of the wishbone.
I currently have the front axle assembly out of my '36. I reviewed the axle and shock mount. I do not see anyway that a tube shock conversion could be attached to the shackle pins and maintain proper alignment and function.
Returning to the original question about removing the spring shackles: There is not that much load on the shackle pins once the vehicle is jacked up a bit to remove the load on the spring. The shackles can be removed and replaced, one side at a time by placing a bottle jack under a spring eye to relieve the tension. If the shackle pins have to be removed, it is best to remove the spring from the car using a spring spreader.

 

[JSeery]

Returning to the original question about removing the spring shackles: There is not that much load on the shackle pins once the vehicle is jacked up a bit to remove the load on the spring. The shackles can be removed and replaced, one side at a time by placing a bottle jack under a spring eye to relieve the tension. If the shackle pins have to be removed, it is best to remove the spring from the car using a spring spreader.

This is a very bad idea and bad advice. This will work on later models, but not the early ones. At least not safely.

 

[Kube]

This is a very bad idea and bad advice. This will work on later models, but not the early ones. At least not safely.

JSeery,
I am 100% with you on this one. While a number of folks have successfully done this w/o a spreader, me? There is no way I'd even attempt to do so (w/o a spreader).
These springs have enough energy to kill a man. I've dodged a lot of bullets in my life, some real, others proverbially.
To get maimed or killed by a spring would be just plain ignorant.

 

[cas3]

totally agree with those above . my home made spreader uses 3/4" threaded rod, and while its fine for the front springs, it scares the heck out of you doing the rears. even the 3/4" rod flexes enough that i pay close attention, make sure its all set up square and watch and listen on every turn of the wrench. its on my list to build a better one

 

[Kube]

totally agree with those above . my home made spreader uses 3/4" threaded rod, and while its fine for the front springs, it scares the heck out of you doing the rears. even the 3/4" rod flexes enough that i pay close attention, make sure its all set up square and watch and listen on every turn of the wrench. its on my list to build a better one

When you build your "better one" do NOT use threaded rod. It is not meant for this type of application. It's very brittle.

 

[Steve Seidl]

Thanks for good input. I ended up removing shackles by hooking end of spring to a hoist and backed that up with a hydraulic jack underneath. I was able to flex spring enough to get at shackle studs. Removing these from the end of spring and spring perch was the real work. It took a complete day to do one side. I used a torch for heat, big hammers, punches, a ball joint remover and ultimately a 19 mm drill bit to remover portions of stud casing.I replaced this with a tube shock kit that bolts up to old shock holes.It's done now. Unless you have the tools and time. have an old mechanic do it.

 

[glennpm]

Yeah isn’t it fun! I had an awful job doing them on my 40.

Thanks for good input. I ended up removing shackles by hooking end of spring to a hoist and backed that up with a hydraulic jack underneath. I was able to flex spring enough to get at shackle studs. Removing these from the end of spring and spring perch was the real work. It took a complete day to do one side. I used a torch for heat, big hammers, punches, a ball joint remover and ultimately a 19 mm drill bit to remover portions of stud casing.I replaced this with a tube shock kit that bolts up to old shock holes.It's done now. Unless you have the tools and time. have an old mechanic do it.