drilling leaf springs (FAQ) (1 Viewer)

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bigbadshawn

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hi.

need to ream out the center holes on my leafs so i can install new pins which are bigger in diameter than the originals. went and got a high speed metal bit to do this and the bugger just burned right up. anybody know the right type of bit for this job?

thanks
 
Try slow speed with oil...
 
i tried slow with oil but made very little headway. so i sped up a bit and the bit burned. anybody used titanium plated bits?
 
Odd, how much larger are you going? Was it a good quality bit?
 
good luck with the drilling, your spings are hardened/tempered steel hence the term spring steel. The proccess of tempering is done after the steel is cut, rolled and drilled. Trying to drill them would require re-heating and possibly ruining the integrity of the spring. If you've got a steady hand torch or plasma cut it?
 
You need a carbide bit to cut spring steel. A carbide masonary bit works well.
 
Did exactly what Pin Head said, works great. Get one of those Bosch carbide tipped masonry bits. If you are drilling more than about 4 holes, get a couple, or use a lot of oil and be careful. I broke the tip on my third hole.

Jeremy
 
If you would do a search, you would find my thread about drilling leaf springs. Regular drill bits, even expensive cobalt ones do not work. The high carbon steel work hardens, and after a few turns of the bit, the spring steel is too hard for the bit to cut.

There are specialized bits for cutting this kind of very hard steel, but Pin Head is right-masonry bits are the cheapest way to do this. Buy 2-3 at the hardware store since you will tend to break the corners off the carbide as you go.
 
thanks for all the good advice, guys. i'll give the carbide tipped bit a go since i have the new pins already. wonder why man-a-fre sends out larger than stock width centering pins with their add-a-leafs. seems a bit inconvenient.
 
Just did all 4 of mine with rancho (spring pins) and they fit. CCOT springs. Head of the pins were much larger than the ones I replaced. Make sure to torque the u-bolts. Loose ones led to my original issue. On my list of regular checks now. Not a trace of a pin on the pas. side when I took it apart. Replaced 4 pins and u-bolts. Noticed the rear was higher when I did the repair. Did the front the next day and gained 1 1/2" in lift. (Measured because of the gain in rear) Shows how loose the u-bolts were...
 
I use a cobalt bit to enlarge the pin holes to 3/8" with no trouble. I did all four leaf packs on my 40 and the bit cut through every leaf with no trouble. It appears to be nearly as sharp as it was new.
 
67azcruizr said:
good luck with the drilling, your spings are hardened/tempered steel hence the term spring steel. The proccess of tempering is done after the steel is cut, rolled and drilled. Trying to drill them would require re-heating and possibly ruining the integrity of the spring. If you've got a steady hand torch or plasma cut it?
Click to expand...

Not true.

Plain old steel bits cut through springs just fine. I do it all the time. It does not call for heating the spring or aything else like this.

Where most folks go wrong is trying to do it with a hand drill. You can't hold the bit steady enough to get a good cut at the face this way. Use a drill press, slow speed (always what you want with steel of any thickness) and a bit of oil. There is nothing to it at all...


Mark...


Mark...
 
Cruiserdrew said:
If you would do a search, you would find my thread about drilling leaf springs. Regular drill bits, even expensive cobalt ones do not work. The high carbon steel work hardens, and after a few turns of the bit, the spring steel is too hard for the bit to cut.

There are specialized bits for cutting this kind of very hard steel, but Pin Head is right-masonry bits are the cheapest way to do this. Buy 2-3 at the hardware store since you will tend to break the corners off the carbide as you go.
Click to expand...


You guys must be drilling on different Toyota Land Cruiser springs than I am. I just use the cheap bulk dril bits from the industrial hardware store. Chuck them in the drill press and it is no different than any other piece of mild steel.


Mark...
 
MArk is right, we drilled 2 springs out at the hammers with a cheap set of drill bits and some grease. Worked perfectly.

Hand drill btw..

Honestly, I was suprised at how easy it was.

In Vegas I just have a spring shop punch holes in them..
 
Heck.. I just upgraded to a drill press :flipoff2:
 
i was using a hand drill and a not so cheap high speed steel bit with oil. i don't have easy access to a drill press so i will try a carbide or cobalt bit tomorrow (whichever is available on a sunday morning). i'll fill you in on how it goes.
 
Spring steel is .5 - 1% carbon and heat treated, so it is not like drilling mild steel. A carbide bit goes through it as quick as poop through a goose.
 
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