Technical Question about adjusting bones/tie rod ends?

Took some time to get everything welded up but finally there, a long with replacing some tie rods, Jam nuts, new shackle bushings, etc. Figured I would post while I'm doing the driver side first since I have everything loosened up and get some advice along the way.

Seems I have everything strait on the driver side so far and measurements on both side match up perfectly with all the brackets. First question I have is how do I put enough load on to get the spring back up to the perch pin to put the bracket and bolts back on? I know I will have the same issue once I do the passenger side.

 

Last time I messed with one was the front on a post war Ford coupe years ago using jacks. Might have been doing something wrong but a real PITA as I recall. Ever get into one again I'll take the time to make one of these: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...rsatile-than-i-thought.1068830/#post-12130381 before I start.

Loaded springs of any type can pack a super punch, just a bad event waiting for a time and place to happen if you are not 100% careful. Stay safe.

Ed

 

Do you mean how do you get the spring close enough to the perch to put the shackle in? I'd jack the frame up so the axle droops and the spring hangs free on that end, and then put a block of wood under the end of the spring above the axle. Then when you let the car back down the spring will be at the right relationship to the axle, and as the spring stretches with weight on it there will be a point where the distance for the shackle is just right. Put the shackle in then. Then smack the block of wood out with a hammer.

 

Yes thats exactly what I mean. I was following a few guys here to say just do one side at a time so I was looking for the easiest way to get it close enough to get the bolts through. Ill try jacking up the frame. If anyone else has any info please share, also let me know if anyone sees anything incorrect as I am doing this basically with the knowledge everyone on here has given me.

 

Yes, get one shackle lined up and install that one.
Then like said above, you need a proper thickness wood block on top of the axle on the remaining side, so the spring tip can slide outwards towards the last perch as you slowly lower the weight onto that block.

 

I usually would unbolt spring from frame, undo the center bolt and did-assemble the spring pack. Place shackle on one side of primary spring and with a little muscle spread the spring to attach the other shackle. It would take a little longer, but it is a lot safer than trying to build and use a spreader as above. Why fight the spring force as a whole when you can work with just a part of the spring? While the spring is apart, you can now do a visual inspection on each leaf, adjust and grease sliders as needed.

 

That's for sure. Avoided death under a Falcon fender when spring decided to leave it's bottom perch. Serious laundry bill though....

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Any opinion on mono-leafs in general?

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Exactly what I did! Put two C-clamps on either side of the spring center bolt. Remove center bolt. Install an 18" long piece of 1/4" all-thread w/nuts and washers. Loosen C-clamps and 1/4" nuts until spring is disassembled. Very easy to spread just the main leaf to reach shackles. Reassemble....done!

 

Way too much time and work. Just use a wood block like @alchemy first suggested. There is nothing to be all candyass afraid of, as the bone holds the axle aligned to the spring. Why go through all that unnecessary work? (unless there's no motor in the car to make the spring pack compress)

I also do the wood block on front springs, even though I still have my Dad's 1950s expensive commercial transverse spring spreader. The wood block is way faster and goes easy

Some people don't want to learn a damn thing on here.

 

Yes, two 2X4s make it easy. Put one between the axle and spring on the side that's connected, it keeps the shackle/spring raised and pushed towards the side you still need to connect. Put another 2X4 between the spring and axle on the side you're connecting. As you lower the frame the holes will align. It's easy once you do it.

 

The OP stated that he was new to hot rods, he was also looking for ways of doing something. Yeah your way works also. The spreader bar works also. There are a lot of ways to attack putting this back together. I provided him with an option that has serious merit. He would learn how to dis-assemble one of these spring, he would have a chance to inspect the leaves checking for damage, he would learn how to align the springs and sliders. HE WOULD ALSO NOW KNOW HOW TO PERFORM A SPRING REBUILD.
Now that he knows how to rebuild a spring , he could expand that knowledge to remove or add leaves if he needed to adjust ride quality and height. He could apply spring glide sheets. he could grease the spring pack. He could do a lot of things.

Sometimes it is not about doing it the simple easy way, it is about gaining knowledge and gaining confidence in doing something yourself, the easy way or the hard way.

 

You must have missed the new Posies button slider spring. Those don't get greased, nor get slider sheets, and they don't lend themselves to ride height adjusting like OEM spring packs.

As a beginner, it can be overwhelming if some people suggest ripping even more things apart, and then he has to figure out which of those things are necessary if he just wanted to reconnect the shackles.

 

I appreciate all the input, from both sides. I am here to learn as much along the way as possible because this is something I have always been into. I am going to tackle this tonight and ill let everyone know how it turns out and the method I used. Hopefully test driving it tomorrow before running it to an alignment shop.

 

We all do what we Gotta do when we go to get it done.
Using lifted weight and gravity to do the work is never the best way. Unless you’re building a guillotine a smasher a pile driver or a wrecking ball. Noticed a common theme there.
Going the long way around the barn to make it extra work that is it necessary isn’t the best way.
All you need is a clamp and a piece of tube Steel And it’s three minute job done safely.

Spring spreaders are nice but they don’t work so good on reversed eye springs

 

Wasn't all that impressed w/a Mono-leaf, had to match the car's weight, or either you bounced/bottomed depending.
Then, just as w/a main leaf, if it failed, woops!

 

Works in frame or not
Works with reversed eyes or not
You could make little rollers on the tube and it wont tear off paint or bother chrome

 

Finally got everything back together and all looks good. Again, thanks for all the advice from everyone. Learned a lot. Wanted to share how I lifted the spring though since jacking up the frame didnt work. I used the come along and trolley I used to pull a few engines. Works like a charm and took 2 minutes and literally 2-3 clicks and everything was in place. Then I used the wood blocks just in case while I was putting the pins back in.

Anyways thanks again everyone. I'll take it out this weekend for a ride and then to an alignment shop next week. Any more issues or the wobble comes back I'll let everyone know.

 

Thumbs up!