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Old 07-24-2013, 08:45 PM   #1
JRHASZARD
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Default Rear Spring Removal

Howdy, I am disassembling a Model A chassis. I could tell the front spring had slack and was therefore safe to remove from the front axle. However, I am not too sure about the rear spring. Can I just remove it without busting my petunia or do I need a spreader or something?
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Old 07-24-2013, 08:47 PM   #2
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Also, how many leafs in a 31 wide body P/U and a 30 Tudor front and rear spring ? Many thanks, John
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Old 07-24-2013, 08:53 PM   #3
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

I have not dealt with the rear spring personally but i have heard they are extremely dangerous. Buy or borrow from a local club their spring spreader to slowly take the shackles out and THEN unbolt the u bolts from the frame.
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Old 07-24-2013, 08:55 PM   #4
Mitch//pa
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

you can remove the rear diff with the spring attached by removing the u-bolts but MUST use a spreader to take the spring off the perches, you can be seriously injured, or even death...
also wrap the spring and rear with a chain while using the spreader as back up
do a search lots of info
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Old 07-24-2013, 08:58 PM   #5
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

They can kill you. You can work them without a spreader by taking them apart. Still need extreme care, even with a spreader. I have reversed eyes and spreaders dont work well. I use threaded rod from an industrial hardware. Its a better grade and I use fine thread and graded nuts. Place a good c clamp on each side of the bolt that holds the spring pack together. Remove the spring bolt and replace it with a threaded rod. Tighten it up and remove the clamps. Loosen the nuts till the tension is off. Reverse the procedure to reinstall.
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Old 07-24-2013, 09:01 PM   #6
JRHASZARD
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

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All, thank you for your responses. I will get some help from the local club guys before I do this.
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Old 07-24-2013, 10:33 PM   #7
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Just did this last night. Made the job easy, money well spent
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Old 07-24-2013, 10:49 PM   #8
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

yea your gonna need one to install the spring eventually too, same with the front once you recondition everything.
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Old 07-24-2013, 10:50 PM   #9
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

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Originally Posted by JRHASZARD View Post
Also, how many leafs in a 31 wide body P/U and a 30 Tudor front and rear spring ? Many thanks, John
Pickup's and Tudor Sedans used 10 leaf springs, front and rear.
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Old 07-24-2013, 11:50 PM   #10
Tom Endy
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

What a lot of people in the Model A hobby don't seem to realize is that the 3\8" bolt down through the center of the spring was not meant to hold all the tension packed into a spread rear spring. The frame member safely cages the spring assembly so that the tension is being held by the frame member and the two U-bolts, not the center bolt.

I know that people pull rear ends all the time with the spread spring still attached and mostly get away with it. However, it is not a safe practice. The photo in a post above is a loaded shot gun with the safety off. If the head of the center bolt were to pop off the upper leaves will hit the ceiling and take your head with it if you are standing over it.

The use of chains and C-clamps increase safety, but you still have to attach them with the tension on the bolt. That could easily be when it decides to let go. There was an article a few years ago in one of the Model A magazines where some Model A'ers had removed the rear axle assembly with the spring still attached. While they were hooking up the spring spreader the bolt let go. The upper leaves hit the roof of the building. Luckily no one was leaning over it. The next worry was that the leaves had to come back down.

For the person that asked the question, the following is the safe way to approach a Model A rear spring:


1. Obtain a proper spring spreader.

2. Spread the spring and remove the shackles while the spring is still attached to the frame member.

3. Remove the rear axle assembly. The spring spreader can be left in place for as long as the rear axle assembly is removed from the car.

4. If you want to remove the spring from the car collapse the spring spreader and remove it. The spring is now no longer lethal and it can be unbolted from the car.

5. There is some amount of residual tension left in the spring assembly, however, it is very little. The center bolt can be safely removed. A couple C-clamps will aid the process, but they are not essential for safety purposes.

6. If the project was to restore the spring re-assemble it with a new center bolt and assemble the spring. Bolt it to the frame member before you attach the spring spreader and spread the spring. The rear axle assembly can then be bolted up with the shackle bolts.

Tom Endy
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Old 07-25-2013, 05:38 AM   #11
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Having just done the spring spreading tango with my coupe - I can only agree with what all have said here - Yes there are ways to bodge it but they are dangerous, mine had a considerable amount of spring left in it, so much so that I shut it in a big old vice AND clamped it whilst dissasembling it on the bench.

I bought my spreader via E bay - money well spent & a good tool to make a dangerous job a little safer.

Best of luck with it.

Bob
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Old 07-25-2013, 08:59 AM   #12
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Spring spreader !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 07-25-2013, 09:11 AM   #13
Steve Plucker
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Yes Mr. Haszard...It can be a hazard if not done in a SAFE way as Mr. Endy points out.

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Old 07-25-2013, 10:18 AM   #14
Charlie Stephens
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

If you are not building the truck for show you might consider a softer spring for your truck. I use one from a roadster in my '31 RDPU and and glad I went that way. I am also running 3.54 gears and happy about that decision.

