Front Spring Plate Question

I have a front spring plate question for a project car I just got. The plate has 4 holes for the 2 U-bolts and a centered one for the spring pack bolt. The spring pack hole is about 1/4" and the bolt head is too large to come up throught the hole. Now the simple thing to do is drill out the hole and call it good. But at one time this car was together with the front plate as is.

So I wonder if I should put a spring pad between the plate and the spring that is deep enough to not have the bolt head pass through the plate or is there another option?

This is for a light weight modified T.

Thanks

 

Change the bolt to a socket head cap screw and it will probably drop right over it. Did this with a rear spring once.

 

Was there possibly a SPACER plate in between the lower "clamping" plate and the spring pack at one time??? The spacer plate may have been thick enough and could of also had a large enough spring pin hole in it.

 

Do you have an actual hex head bolt or a round head spring center pin? This might be the problem. The spring center pin/bolt locates the spring so I do not suggest spacing it so the head doesnt go into the plate hole. Id just drill out the hole in the plate if changing to a different style of centerbolt doesnt work.

 

So what you are saying is your spring sits on top of the frame mount and the spring plate clamps on top? If that's it , no biggie, just drill out the hole to fit the bolt head.

 

Jim Jacobs doesn't even run one...

 

The spring pack is under the plate with two u-bolts resting directly on the lower spring and coming up through the plate holes. The plate is welded to the round front cross member. In this position the top most spring has the centering bolt in conflict with the center hole in the plate. I tried to pass a cap bolt through the center hole but the hole is too small and still will not work.

If I was to guess, it appears as if the spring pack was compressed in place and the centering hole position was also used to clamp the springs to the plate along with the 2 u-bolts.

Looking more like I need to drill out the centering hole!

 

Do like Scooter Mad sugguested, or just drill it out.

 

OK drilling it is!

Thanks to all.