Have a Model A rear cross member and spring in my 32 chassis and working on my own it is virtually impossible to assemble it to the shackles and wishbones. The only spring spreader I have ever seen was fine for springs as Henry built them but no good for ones with reversed eyes. As I will have the chassis apart a couple of times I thought of building a spreader for the job. Before I do that does anyone have a simple solution to my problem or a design of a spreader to suit. Thanks in advance Swifty
Either on here or Fordbarn quite awhile ago there were pics of the small U shaped clips that would enable you to use a standard spring spreader with a reversed eye spring.
Install just the main leaf then stack the others on a long piece of all-thread with a nut welded on one end. Tighten the all-thread with an impact gun. Then clamp the spring together and remove the all-thread. Install the spring center bolt and you're done.
Dirty Dug is right.Only thing I do different is I use a extra long spring center bolt from Dorman,and thread it down farther.Once I tighten it up im done.Cut the extra off.No undoing,or clamping.
Thanks everyone for the replies. HemiDeuce wins the competition with his fancy spreader bar which has been designed to even suit QC applications, something which I hadn't considered and need to. Being a miserable old fart and not having a bolt shop handy I'll go with Dirty Dug's idea this time and maybe irishsteve's for the finally painted spring. Thanks again.
I used to bolt up one shackle, put a short piece of 2X4 on top the opposite side axle tube with a spread of grease on it and rest the other spring eye on it. With the spring clamped in the cross member, a long 2X4 on edge with one end roped around the torque tube, pushing down on the opposite end spreads the loose eye to the shackle.