Re: Rear spring
The safe way to remove a Model A rear spring is as follows:
With the frame sitting on jack stands at the rear install a proper spring spreader and spread the spring slightly.
With a floor jack under the banjo unhook the spring shackles. The rear axle assembly can now be lowered out of the way.
Collapse the spring spreader and remove it. The spring is now no longer lethal. Some amount of tension remains in the leaf stack, but it is very little.
You can now unbolt the four bolts that hold the spring to the car with the U-bolts and hangers and remove it from the car.
If all you are going to do is clean it you don't need to take the spring apart and it poses no danger.
If you plan to take it apart for more cleaning and grinding off of the witness marks where the leafs rub. you should put a large C-clamp on either side of the center bolt. Remove the bolt, then back off on the clamps. The spring tension that is in the stack is minimal it will scar you more than hurt you if you try to take it apart with out C-clamps. When you put it back together install a new center bolt. The suppliers provide them twice as long as necessary to aid in pulling the leafs together. It makes the job easier if you use the C-clams to pull the assembly together when running the nut down. Cut off the excess of the bolt and peen the end to keep the nut from backing off.
Reinstall the spring back into the car the reverse of how it was removed.
It is extremely dangerous to remove the rear axle assembly from a Model A with the spring still attached. You are betting your life that the head on the 3\8 center bolt will not pop off and release a calamity of spring leafs into the air.
Tom Endy
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