The Ford Barn

danliveshere · 03-29-2011, 04:38 AM

Has anybody got a picture or sketch of how the best way to build a simple spring spreader for removing and installing the springs. I've replaced shackles a couple times while in the car but I've just removed the complete rear and removed the rear spring today and I think it's going to be hard to replace without the aid of a tool. In the efv8 35-36 ford book it says fordor has 12 springs(this is what I have) and will be going into a phaeton which has 11. My 4th longest leaf is broken. Which is the correct leaf to remove when changing in this case? (do I replace the broken leaf and remove another ??) Should I keep 12? What do other 35-36 phaeton owners have that is comfortable with either 1 or 5 passengers?

PeteVS · 03-29-2011, 05:22 AM

My recomendation towards installing springs is to assemble the main leaf only onto the front or rear axle and then assemble the rest of the leaves onto it. Unless you have a truly safe and sturdy spreader, there's an awful lot of energy in a spread spring to let fly if something goes wrong, and that energy can do an awful lot of damage, especially if you're right next to it.

31chevy · 03-29-2011, 07:09 AM

Some one on the barn said he rented a porta power and it worked very well. I used a spreader that some one loaned me I think it was home made and it was scary.

joel · 03-29-2011, 07:39 AM

Here are a couple of pic of one I made from hardware store materials. The materials are 1 in black pipe and 7/8 dia all thread and nuts. That extra little piece on the end of the spreader foot is to enable it to be used with a reversed eye spring. I hope this helps.

danliveshere · 03-29-2011, 07:53 AM

Thanks Joel. That's what I thought..... I was going to make something really complicated and your idea is really simple!!!Will save me heaps of time , Dan.

blucar · 03-30-2011, 10:02 AM

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I made a copy from memory of a spring spreader we used when I worked in a Ford garage over fifty years ago. The spreader is very easy to make from supplies that you might have laying round your shop/garage. See attached photo..
Several of the "engineer types" have taken me to task because I did not incorporate a safety chain/devise to the spreader, they were afraid that the spreader would come unattached from the spring and put someones eye out... This is not a Red Ryder BB Gun... Remember the line from the movie... "you'll shoot your eye out".
If you have springs with reversed eyes the end of the spreader has to be modified.
Email me and I will send you the parts list, spec's for the spreader.
In reality, the spring does not need that much power applied to work with the shackles.
Foot Note:
With the ends notched like I did, the spreader is very well secured to the spring eye. The spreader also exerts most of it's power on the center of the spring eye in lieu of up into the spring leaf.

19Fordy · 03-30-2011, 10:41 AM

Here's mine. Made from a HUGE turn buckle.

JM 35 Sedan · 03-30-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danliveshere

Has anybody got a picture or sketch of how the best way to build a simple spring spreader for removing and installing the springs. I've replaced shackles a couple times while in the car but I've just removed the complete rear and removed the rear spring today and I think it's going to be hard to replace without the aid of a tool. In the efv8 35-36 ford book it says fordor has 12 springs(this is what I have) and will be going into a phaeton which has 11. My 4th longest leaf is broken. Which is the correct leaf to remove when changing in this case? (do I replace the broken leaf and remove another ??) Should I keep 12? What do other 35-36 phaeton owners have that is comfortable with either 1 or 5 passengers?

If you make one like Joel's, make sure you use at least 7/8" dia all thread (or larger if you can find it). I made mine years ago using 3/4" AT and it bowed under load. I have some saved pictures in my files of various design spring spreaders. Send me a PM with email addy if you would like to see them. I don't care to post pics of these here in case someone tries to make something like my pics and then gets hurt using it.

okiedokie · 03-30-2011, 02:22 PM

I used my porta power on the last one I did, worked fine. But if you don't have a porta power, then any of these will work. I used one like Joel's that I made for years untill I loaned it and never saw it again.

Ken Crans · 03-30-2011, 03:21 PM

I was thinking of rebuilding my front end too. I heard that you need a spreader. Joels looks nice and easy to make. I noticed in the pic that there are shocks. Does someone make a kit to retro fit that to a 40 pickup. I didn't really look, but is their a set of knee action shocks,sway bar on a 40 or what. Who would sell the parts? Ken

danliveshere · 03-30-2011, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the photos guys. Will post a pic of what I've built next week. Dan.

