Technical Tri Five Leaf Spring Question

Doing a body off resto/hot rod on my 56 Chevy 150...I replaced the rear leafs with a new 5 leaf replacements...The rear shackles have flipped horizontal with the top of the frame...I have raised the frame...Put pressure under the rear axle etc...As many combinations that I can think of and can't get them to go back into the normal position even with a 3 ft bar between the shackle mount and spring....Should I loosen the U bolts?....Possibly disconnect spring from front eye mount and position rear and then try to attach the front?...I have read numerous threads about this problem...I was hoping someone here might have a tried and true method?....Thanks as always

 

they won't stay where they belong, until you put the body back on the frame.

 

I had read that also about the body weight...My thoughts are that it's going to be awhile before I can get the body re installed and if there is an issue with the springs themselves and that I cannot get the shackles to go into position...The time will have elapsed and will if no return or recourse with the vendor of the springs that I purchased them from..Burned so many times on parts and vehicles (Some my fault and others not) paranoia runs strong

 

I understand...

Did you put an old spring next to a new spring, and see if they are the correct length?

 

Get five 200# friends to come over and sit on the rear cross member; that should stimulate things.

 

I actually strapped the frame to the floor jack with it raised like I've done in the past to install coil springs with no success..The only thing I haven't done is loosen the U bolts..I called the vendor this morning but the only technical person they had was either running parts or filling the condom machine or some other task and wouldn't be available until tomorrow...I'm impatient I guess..But have been dealing with this issue now for several days

 

I had the same problem with this on my car. I put my chasis on a trailer like i was goin to haul it then ran a big ratchet strap across the frame going to the trailer and put tension on it to put a load on the springs. I was about done with the chassis at the time and so i let it sit for a couple weeks strapped down like that. It helped stretch the springs a little untill i put the body back on then it had enough load on it to keep the shackles flipped the right way. Good luck cause new springs are stiff!!!!


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Thank you all for the help. I was able to strap the frame over the rear axle and hook straps to hydraulic jack. Then applied upward pressure to each side of the axle housing forcing the spring to flatten and shackles went into place.

 

The five leafs are tough. After you get your car finished you may not be happy with them. No way to know until you get the body on and assembled. Every car and owner are different. Tire wheel size and all that stuff will change everything again. When I worked in a tri five shop we did five leafs. Bigger is better. After a couple of cars we did fours first. Convertible and wagon got five.
If your adding the shock bar between the upper frame kick ups you might go ahead and up the shocks on.

 

Oh boy! My 56 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery has SEVEN leaf spring packs on the rear (former drag car?). I guess I better not ever remove them. I do have a brand new pair of 6 leaf springs for it; the first two leafs are full length. I had them made that way. Are you sure your springs are on correctly? The lengths are different either way from the spring locator pin. I know the lengths are going to be the same, but the flexibility from the pin will be different. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.