Projects how many leaf springs can be used

I removed some of the top leaf springs to get it lower. On a bounce the center four bolt area bottoms out on to the axle. Not good! I know.

 

Well, your post count is rising nicely, perhaps you could be more specific about the way you use us?

 

Okay Sir, I do appreciate using H.A.M.B. I'm just new to traditional hot rods and learning.

 

Front or rear , what car, what spring. You can replace removed leaves with a solid spacer block.

 

I'll be the first to say it: Pictures, we need pictures in order to assist you.

 

I don’t like to remove the top spring as it’s not much of a load on it but I do remove a middle one . I see how the angle of the spring hangers are and see I can bottom it out. I usually take a few out of the middle rotating ever other one.

 

There’s a little trick you can do with leaf springs, you can make them progressive! Put a little space between the main leafs and the support springs, then they won’t effect the ride on small bumps, but will come into play if loaded heavily or in a large bump. Ford had a really outstanding set of leaf springs on the 1970s 1/2 ton pick ups. Five steps in the progression! A work of art! Leaf springs are easy to tailor to your needs!






Bones

 

Front leaf springs on model A front end. It was okay in the beginning but now that the full motor is in running. I noticed how close it has dropped. If I stand on frame and give alittle push down the middle bottoms out and hits axle.

 

Okay thanks

 

On rears never take two in a row. Only every other to get the desired look. I always leave the first one under the main. Keeps the ends from bending.

 

Also leaf springs need lubercation between the leaves. Oil is messy but works great. On some cars there were little indentations for a wax filled pad in order for the springs to slide past each other. Back in the Great Depression my Dad said they drove nails in between the leafs for “ rollers”! Back in the day expensive cars had their springs wrapped to keep the lube in. But 90% of the leaf springs spend their entire life.... un lubed!






Bones

 

So @Sean66 what pictures do you have of the culprit car please.

 

Sorry I didn’t take any pictures of what I worked on today. I took off the leaf springs from the frame and saw that I had put the spacers on the bottom.
So what I did was put them on top.

 

Did you reverse the spring eyes? It will lower the car truck 1.5 inches just doing that. Also its easy to do as I will be doing one today..

 

Spring shop here in town told me, on a 7 leaf pack, I could take every other leaf leaving the two top ones. Same for the rear, but my truck doesn't haul anything of any weight and it doesn't weigh all that much.

 

Cont' John could you explain the process like heat treating after you reverse the eyes? Or am i mistaken? Are you actually reversing the eyes on an existing spring, or changing out for a new reversed spring?

 

Eyes are NOT reversed. The spring is re-arched in opposite direction. I have done a few; it just takes a little time and 2 tools. A 5 pound sledge and I use a 1’ piece of rail road track with a bolt shank welded on the top outside edge.
Caulk mark on your garage floor the original arch and match it when your done. A friend holding the spring and slowly moving it while you hit it helps a lot. Ear plugs are high on my list now.

 

Yes Sir,
Mike at the Early Ford store in San Dimas sent me to a suspension place they have known for years. They did a perfect job, they even paint it for you.

 

Holy shit! I thought it was a more technical job with heating, bending, and re-hardening and tempering

 

So @High test 63 like @jimmy six had stated the spring is Re-Arched and its a pretty easy thing to do with only a few tool. I made a little fixture that I copied here on the HAMB I believe it was @Rolf during Tech Week back in the day.
I am playing with a 1932 ford truck and the front needs to be dropped a bit. So I pulled out the front spring and to my surprise its a 12 pack leaf spring wow stiff ride. Now this is a 32 that hasn’t ever been apart and low mileage and crazy as thats 89 years..
So just cleaning up the spring and be careful when taking them apart as they have lots of energy in them and will do LOTS of damage to Flesh teeth and bones. I wrap mine in a chain and leather and cut the center bolt. This one is super nice so it will just unbolt and still wear full face shield leather gloves and apron “safety first please”.
So I pull the spring pack apart and then mark on the ground the arch I will achieve after changing the direction of the spring eyes. I mark the spring on the new top side of the spring every inch . I then put her in the simple but very effective jig and put a bottle jack in the center and put a load onto the spring. I do this every inch but be very carful around the spring bolt hole. I have broken a few of them and dont bend a inch of it. . So i will do this a few time till I get the spring reversed and takes about a hour . I am doing a few of them today and like to have one on hand if I need it ..

 

@continentaljohn , I assume you will eliminate some leaves on that truck spring, before reassembly?
Could you share which leaves you choose to eliminate and then the reassembly of the spring pack?
Thanks.

 

On a buggy sprung car that is light a common starting place is 7 leaves. Leaves are then added or removed to adjust ride quality. To get one to sit lower with springs being the only modification we commonly de-arch the springs. There are many ways to do that. Some guys use a hydraulic press and others use a big hammer, while others use heat. heat is the least desirable.

 

Phil @pprather I will be removing or loosing 4 of the leafs to make some new kitchen knives seriously.. I will rebuild it tomorrow and post some pictures... I measured 32 inches to the top of the fender opening with the new reversed spring eyes the leafs out should drop it 2 to 3 inches. I do have a dropped 32 heavy axle the Greg @ansenaxles did for me with a 4 inch drop if needed..
@porknbeaner more then one way to skin a cat but setting it on fire / heat will take the temper /spring out and kill the cat...

 

I haven't tried the bottle jack method, maybe next time, but have done the sledge hammer method. If doing, it, be the guy swinging the hammer, not holding the spring. Even holding the spring with heavy gloves, if the strike is slightly off, you can really feel it in your hands! Yow!

 

I’ve never tried a the jack method either, but It can be a one man job that way if your careful. Algoma... I’d rather do the hitting than the holding..in a rear sagging long spring car I’ve re-arched 2-3 in the pack and not the main to bring it back.

 

@jimmy six, you bet. Holding the spring, can really tingle the hands.

 

De-arching the spring would lengthen the eye to eye dimension. Is this a concern, especially with front transverse springs?

 

I dont have any pictures,but a harbor freight style pipe bender works great for arching-dearching springs.my worn out shoulders cant do the hammering anymore.

 

I used an arbour press. It's less aggressive than the hammer. Great way to build biceps!