sandblasting

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

mitch
where r u in bucks county ?
i live in Emmaus ...Lehigh County

I'm in lower bucks. Northampton township

If your springs are old buy new ones they lose their tension that's my advice it's out on the ground... many won't agree... Messing with the rear spring is no big deal if you have the right tools and follow procedure..
I powder coated my leafs....

[zzlegend]

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

what happened to my previous quote .....
i really dont want to lose an arm or a leg trying to remove these leaves

If you can borrow a spring spreader you should not have any problems. Take a trip out here to calif. and I will loan you mine. Do as others have said. Disassemble, grind and smooth out the leafs, sand blast, paint, lube and reassemble. You will be glad you did. Good luck with it.

[bbrocksr]

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

being a newbie to a model A
i just purchased a somewhat rusty 28 model A
i intend on having the rolling chassis sandblasted...
should i disassemble the rear spring, and really getting at the rust.
and should i also disassemble the entire front end ?
and blast all the pieces separate ?

thanks

Once the spring has been removed from the rear end with a spreader and the spreader removed there is very little tension left in the leaves. They can then be removed by clamping with a C clamp while removing the center bolt and then release the C clamp.
Bill

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yep, start with the bare frame, and rebuilt and paint the parts as you reinstall them. Take lots of pictures before taking things apart. Take notes, and bag and label all the small parts and nuts and bolts.

The front spring is not much of a problem, but the rear spring has lots of power to be released. With the right spring spreader and a quality pair of large C clamps it can safely be taken apart. H/F clamps are NOT quality clamps. They are only good as a paper weight.

[RonC]

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

what happened to my previous quote .....
i really dont want to lose an arm or a leg trying to remove these leaves

Leave the rear spring attached to the car frame. Using a good quality spring spreader spread the spring and remove the rear shackles. Now you can unbolt the rear spring from the frame. The front spring is not under much pressure and can be removed without a spreader.

[1929]

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I removed all, and brought the frame to the blaster for $200, and gave it 2 coats of Bill Hirsch heavy duty Miracle paint.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Dennis Pereira

Beware of that rear spring read all the threads on removal and use the proper tools .

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

i have seen where the spring leaves are held in place with bar clamps, prior to removing the shackles ....

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

YES as Dennis says, "Beware of the rear spring" It is literally a killer! There is a lot of energy contained in the rear spring, more than I could estimate. I came very close to doing a lot of damage to my right leg with mine. (Go to my profile, then my album, My A) The spreader was too light, it was only 3/4 ' threaded rod and it bent like a piece of wet spaghetti. It worked fine on the front spring. Terry
PS there was just a very good thread on the subject of the danger of rear springs.

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

as much as iam reading on the dangers of trying to remove each leaf spring, iam wondering if just leaving both springs together when i have them sandblasted.
i tend to do things right the first time and not cut any corners .....
a lot of tension, so i read
i assume that was quite a factory job in its day.....
good thing OSHA wasn't around ....

Get the idea?

[Spokes]

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

being a newbie to a model A
i just purchased a somewhat rusty 28 model A
i intend on having the rolling chassis sandblasted...
should i disassemble the rear spring, and really getting at the rust.
and should i also disassemble the entire front end ?
and blast all the pieces separate ?

thanks

As others have said Take Everything apart. Use all the suggestions, precautions noted. I just Media blasted my rear spring all taken apart. A Old Timer that knew what He was doing took the rear spring apart for me. It is now blasted, painted and back together. It looks Great !!!

[Terry, NJ]

Sorry, I mant to warn you, not discourage you. It's not the disassembly of the leaves that's so dangerous, It's removing it from the shackles. The last blow of the hammer on the shackle bolt and "Spprrronng!" Things happen! Put a spreader in that will contain the energy and you're OK. Use two large C clamps to disassemble the spring. There's still plenty of energy in the leaves when you take the bolt out but not as much. Back off the C clamps slowly. As Kevin said, Clean, grind what needs to be ground, the polish, paint and grease, then reassemble. I dropped a long (Maybe 6") bolt in the hole for alignment once the leaves are all stacked, I replaced the long bolt with a grade 8 of proper length. Hope this helps!
Terry

Originally Posted by 1917modelt

what happened to my previous quote .....
i really dont want to lose an arm or a leg trying to remove these leaves

[SwansEarlyFord]

Yes

[jrelliott]

Unless you intend to use a ton or two of sand, steam clean everything before trying to sand blast things as the old grease and gunk will just stay there with grit in it. Took my A chassis to a person in Spring Valley, MN who does this professionally and let him do all the disassembly, cleaning, sand blasting and painting. Worth every penny. As other have said, sand will get into everything so plan or replacing shackles, bearings, and any other rotating part to remove all the grit. With everything disassembled, cleaned and painted, so easy to put back together. Just be careful with the springs when reassembling. Spring spreaders are a must, and NO shortcuts when working with any kind of spring under tension