Front spring

[RJD]

I'm having trouble putting the front spring back on my 40 pickup. I'm using new shackles 1 1/2" long like the one's that came off. It's about an inch short of making it. Any ideas?

[Kube]

Are you using a spring spreader? Are you putting in the same spring you removed or a replacement?
By 1 1/2" I assume you mean between centers. If so, they are correct.

[t.soseman]

Are you using a spring spreader? I would guess it's like all other transverse springs where you must use a spring spreader between the eyes, or load the spring with body weight till the shackles will go in or disassemble the spring and put the shackles in and reassemble the spring. You said it was about an inch short of going together which is about correct for a spring in the unloaded state.

[RJD]

Same spring, what's a spring spreader?

[41PICUP]

Take the spring pack apart, install the main leaf, and then put the spring pack back together.

[Brendan]

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Originally Posted by 41PICUP

Take the spring pack apart, install the main leaf, and then put the spring pack back together.

that is a safer way to do it!

[Paul Selfe]

Originally Posted by 41PICUP

Take the spring pack apart, install the main leaf, and then put the spring pack back together.

Better put a big clamp on it before you take the center bolt loose, those springs are pretty strong. Then put a piece of all-thread or steel dowel in the holes while you pull the leaves together to keep them in line. Two clamps would be better. Paul Selfe.

[1936coupe]

i bolted spring to the chassis and jacked up under spring eyes one side at a time until it would line up with shackle bolts, did not use a spreader.

[41PICUP]

2 c-clamps work just fine.............................takes a little longer but makes it easier.

[RJD]

Believe it or not I had taken the spring apart as suggested.
Thanks for the help guy's

[Mick/mo]

This is a spring spreader in action.

[Andy]

A little light on the bending stress calculatons I think. I would not get near that thing. I would use floor jacks under each side of the spring. Get one side attached and come up on that side jack until the shackle is level. Come up on the other jack until the shackle can be assembled. All done with the car on stands.
On 35-48 fronts, a port a power works just fine.

[Gary in Mozarks]

Originally Posted by Andy

On 35-48 fronts, a port a power works just fine.

Can you explain how you use a porta power to spread the spring?

[Ross in East Texas]

I built adapters that have a wedge shaped end that fit the ends of my porta-power to go between the eye and spring to spread the spring. Then just push it out until the shackles can be put on and bolted together. This works on both the front and back springs very safely.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by RJD

I'm having trouble putting the front spring back on my 40 pickup. I'm using new shackles 1 1/2" long like the one's that came off. It's about an inch short of making it. Any ideas?

Here's how I do it.
1. Select thread you want to save.
2.Right click "on it."
3.You will see a screen pop up: "save page as". Give the thread a name and click "save".
4.Minimize your HAMB screen and you will see the thread you saved with the name you gave it.
5. Click on that name and you will see the thread you saved.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Mick/mo

This is a spring spreader in action.

THAT LOOKS SCARRY!!!

[PeteVS]

A couple of years ago, I think it was Miss Shelly posted a picture of a C clamp that had been used to clamp a spring together. It was a big clamp and it was pretty much "closed" when an event occurred. It seems that for what ever reason, a small amount of force was induced perpendicular to the axis of the threaded rod of the clamp, putting a lot of torsion on the "C" frame of the clamp. The frame twisted a little which increased the torque and everything went to hell. There's a lot of energy in a compressed spring which can do a lot of damage. Personally, I use a 3/4" Pony pipe clamp to hold the spring while I remove the center bolt. Then, I insert a piece of threaded rod and back off the rod and clamp alternately. Everything is nice and close when the clamp is "closed" and you don't have the large twisting forces. I reverse the operation to put the spring back together. If you're using a spring with reversed eyes, you'll have to use the clamp / threaded rod method because there's nothing for the typical spreader to grab onto.

[Tom Overfield]

Here is the porta power setup I used, worked perfectly.

Tom