Im not knocking people who choose to buy parts/cars over buying them,,, hell if everyone made all their own parts and cars, Im out of an income. With that said, the OP asked how to do it, not where can I buy it Seems to me, he wants to build it, no??? And Kevin, Ive done it several times over the years (have a 40 ton press that makes light work of it), just never bothered taking pics of it, both rear T and A springs. Some things is "just building". Ive made and installed hundreds of bungs on split wishbones that I never bothered to take pics of either. Some things are just do it and not document it.
Now, if you dont have a press, and are talkig using the BFH meathod, Id rather use that hammer to reverse my feet on my ankles
Thats where I am at guys....I don't have a big ass press and I would like to do this myself and if it was a front spring....No problem I could do it. But this back spring has me thinking I should just setp up and pay the 113.00 for a new one already reversed and I will not have to worry about if I lossed all the temper in what I made and is it safe. This is going under a real deal 32 Ford 3 window with a quicky and I don't want the dam thing to come apart at some time. I am pushing 75 and this will most likely be my last build (sorry to say) but I know it will take me a few years to complete it. But it will be the hot rod I have wanted since I was 16 years old. Now it is going to happen, so it has to be right on... Thanks guys for all the input.....
Yea, without a press, it would become the death of you. I have used a BFH to do front springs and would never do it again, I couldnt even fathom doing a rear spring that way.
Wise decision, your life, your peace of mind and your car are all well worth $113. To me safety always comes before all else.
I need to start making videos but I wanted to make sure I could do it before making an a$$ of myself on camera. Here's a pic of the setup I used. I had to drill some extra holes closer together to get the radius I wanted. Also a pic of the finished spring.
^^^ is the way to do it! i have the luxury of having a 250 ton press brake at work. so i use a wide V die in the bottom and slowly run the sring in and out till its flat. the wide die make sure i dont get crimps in the spring.. then just keep at it until its shaped. its so simple. i always lay the virgin spring on the floor and trace it with soap stone first. with a little patients and and some common sense not to over bend it, its simple. i can do front springs in about 2 mins, and a rear take me about 10. simple!
Nice! I would have never thought it was possible to reverse that in a reasonable amount of time. I stand corrected.
I've reversed a rear spring before...only had a 50 ton press....took lots long....I guess I need a bigger press! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I will see if I can get my YouTube video uploaded that my wife took. It shows me doing a front spring in less than two minutes start to finish. And a rear spring was between 10 and 15 minutes just getting the press set correctly. Now remind you I have two presses one is a hydraulic press the second is a revolving mechanical press. So the mechanical one is extremely fast and ask like a hammer but softens the blow before it bends the material. It is very simple all you have to do is just use your head and only been a little increments and the spring will curl right around like it was factory. I've done several four guys and even some guys on the Hampton backed me up when they know how simple it is to do for me. It's just a nice work perk that is for sure. I just did the front spring in my 34 three windows the other day and it was superfast. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Here is a 32 rear I did for CARTER. Took me a half hour. I stripped the spring to clean metal and ran it through the press.. It came out nice. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Big hammer, earmuffs, channel iron, muscles. The hardest part is getting it flat, from there it gets easier. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
On my 39 ford coupe, I replaced the rear end with a 1995 Explorer rear end complete with the explorer springs. springs are too long so just to get it back on the ground so I can roll the car around, I cut the rear eye of the spring off with a torch and welded a 3" length of tubing across the end of the shortened srring leaf. then I put the shackle on. I can now roll the car in and out of the shop, but need a shrter main leaf to replace the welded one. I will probably take the springs to a spring shop and have them roll a new eye in the end of the main leaf. Or will my welded-on eye be okay?
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