This past weekend I had my ass kicked by a rear transverse leaf in a 32. It's a stocker. We were just putting a new spring in. 3 out of 4 of us were 100% sober. We got the center mounted, and managed to pry one side in. The other side could have made it if had another tag team. After more than an hour wrestling with the fucker, we tapped out. I nearly broke my thumb, and someone almost lost an eye. After half the team was bleeding, we decided to call it a night. What's the trick to getting these fuckers in?
i used really thick ratcheting tie down straps. 3 on each side. I think a couple of the ratcheting mechanisms still work too.
I just did this the other day the spring was completely apart first i took a length of round stock the size of the center bolt hole ran it through all the leaves and used a couple large C clamps to sqeeze it together pulled the round stock out and replaced the center bolt then layed it on the work bench and with a large rectangle tube and a couple bar clamps I slowly and carefuly compressed the spring till the eyes measured the correct distance apart then I cut a length of 1/8" wall 1" suare tube to fit between the eyes like a spreader carefuly removed the bar clamps and installed the spring with it in and bolted up let the weight down on the car the spring loaded and the spreader tube fell right out this may not be the best or safest way but if you are carefull it works very slick
I just use a porta power with ends I made... I just use a piece of pipe that the porta power ends fit into and then welded on a piece of angle iron.. It serves to cap the end of the pipe and fits into the spring .... pump away and it spreads the spring....EVILT
The $1.79 spring tool !, You put 2 clamps on either side of the center bolt, and take the bolt out. then put the $1.79 tool ( A piece of long threaded rod ) in place of the bolt. Remove the pack clamps, and slowly back off the two nuts,...... Mount just the main leaf,........... and just reverse the procedure,........... just happen to have a camera handy when I did this for the Blue Racer to get it home,........... hope this helps.
I have assembled a spring in the car more than once using a new tie bolt. You can get them at NAPA for a couple of bucks. Hang the main leaf on the shackles. Put some lubricating oil on the tie bolt (this really helps). Stack the rest of the leaves in order and run the oiled tie bolt through the "spring pack." Set the pack on the main leaf and thread the tie bolt through the hole in the main leaf. Put a washer and nut on the tie bolt. Run the bolt up snug with your hand and then tighten away with a box end wrench. When the nut is tight use a hack saw to cut the excess tie bolt off. I like to position a couple of "C" clamps over the spring pack (the spring goes incide the "C" and the clamp is screwed all the way down) just in case the nut fails (never has, but!).
I think half these guys are talking about regular springs. The curved '32-'34 spring is a whole different animal! I fully understand the trouble you are having, and here's how I solved my situation: use the long-bolt-through-the-middle method, but do it two or three leaves at a time. This will control the amount of chaos. Have the main leaf hanging on the shackles, installed on the axle. Then set the next two leaves and a center bolt on the main leaf. Have one guy hold those two leaves with his gloved hands while you tighten the bolt. When tight, put a strong C-clamp on the ends of the top leaf, past where the next leaf will sit. Slowly remove the center bolt, and while the holder holds the installed leaves in position front to back, grab the next three leaves and line them up with the bolt hole. Tighten like you did the first three, and clamp with two more clamps. Don't remove the first set of clamps. If you have a couple more leaves to install, repeat as necessary. I have found any fresh paint you have will be toast by the time it's all assembled.
Thanks! Yes, this is the curved 32 spring. Good ideas here. Much better than the caveman technique. I'll be after it again tonight.
Well actually, Even though the camera angles are bad and you can't see the curvature (you can barley see it in the last picture) the pictures I posted was a stock 32-34 Ford curved spring going on a 34 Axle under a 32 frame with a stock crossmember. If you have trouble with the pack wanting to walk as you tighten it back down you can buy some cheap hardware "U" bolts (another $2.00 or so) to hold the pack from walking (but I have never had this problem) and take them off after you put on the "C" clamps and reinstall the stock pack clamps (the things about 8 inches in on either side in the first picture), I have used this method for a lot of years without a problem and by myself, because the spring spreader I built in the 70's (from plans in Rod Action) folded up at full tension and almost took my head off. This method has always worked for me and as of yet never failed. Be sure to use 2 large flat fender washers on top and another 2 on the bottom of the all thread rod like in the pics.
Dont overtighten the centre bolt. I did, it broke, smacked me in the face, bust my glasses and my nose, spent several hours in A&E having glass flushed outa my eyes. Call me stoopid........
A somewhat labor intensive but safe installation method: Bolt the whole thing into the crossmember, attach one end by just jacking around axle and car til they meet. Now put a simple cradle like a piece of 2X4 with a groove on a scissors jack, place the end of the spring in the groove, and start elevating it against the weight of the car...you want your piece of wood placed so it has some sliding room toward longer, by the way. Spring will start migrating towards home base, but usually car will start to lift before it gets quite long enough. Now, the work--start putting your toolbox, wife, dog, friends, etc. into the trunk til car moves down a bit--insert shackle. Note it is possible to still have an accident ny tipping jack, letting block slide, etc., but this is pretty safe if you think it through. Would be even safer with everything that can move on a short leash, perhaps a rolling jack like a trans jack. I used to R&R straight ones so...support car by ends of spring on jacks; cut the ends off a 2X4 (good one, no knots or cracks!!!) at 45 degrees, so sharp long ways at top, with long side about 3/4" longer than span of spring eyes. Add a bit of weight (no much needed this way) till board goes into place, release weight and remove spring and board together. If 2X4 is firmly tied and chained to spring, which I was never smart enough to do, this is safe. Without leashing it, you have the possibility or reinventing a medieval weapon capable of putting your 2X4 right through you and the garage wall... Any straight spring method should be basically workable on '32-4, but shackling spreader to spring needs to be thorough and careful, preventing both poppin off in one direction and leaving suddenly in the other--obviously less stable situation here! Nowadays, I own an actual spreader tool, a much greater luxury than running water or microwave... For reverse eye springs, you need additional creativity, like some sort of U-bolt right behind eyes and serious safety chains to boot.
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