I have a 29 RPU with stock A rear spring with reverse eyes. It worked great on the stock banjo but it is about three inches too long for my new Roddsville rear end. Question: To shorten rear main leaf can I cut 1.5" off the eye on each side and heat with a torch to bend around a 3/4 rod to complete the eye. Will the heat make the metal too brittle for the load? Anyone out there have experience with this?
Best bet is have a new main leaf made, heat + spring steel = no spring. The spring perches on a stock Model A axle are between 48.5" - 49" center to center... I don't see how that distance would have changed by swapping the center section of the axle. Posies makes narrow A springs for perches that are 46.5" - 47", and an even narrower one than that if the need arises.
That's not a '29A RPU (76-A). That is a '29A CCPU (82-A). If it has a roof, it ain't a Roadster Pick Up, aka: open cab pickup. You have a Closed Cab Pick Up. What Pocket Nick said is exactly correct. What leads you to believe that this spring is too long?
Is this formerly Al Capones "roadster" pickup? I have a narrowed rear main spring built by Hollywood Spring that I never used. Pm if interested.
It is a election year so I should have been politically correct in saying she started life as a closed cab and now being reborn into RPU. Sorry for all the redundant pics
The spring hangers on the stock mechanical backing plates allowed for the shackles to expand further under the hanger than the later model housing with aftermarket hangers welded as wide as possible. I also removed 4 leafs to lower 1" which allows the spring to expand more. I would rather shorten the spring and not add the leafs back.
Truckster. You will need a new main leaf, or a whole new spring. What did you do with the metal you cut off? Still have it?
a while ago, I took the leaf next to the rear main to a spring shop in wheeling W.Va. had them roll reverse eyes to that to use as a main leaf on another axle. I believe it cost $90 bucks. never did use it, went with chassis when sold.
I suspect it appears too long because the rear is under sprung with the removal of all those leaves. Shortening the main leaf will not fix that problem. If you are hesitant to add leaves back because of a change in ride height, I'd rethink that. You need to add enough leaves back in to make it ride well, and address ride height another way, like with a Z in the frame, or a new spring that is arched in a way to make it lower but retains the number of leaves you need to make it ride well.
Thanks for the replies. I still have all the leaves. I like the idea of a spring with more arch like a T spring. I will update my changes as I learn from my mistakes!
Hi! I bend the leaves on this model A spring, only the main and the next three leaves! Stock and de arched spring for comparison!!! Enviado desde mi XT1068 mediante Tapatalk
Just take it to a spring shop and have them deal with it. less headaches, it gets turned cold and when its done you'll thank yourself.