What the h_ _ _ am i doing wrong?

[Capt Kirk]

It's just a regular porta power. May be able to rent or borrow one...I bought this one several years ago on ebay.

[Randy in ca]

Originally Posted by cmbrucew

A note of caution on the rod couplings, they are grade three, the softest nuts. I believe they were made for the sprinkler industry, to hang pipe.
Mcmaster carr has grade 8 threaded rod and nuts.
Bruce

Actually these couplers are readily available in several grades as well as stainless - although it's irrelevant in this situation because the lowest grade available will likely easily and safely do the job. When essentially used as a nut, the couplers are under compression forces and the tensile strength (to which I'm guessing you're referring??) is pretty much totally irrelevant. What's apt to happen? Is the coupler going to fracture or disintegrate? Is the typical 2" length of internal thread going to suddenly be totally stripped out by the moderate force that it will be subjected to?? This is without a doubt the least likely area you're apt to ever encounter a problem with if using the threaded rod method. Do you have any personal experience to the contrary, or why would you make such a statement??

[drolston]

Ditto on C-clamp to compress or de-compress a stack of springs. But open and close a bit at a time, and follow it with the center bolt loosely. That maintains alignment and minimizes the risk of flying spring leaf fatality if a C-clamp slips off with a bunch of tension on the springs.

I have never had to use a spring spreader. With the spring properly attached to the cross member, I put a small jack under the spring eye and jack it up to where the shackle eyes line up with the bolts. Front and back shackles will generally not line up at the same time; do the side that lines up first, then apply a little more force to the jack to get the other side to line up. Have a ball peen persuader handy. I have done this on a gravel driveway with a scissor jack, but that was when I was young and stupider. Then I graduated to a bottle jack, but a floor jack would be safer, because it can move on the floor as the eye moves laterally. Just redid the front spring on my '41 this way. Sprained my shoulder lifting the spring up to get the u-bolts on. Getting older sucks, but beats the alternative.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Bruce, I had promised to send some pictures to you some time ago, but forgot , so here are some showing a couple methods I use to remove spring leaves or compress the leaves onto the first/main leaf. I have never tried compressing all the leaves together by just using a length of all thread. I always use some type of clamping action along with all thread, flat washers, and a couple hex nuts. Unfortunately, these pictures are somewhat out of order, so you may need to look these over and ask questions......

[Mart]

I like the clamping devices using the all thread and the spring clamping plates. Easy to replicate and safer than clamps. Can't slip off.

Mart.

[JSeery]

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Nice set of photos!

[Shoebox]

X2 on the request for spreader info!

Thanks

[v8nut]

These pics show my "Poor mans spring spreader" It consists of a section of pipe, about a foot of all thread rod and a nut. Hammer the pipe flat at one end so that it doesn't turn and also grind the end of the all thread rod to a flat taper so that it doesn't turn. Then tighten the nut against the pipe and you have a spring spreader. I hope this helps. Jim
p.s. This won't work if the banjo is in the way.

[PeteVS]

Back on the old FordBarn in the days of the Model A lady, there was a picture of a big C clamp that had failed. The mode of failure was that the end of the frame with the threaded hole twisted. C clamps aren't made to take any kind of side loading, especially when the threaded portion is fully in the "clamped" position. As you're tightening clamps while assembling a spring, there are all kinds of ways to put a sidewards load on the clamp and the results can be disastrous. I always use a combination of threaded rod with nuts though the hole in the center of the leaves and a pair of 3/4" Pony pipe clamps a few inches off center. I tighten the clamps (or loosen them) until I have about an inch of clearance on the threaded rod. Then, I tighten the threaded rod, adjust the clamps and repeat.

I am impressed with John's method with the four pieces of threaded rod as it should keep the leaves from sliding off one another by twisting on the center bolt.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by JSeery

Nice set of photos!

Originally Posted by PeteVS

Back on the old FordBarn in the days of the Model A lady, there was a picture of a big C clamp that had failed. The mode of failure was that the end of the frame with the threaded hole twisted. C clamps aren't made to take any kind of side loading, especially when the threaded portion is fully in the "clamped" position. As you're tightening clamps while assembling a spring, there are all kinds of ways to put a sidewards load on the clamp and the results can be disastrous. I always use a combination of threaded rod with nuts though the hole in the center of the leaves and a pair of 3/4" Pony pipe clamps a few inches off center. I tighten the clamps (or loosen them) until I have about an inch of clearance on the threaded rod. Then, I tighten the threaded rod, adjust the clamps and repeat.

I am impressed with John's method with the four pieces of threaded rod as it should keep the leaves from sliding off one another by twisting on the center bolt.

I appreciate your comments JSeery & PeteVS. I do feel better with the safety of the four spring bars, four pieces of all thread, and six hex nuts. The C/G clamps make the job go quicker, but I have had those clamps bend and slip off. Never had one break, but the possibility does exist. When I do use C/G clamps, I alternate them side to side, and use 5 or 6 clamps just incase one slips, or maybe even breaks. Also, after the spring pack in completely compressed, I don't like relying on the threads of that one center bolt and nut, so I keep a set of U bolts, and spring bars bolted in place until I have the rear in place and spring just about ready to go up into the cross member.
Always remember, these springs can come apart with enough force to seriously hurt someone.