We always coveted the worn out saw blades from our large reciprocal saws at the power plants. We made surface scrapers and skinning knives from them.
Not really much of a concern. We have been doing it for about 5 decades that I know of and we didn't invent it. Anytime you fiddle with a suspension component it alters the way that things work. Sometimes it is major sometimes it is not. With the spring being de-arched the biggest noticeable change is going to be in ride quality. It is going to be a little more truckish (we used to use the term lumber wagon). Then thing to remember is that whenever the spring compresses it becomes de-arched. There is a more modern solution, or one that we use often these days and that is a custom spring. The main leaf is custom made to be less arch and the same length as the original prior to compression. It is a less traditional approach and that's hot rodding too. Yea we try to discourage the use of heat to drop one (I have used heat too ), but people still do it. I remember using heat a lot on coil sprung cars more than leaf springs. Set a pack of Lucky Strikes under the bumper and two guys with torches heat and laughing until the bumper settled down on the smokes. Puuuurrrrfect for a little bit, eventually the bumpers become street sweepers.
Thanks @porknbeaner There is so much said about correct shackle angles on a front transverse leaf spring. I just wondered if the length difference would affect this. I have no idea how much a leaf spring lengthens eye to eye by de-arching. Some "sagita" calculations may be in order. If I get time to do this I will post up the results for all to see.
Ok, how much does a leaf spring lengthen when it is de-arched? Here are the answers. Let's start with a standard Ford Model A front leaf spring. The dimensions shown on the diagram may not be dead accurate, but they are very, very close. Using arc and 'sagita' calculations gives us the following results. Free height reduced one inch to 3.75" will lengthen the eye to eye dimension to a shade over 30". That is 3/4" longer overall, or 3/8" per side. Free height reduced two inches to 2.75" will lengthen the eye to eye dimension to 30.6". That is 1 and 3/8" longer overall, or 11/16" per side. This looks like it will definately have an effect on shackle angles.
I got an idea that the equation used to produce the information produced did not take stretch into account. To determine that one would need to know the material used, plus material thickness plus method used. For example while I have not measured and compared, but I have an idea that the hammer method (my preferred method) probably produces more stretch than say the press (either hydraulic or mechanical) method. Next one must determine what the actual adverse reaction to the change in shackle angle is and why that is important. As you shorten the spring the angle moves toward 180 degrees. But you would have to shorten the spring a long way to get there or as you lengthen the spring you loose numerically, the suspension will still work it just will not travel as far. This could be a serious problem on an off road vehicle not so much on a street vehicle. I think that the most noticeable change is going to be in ride quality. One may note that removing leaves does cause the spring to flatten out, that is how it gets lower, again a loss in ride quality will be may be noticed. This is just food for thought and not a reflection on you or anyone particular. I quote a good friend, one who has about 10 years on me, "Sometimes in our modern age we way overthink it. Hot rods do not ride well, they bounce and *rattle your teeth, they are noisy, and the the wind blasts you, they are hot on a hot day and cold on a cold day. At best they are uncomfortable, unruly beasts." [Sonny Rodgers] Perhaps we way overthink them instead of enjoying them. *teeth rattling is a problem that I no longer have a problem with.
The Jalopy Journal