PeteVS · 03-30-2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucar

I made a copy from memory of a spring spreader we used when I worked in a Ford garage over fifty years ago. The spreader is very easy to make from supplies that you might have laying round your shop/garage. See attached photo..
Several of the "engineer types" have taken me to task because I did not incorporate a safety chain/devise to the spreader, they were afraid that the spreader would come unattached from the spring and put someones eye out... This is not a Red Ryder BB Gun... Remember the line from the movie... "you'll shoot your eye out".
If you have springs with reversed eyes the end of the spreader has to be modified.
Email me and I will send you the parts list, spec's for the spreader.
In reality, the spring does not need that much power applied to work with the shackles.
Foot Note:
With the ends notched like I did, the spreader is very well secured to the spring eye. The spreader also exerts most of it's power on the center of the spring eye in lieu of up into the spring leaf.

What scares me about this design is that one little slip up could kick an end of the spreader off the spring loop, causing the spreader to go one way and the spring (maybe even the car if it's up on blocks) to go the other way. I wouldn't want to be around if that happens. There's an earlier post that shows a design where the end of the spreader can't be slid out sideways.

danliveshere · 03-31-2011, 04:19 AM

Guys I've basically copied Bills' tool. 1" id pipe, 15/16" all thread that goes all the way to the end inside and it makes the 2 halves tie together. A little heavy but works well. Thanks again to all.

Hugh in NC · 03-31-2011, 08:49 AM

This is a spreader a fellow gave me about 25 years ago. I have not used it much, but last time I used it, it felt like it must have weighed 50 pounds. My bathroom scales said that it was only 20 pounds. I must be getting old. On my back under the '40, holding it up with 1 hand and trying to turn the turnbuckle with the other, it felt at least 50 pounds!

JM 35 Sedan · 03-31-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danliveshere

Guys I've basically copied Bills' tool. 1" id pipe, 15/16" all thread that goes all the way to the end inside and it makes the 2 halves tie together. A little heavy but works well. Thanks again to all.

That looks good Dan but still be careful. Those springs can be killers if something slips. Richard Early V8 Garage has a safety feature on his spring spreader that might work on yours. I'll see if I can find some pictures to post here.

danliveshere · 03-31-2011, 09:20 AM

Ok thanks John. I'll fab 2 brackets to stop em slippin!

joel · 03-31-2011, 10:08 AM

Good idea! I like that design better than mine. I forgot to mention; I made 2, 1 front spring and 1 for the rear spring so that a minium amount of all thread is exposed.

blucar · 03-31-2011, 10:10 AM

The spring that my spreader is attached to has been like the pix shows for over twenty-five years. The whole affair has been floating around my garage, being knocked around, hanging on the wall, from which it fell in a very strong earth quake in 2004, through all of the mishaps, the spreader and spring have not parted company yet.
There are two main features to the spreader I made; The 3/8" x 2' end pieces have concave ends that capture the spring eye. Secondly, the two nuts in the center provide a point to hold the shaft with one wrench, stopping the shaft from rotating while the outer extending nuts are turned to expand the spreader.
Before I had a spring spreader we used a bumper jack on the bumper and a Ford bottle jack under the spring eye.. Placing the bottle jack under the spring eye, then lowering the bumper jack worked very well... Fine tuning the spring eye position could be done with the bottle jack.

296 V8 · 03-31-2011, 07:43 PM

Like PeteVS said in post 2
Its so much easier to disassemble and assemble a spring with the main leaf in place.

All you need is

1 C clamp
2 wrench
3 punch (to put in the hole for alignment)

Fordfed · 03-31-2011, 09:18 PM

Great forum subject since I have just received my new front leaf spring today that I planned on installing on my 39-ford truck. I like the suggested spring replacement process from PeteVS. Since I don’t have the ability to manufacture a spreader like the ones shown. Is there any disadvantage to using this method of installing one leaf at a time?

03-29-2011, 04:38 AM	#1
danliveshere Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cairns , Australia Posts: 748	spring spreader info or pics Has anybody got a picture or sketch of how the best way to build a simple spring spreader for removing and installing the springs. I've replaced shackles a couple times while in the car but I've just removed the complete rear and removed the rear spring today and I think it's going to be hard to replace without the aid of a tool. In the efv8 35-36 ford book it says fordor has 12 springs(this is what I have) and will be going into a phaeton which has 11. My 4th longest leaf is broken. Which is the correct leaf to remove when changing in this case? (do I replace the broken leaf and remove another ??) Should I keep 12? What do other 35-36 phaeton owners have that is comfortable with either 1 or 5 passengers?

