chevy hood springs(before i kill my self)

[REDDOG]

is there a tool made to instann a hood spring on my 54 chevy, i almost knocked out my front glass, and MY grill,

[colorado51]

I think there was a tech post on this a while back where someone made their own tool.

[REDDOG]

i was gonna make one tonight

[Tbone]

I used wood shims you can buy from a hardware store. With the hood in the down position slide shims in between springs. Get as many in there as you can, then open hood.Springs will collapse on shims most times they will just fall out. Might need a little coxing

[Rocket88]

Yeah, somebody posted that a while back.
Something about using a floor jack to expand the spring,
and then using a pile of pennies as spacers.

[Flexicoker]

I read something about wedging 2 pennies in between every coil, you bend the spring back and forth, 2 pennies on one side, 2 pennies on the other. I've never tried it though.

[REDDOG]

i got a jar full of bastard change, i'll try it when i get home

[Rocket88]

That's what the floor jack is for.
Spread the spring apart with the floor jack, add pennies between coils, release jack.
Take spring (loaded with pennies) install in car.
Lift the hood, expand the spring, and watch the pennies fall out.

[Flexicoker]

here's where I read about it

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=379961&Forum=U BB1&Words=pennies&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage =1&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=379925&Search=true#P ost379961

[colorado51]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, somebody posted that a while back.
Something about using a floor jack to expand the spring

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, and they made a bracket out of angle iron I think.

I cant find that freakin post now!

Anyone?

[Jethro]

The penny trick works slick as hell!I'm sure it has saved a couple of fingers for sure.

[chopolds]

Find a piece of exhaust pipe that is a bit larger than the OD of the spring. Slice the pipe in half, and weld in fender washers at the top and bottom of one of the halves. Stretch the spring on a floor jack. Place the 2 halves of the pipe around the spring..hold them together with a couple hose clamps. Release the jack, and the spring stays extended.
Much safer than stacking pennies, and it can be used to remove, OR install the springs.

[FONZI]

Whar Chopolds said! However, be careful. I had the loop on the end of the spring break right off. Spring went flying!!!


FONZI

[Brad54]

Chopolds: That's one of the coolest ideas I've ever heard.
Would there be any benefit to getting a really long carriage bolt and nut and then slipping it through the fender washers/spring just to keep the spring from popping off and flying away before you want it to?
-Brad

[Robert]

Here's a picture of the tool Chopolds is talking about and also the instructions on how to use it. I bought these about 10 years ago.

[Robert]

Instructions...

[REDDOG]

using pennys SUCKS, i thought it would be a good idea, but you gotta get the right amount of pennys in there, or is wont long enough, and 2 pennys stacked inbetween each one isnt wnough, at least not for my 54 chevy, i had 4 to 5 pennys inbetween each coil before i was done, and the penneys didnt just fall out when the hood closed, i had to knock them out, i dont recomend using penneys, i think the half of a pipe with 2 wachers welded on is the trick, i'll try it the next time