Springs got their arch back?!?!?

[DanS HJ-45]

The other vehicle is a 1949 White truck (semi truck) that we've been restoring for the past couple of years. Literally every fastener was removed and replaced.

Part of that was taking the springs apart, powder coating them and then reassembling them. Today I went to put the front springs back onto the truck (so that maybe next week I can put the axle back on) and ran into an odd problem. It's as if the springs are now about 1/4" too short eye-to-eye. The shackles are completely travelled out towards the fixed end, and it's still 1/4" short (on both sides).

The springs are installed correctly, but just for grins I turned them 180 degrees (only one side has a military wrap) to see if they'd fit--no change.

When I look at the spring packs I can see some air between a couple of leafs, and it sure looks to me as if taking the packs apart and reassembling them has caused them to re-arch themselves somehow.

Anybody have any experience with this? Any ideas as to how to fix it? It is a clean frame at the moment, so it's not like there's any weight to be put on the springs at the moment (nor do I want to put the engine back in until it's a rolling chassis again).

I'm tempted to place a block of wood between the spring eye and the frame, then use a ratchet strap to see if I can't "collapse" the spring a bit, but it'll be super hard to do it enough to get the spring pin back in one way or the other. Either that or take a bolt and make a point out of part of it, start it and see if pounding it in would stretch the spring a bit, then pound the spring pin in from the other side (and pushing the bolt out).

Ideas?

Dan

 

[sandcruiser]

Can you compress the leaf-pack at all? To get rid of that space?

Maybe try taking the shackle off, putting it on the pack first, then you can use a long prybar/crowbar to pry the shackle towards the frame mount (more material there to pry on).

 

[cruiser88]

I ran into this once.....i end up compressing the springs with several c-clamps and re- compressing the wraps. You also might need to put a new bolt in each pack

 

['74 UA FJ]

A hydraulic jack between the leaf and the frame does the trick sometimes. Take a picture if you will and post it up.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I'm thinking of trying the C-clamp method.

They've already got new bolts in each pack, so I might have to tighten them if I can (I doubt it, as the spring shop compressed them on their hydraulic table and then installed the bolt).

I'll try maybe this afternoon, gotta go do some light wheeling with my Dad in his FJ-40.

It's 23 leafs IIRC, so whatever will work--it will be BIG.

Dan

 

[zebrabeefj40]

How about a hilift jack used to spread the spring eyes apart? Might need a block of wood for the shackle end to allow the shackle to swing into position without the jack being in the way.

Love to see pictures of your White.

Nick