Charlie Stephens

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Old 07-25-2013, 10:25 AM   #15
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

The rear spring is really dangerous. My first encounter with one was not pleasant and luckily I escaped without injury. This was before the internet and before I owned any Model A books. I took off the rear spring shackle bar and noticed it starting to bend from the tensioin. I backed away and watched for alittle bit. Eventually I took a sledge hammer and gave the spring a few good wacks in the direction that would dislodge it from the shackle. When it finally gave way it did it with enough force to flip the rearend onto one wheel , with the other wheel straight in the air momentarliy before it finally fell back to the ground. Be careful and don't try to duplicate my experience. Rod
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Old 07-25-2013, 10:45 AM   #16
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Go to my profile, scroll down to "My A" and look at the pics and read the captions. I made a spring spreader from 3/4 " sched 40 pipe. it worked ok on the front spring but it collapsed while taking the rear one apart. It hurled a section of my spreader past my leg with enough force that it would have really done some damage if it had hit me. The hardware was all 3/4" 10 and it bent like a coathanger. There is a lot of power in these springs. Do not underestimate them!
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Old 07-25-2013, 11:27 AM   #17
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Endy View Post
What a lot of people in the Model A hobby don't seem to realize is that the 3\8" bolt down through the center of the spring was not meant to hold all the tension packed into a spread rear spring. The frame member safely cages the spring assembly so that the tension is being held by the frame member and the two U-bolts, not the center bolt.

I know that people pull rear ends all the time with the spread spring still attached and mostly get away with it. However, it is not a safe practice. The photo in a post above is a loaded shot gun with the safety off. If the head of the center bolt were to pop off the upper leaves will hit the ceiling and take your head with it if you are standing over it.

The use of chains and C-clamps increase safety, but you still have to attach them with the tension on the bolt. That could easily be when it decides to let go. There was an article a few years ago in one of the Model A magazines where some Model A'ers had removed the rear axle assembly with the spring still attached. While they were hooking up the spring spreader the bolt let go. The upper leaves hit the roof of the building. Luckily no one was leaning over it. The next worry was that the leaves had to come back down.

For the person that asked the question, the following is the safe way to approach a Model A rear spring:


1. Obtain a proper spring spreader.

2. Spread the spring and remove the shackles while the spring is still attached to the frame member.

3. Remove the rear axle assembly. The spring spreader can be left in place for as long as the rear axle assembly is removed from the car.

4. If you want to remove the spring from the car collapse the spring spreader and remove it. The spring is now no longer lethal and it can be unbolted from the car.

5. There is some amount of residual tension left in the spring assembly, however, it is very little. The center bolt can be safely removed. A couple C-clamps will aid the process, but they are not essential for safety purposes.

6. If the project was to restore the spring re-assemble it with a new center bolt and assemble the spring. Bolt it to the frame member before you attach the spring spreader and spread the spring. The rear axle assembly can then be bolted up with the shackle bolts.

Tom Endy
Thanks for the information and warning on the spring regarding the center bolt. Spreader has been removed from spring so it is no longer under tension.

I will certainly hang the springs from the frame during re assembly of the axles.

I did do exactly that on the front though. The head of the bolt looked very iffy and the springs were not aligned and one on the leaves was actually welded!!!!
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Old 07-25-2013, 12:06 PM   #18
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

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Originally Posted by TBone69 View Post
Thanks for the information and warning on the spring regarding the center bolt. Spreader has been removed from spring so it is no longer under tension.

I will certainly hang the springs from the frame during re assembly of the axles.

I did do exactly that on the front though. The head of the bolt looked very iffy and the springs were not aligned and one on the leaves was actually welded!!!!

Your removal of the spring spreader did not remove the tension from the rear spring. It is under tension by virtue of it being spread and attached to the rear axle housing. All that is holding the leaves together is the center bolt, which could be 80 plus years old and rusted.

My advice would be to wrap a chain around the spring (carefully) and re-install the spring spreader and remove both shackle bolts. Then carefully collapse the spring spreader which will remove the tension from the spring. Once the spring is collapsed remove the spreader and it is no longer lethal.

The front spring does not have a lot of tension and is not lethal. A front spring spreader is a helpful tool, but not required in terms of safety.

Tom Endy
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Old 07-25-2013, 12:44 PM   #19
Bill Lee/Virginia
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Hi John:
Be safe as recommended by other posts! The CVMAFC owns a spring spreader for use by club members. Contact either Ed or Don (Club Tool Custodians) at the phone numbers listed in the July newsletter.
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Old 07-25-2013, 02:15 PM   #20
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Default Re: Rear Spring Removal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Endy View Post
Your removal of the spring spreader did not remove the tension from the rear spring. It is under tension by virtue of it being spread and attached to the rear axle housing. All that is holding the leaves together is the center bolt, which could be 80 plus years old and rusted.

My advice would be to wrap a chain around the spring (carefully) and re-install the spring spreader and remove both shackle bolts. Then carefully collapse the spring spreader which will remove the tension from the spring. Once the spring is collapsed remove the spreader and it is no longer lethal.

The front spring does not have a lot of tension and is not lethal. A front spring spreader is a helpful tool, but not required in terms of safety.

Tom Endy
Tom,

Just to clarify I removed the spring from the rear. It is currently laying on the floor with spreader removed.
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