03-29-2011, 05:22 AM	#2
PeteVS Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: FP, NJ Posts: 2,770	Re: spring spreader info or pics My recomendation towards installing springs is to assemble the main leaf only onto the front or rear axle and then assemble the rest of the leaves onto it. Unless you have a truly safe and sturdy spreader, there's an awful lot of energy in a spread spring to let fly if something goes wrong, and that energy can do an awful lot of damage, especially if you're right next to it. __________________ Don't never get rid of nuthin!

03-29-2011, 07:09 AM	#3
31chevy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lake City Mi. Posts: 807	Re: spring spreader info or pics Some one on the barn said he rented a porta power and it worked very well. I used a spreader that some one loaned me I think it was home made and it was scary.

03-29-2011, 07:39 AM	#4
joel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 488	Re: spring spreader info or pics Here are a couple of pic of one I made from hardware store materials. The materials are 1 in black pipe and 7/8 dia all thread and nuts. That extra little piece on the end of the spreader foot is to enable it to be used with a reversed eye spring. I hope this helps.

03-29-2011, 07:53 AM	#5
danliveshere Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cairns , Australia Posts: 748	Re: spring spreader info or pics Thanks Joel. That's what I thought..... I was going to make something really complicated and your idea is really simple!!!Will save me heaps of time , Dan.

03-30-2011, 02:22 PM	#9
okiedokie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tulsa Ok Posts: 519	Re: spring spreader info or pics I used my porta power on the last one I did, worked fine. But if you don't have a porta power, then any of these will work. I used one like Joel's that I made for years untill I loaned it and never saw it again.

03-30-2011, 03:21 PM	#10
Ken Crans Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Highland,MI Posts: 1,196	Re: spring spreader info or pics I was thinking of rebuilding my front end too. I heard that you need a spreader. Joels looks nice and easy to make. I noticed in the pic that there are shocks. Does someone make a kit to retro fit that to a 40 pickup. I didn't really look, but is their a set of knee action shocks,sway bar on a 40 or what. Who would sell the parts? Ken

03-30-2011, 03:35 PM	#11
danliveshere Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cairns , Australia Posts: 748	Re: spring spreader info or pics Thanks for the photos guys. Will post a pic of what I've built next week. Dan.

03-31-2011, 08:49 AM	#14
Hugh in NC Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: In my Recliner, Rockingham Posts: 78	Re: spring spreader info or pics This is a spreader a fellow gave me about 25 years ago. I have not used it much, but last time I used it, it felt like it must have weighed 50 pounds. My bathroom scales said that it was only 20 pounds. I must be getting old. On my back under the '40, holding it up with 1 hand and trying to turn the turnbuckle with the other, it felt at least 50 pounds!

03-31-2011, 09:20 AM	#16
danliveshere Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cairns , Australia Posts: 748	Re: spring spreader info or pics Ok thanks John. I'll fab 2 brackets to stop em slippin!

03-31-2011, 10:08 AM	#17
joel Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 488	Re: spring spreader info or pics Good idea! I like that design better than mine. I forgot to mention; I made 2, 1 front spring and 1 for the rear spring so that a minium amount of all thread is exposed.

03-31-2011, 10:10 AM	#18
blucar Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 2,464	Re: spring spreader info or pics The spring that my spreader is attached to has been like the pix shows for over twenty-five years. The whole affair has been floating around my garage, being knocked around, hanging on the wall, from which it fell in a very strong earth quake in 2004, through all of the mishaps, the spreader and spring have not parted company yet. There are two main features to the spreader I made; The 3/8" x 2' end pieces have concave ends that capture the spring eye. Secondly, the two nuts in the center provide a point to hold the shaft with one wrench, stopping the shaft from rotating while the outer extending nuts are turned to expand the spreader. Before I had a spring spreader we used a bumper jack on the bumper and a Ford bottle jack under the spring eye.. Placing the bottle jack under the spring eye, then lowering the bumper jack worked very well... Fine tuning the spring eye position could be done with the bottle jack. __________________ Bill.... 36 5 win cpe

03-31-2011, 07:43 PM	#19
296 V8 BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: nor~cal Posts: 455	Re: spring spreader info or pics Like PeteVS said in post 2 Its so much easier to disassemble and assemble a spring with the main leaf in place. All you need is 1 C clamp 2 wrench 3 punch (to put in the hole for alignment)

03-31-2011, 09:18 PM	#20
Fordfed Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 2	Re: spring spreader info or pics Great forum subject since I have just received my new front leaf spring today that I planned on installing on my 39-ford truck. I like the suggested spring replacement process from PeteVS. Since I don’t have the ability to manufacture a spreader like the ones shown. Is there any disadvantage to using this method of installing one leaf at a time?