Here is a guy who over analyzes everything I am getting ready to put my springs together for my 32 project. I have reversed the eyes on the mainleaf and radiused the ends on the rest of the leaves. I have everything cleaned up and ready to go together. Should I prime and paint all of the leaves separately, then assemble? Should I assemble the spring first with some grease or graphite between the leaves then paint? I don't really want to use the white Teflon, just because of the way it looks. Any other great ideas? Thanks, Neal...inCA
I'm planning on making some Black Delrin buttons,similar to Posies,only without the ugly bump on the end of each leaf.A blind dimple in the bottom,near the end,of each leaf will provide location.One of the magazines shows how to do it this month,only they use Teflon.
[ QUOTE ] Should I prime and paint all of the leaves separately, then assemble? Should I assemble the spring first with some grease or graphite between the leaves then paint? I don't really want to use the white Teflon, just because of the way it looks. [/ QUOTE ] Prime and paint the leafs separatley, then put graphite between them before assembly. I've heard of Black teflon for the leafs but I know that they fall apart after a certain period of time like the White ones. I like the leafs with the teflon buttons (not very traditional but functional). Mark
Nealin, Do use the hidden Delron buttons they work good thats what we put in kevens roadster.Also paint all leaves first then assemble using a long pc of all thread and nuts. After its all togeather put a C clamp or vise grips on it so you can take the all thread out and insert the center bolt.It works really good and you don't bust your nose.--TV
[ QUOTE ] Do use the hidden Delron buttons they work good [/ QUOTE ] Sounds neat. Tell me more...who, where, how Thanks, Neal
Maybe alittle o/t but along the same thread - when I was assembling the front spring on my "A" I had a grade 8 bolt that was just a hair bigger than the factory bolt that holds them all together. I thought it would be a good idea to use it instead of the factory one so I started drilling the leaves to the new bolt size - it completely destroyed my bit after drilling like two leaves!! Is the material that hard or did I just have a cheap drill bit?? Is there any secret to drilling this material, I would imagine just use low speed, lube and a quality bit?? Half my leaves have one size hole and the others have a different one- thanks, sorry to hijack the thread
To answer Dan, they are spring steel, wore out a bandsaw blade trying to cut oneto drill use carbide bit
Dan, you are correct,use a very good grade of drill bit turn it slow and use lotsa lube,and dont rush it.--TV
The following is for the front spring and a relatively flat rear spring like the 40 Ford spring pack with short main leaf on my 31. Regardless of how you paint or powder or which lubricant goody you use, the reversed eye springs can be a bitch to install. The easy way is to install the main leaf all by itself. You can get it onto the spring shackles by hand in almost all cases. Once the main leaf is on, use a #2 Phillips screwdriver for a temporary guide and assemble the rest of the spring. Get the spring straps on - loose at first. Slide the Phillips out and slide the new center bolt in. You should be able to press it in by hand. You don't want to hammer it in as you'll screw up the threads. Pad the springs finish with rags and plywood pieces and use a couple of 4" C clamps (G clamps in Oz) to pull it down and then snug up the center bolt. Then snug up the spring straps. (The little flat strap u-bolt thingy's that keep the spring leaves from pivoting.) You may want to take a look at the simple stands I made for bench assembly of spring and axle. It's in the post labeled "A little photo 'speriment. It was posted today. As an aside, a friend is making a spring spreader that will take care of standard or reversed eye springs. It's a clever gadget and once a couple of bugs are worked out it should work great. If I can get over there in the next few days I'll try to get some pics of it. Assuming he doesn't mind, he usually doesn't.
Yeah, C9, but can it handle a Model A spring on a banjo with a quickchange? That's what I'm looking for! Otherwise, it's back to the one-leaf-at-a-time, threaded rod, C-clamps, sping bolt method.
HI NEAL ! Very little of the spring will show when your Hot Rod is completed , and for those very few who will get down on their knees .. Well ... they will see a very nicely trimed spring package... My 2cents would be as follows : take your daily driver for a spin ( Hot oil ). Go by your favorite Gas station and buy some high grade engine oil . When back home , drain the motor of your daily into a pan big enough to fit/room your freshly trimed spring package, and drown the fr`therein. Let it soak for 24hrs .Then,Let it hang till it doesn`t drip . Clean the bushing-"ears",put in the shackle-bushings , and put the springithingi on your car with a bit of grease-soaked cloth between the spring & traverse .( Don`t forget adding your newly bought oil to your Daily driver ) Probably the most stupid way to do it , but it worked out fine for me Neal , .. Could you please update me on your deuce .. A pic maybee ??
[ QUOTE ] Yeah, C9, but can it handle a Model A spring on a banjo with a quickchange? That's what I'm looking for! [/ QUOTE ] You're talking about the individual leaf deal? Or the spreader? I don't think you could do an A rear spring individually, perhaps, but I haven't done one. Far as the spreader goes, the guy has a lot of work in it. He has a private machine shop and along with building cars he likes to make stuff. Stuff like the spring spreader mentioned above. Right now it looks to me like a 40# wonder - for real - but it also looks like it will work quite well. A simple way out for you may be a braced up 1" square tubing deal with said braces above and below the QC and threaded pieces in each end of the 1" tubing for the actual spreading. In fact, you don't even have to have a threaded end in the tubing. Just drop a long bolt in with washer and nut. It will be self-guiding and work well as a "pusher." I made a straight one of these to push the 31's frame out a smidge for welding it into the proper squared orientation. All that you'd need on the outer end of the bolts - 1/2" work well - would be a couple of wedge shaped pieces to lock into the area between spring eye and flat area of the main leaf. All of which assumes you have normal spring eyes and not reversed.
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