Technical 5” magnum axle help in 32 ford

I purchased a new 5” I beam axle from magnum and a mono leaf spring. The spring shackles and perches are also new. The spring measures 29” eye to eye, which is the correct width for the axle. I bolted the spring in the car as I figured it would be easier to get done without the axle attached. I attached one side of the axle to the spring with the shackle and for the life of me, I can’t get the other side together. Nothing I try works and I’ve tried everything.

What the hell am I doing wrong? Appreciate any suggestions.

 

Are you using a spring spreader?

 

No...I didn’t think you could even buy those anymore?

 

What does the Magnum 5" axle measure between the hanger bores? Measure that distance, then deduct the 3" (1.5" per side, reosie)
Reversed eye spring? If not, a simple 'spring spreader' can be made from a 3/4" length of Allthread, a short telescoping piece of 3/4" galvanized pipe, and a couple of washers and nuts.
Grind one end of the Allthread off at a 30 degree angle, to fit behind the inside of the eye of the spring.
Now flatten the end of the pipe, to fit behind the opposite spring eye. Washer and nut to expand the length of the Allthread by tightening the nut against the pipe, spreading the spring.
IF YOUR MEASUREMENTS WERE CORRECT FOR THE DISTANCE OF THE HANGERS VS. THE EYE DISTANCE.

 

Install the mainleaf,shackles and perch bolts.
Then assemble the spring.
Has always worked for me

 

For reversed eye spring: (probably works for normal eye spring but I haven’t used those).
If the motor is in the chassis, and axle is held in place by wishbones, I place 1 inch x 1 inch box section or similar size under the spring eye (between spring eye and axle) and use the weight of the motor in the chassis to spread the spring.
Lower it gently and keep your fingers out of the way..

if your motor is not in the car you can just weight it up with anything handy, bags of concrete, drums of water.......
.

 

I’m using a mono leaf reversed eye spring. I’m not sure how to spread the spring considering it has reversed eyes.

 

I hope that Magnum axle is a forged steel axle.

The ductile iron ones they sell aren’t safe.

 

It is forged steel.

 

Ya I’ll likelh have to take the spring outta the car and assemble on the bench

 

Are you sure? I'm unaware of any forged Magnum axles other than the ends on the tube axles.

 

Hmmm...now you’ve got me thinking. What’s wrong with the ductile iron?

 

In or out, both ways doable.

 

I always attach the shackle on one side and put piece of wood between the axle and spring on the other side . Floor jack under the axle ,jack the axle up and the spring will slide on the wood and move out to the correct length to attach the other shackle .

 

I have a 4" dropped Magnum axle in my '40 pickup and it has been in there for over 20years. If I remember right there was a few Magnum axles that actually broke while in service which scared the hell out of all of us Magnum axle owners. If I remember correctly it was a certain run of axles and those produced before and after are ok. Correct me if I am wrong as Deuce Dreamer and myself have a vested interest in the outcome.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/broken-i-beam-axle.696898/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/axle-warning.726774/#post-8075392

 

Unless you are building a wrought iron gate, everything.

 

I believe you are correct however, forged is the best and Henry's forged is the best of the best. Damage to the rep of Magnum probably will never be completely restored. (Though this is not a restorers forum. LOL)

 

Following the failure of that Magnum axle didn't they change to forged with each axle having an identifying serial number??

Chris

Sent from my SM-T515 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

pretty much what I described in my post, but it seems that op is going to pull it out of the car as @Moriarity suggested.
If he had posted photos of what he was dealing with to begin with, it may have helped.
Hope he gets it sorted.

 

I just called magnum and asked about the axle. It is ductile iron. He told me the axles breaking were specific to 2008 and were as a result of the foundry overheating them during the manufacturing process. Since that run of axles, they haven’t had any break. Is forged steel the best? Ya of course it is. Ductile iron is a close second. I’m not too concerned.

Today I’m going to remove the axle and spring from the car. I measured the spring yesterday and it seems to be 29”, but it’s harder to accurately measure in the car. It needs to be 29.5” according to magnum. If that’s the case, it’ll never go together and I’ll call the store who sold it to me.

 

Spring is out and 1/2” too narrow. Have to return it I guess.

 

So for what it’s worth,
my spring was 1/2 inch too long so I made shorter shackles.
You could do the maths and possibly make longer ones. 1/4 inch each side (horizontally).
Of course, you would have to ensure that it won’t bottom out.

 

Set everything up loose, the perch bolts, the shackles. Set the spring in place and get everything started to bolt up then tighten everything up. Use the power of the bolts and nuts to pull everything into place, then hang it.

 

Ya I’ll likely do that as soon as I get the correct spring

 

They had a bad run a few years back. The problem was not so much that they had a bad run, back then they did not number anything (damned poor manufacturing practice) so there was no way of knowing if you were in the bad batch or not.

I have not heard anything bad about them since that time.

 

I finally got the new spring and the shackles slide in nice and easy. Amazing what can happen with the correct parts!