Kudos to Normspeeds spring removal procedure!

[splat1955]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you know I used Norms front spring removal procedure that he's written up recently in a post. It should really make it to a " sticky" in the tech area if it hasn't already. My 11 year old and I removed the springs on Sunday. I'd put it off most of the day, even finding other little projects to do instead, just cause I thought it was really going to be a pain. Well, it probably took as long to chock the wheels, find the jack stands, break the lug nuts loose, raise the car, get the stands under it and remove the tires and it did to get the springs out. I figure it took about 20 minutes to get out the first spring on the drivers side...and it took longer than it should have only because we were trying to take the spring out through the back where the shock is mounted...duh! The other side probably took 10 minutes. The only bolt that took any real energy to break was the lower control arm pin, which in my guesstimate, was at between 50 & 65 Ft. Lbs.

Of course, we still have to put them back in. Going to cut them hopefully tomorrow, but have to wait to put them back in cause one of the coil spring silencers was in real bad shape, so we ordered new ones.....8 to 10 days to deliver. But anyway, if you've ever got to remove your springs, no coil spring compressor needed, just use Norms method. I didn't even have the mess on the floor that Norm spoke of in his post. For some reason, we just don't have any road grime, rust, dirt, etc., on our cars underbelly. I mean, when we were done with the job, there wasn't enough dirt to wipe up with a napkin....and hands just needed a quick wash. It was sweet. Thanks Norm!

One question to you guys. I've looked in the manual, and I can't find a torque spec for the lower control arm pin for my '48.....can anyone tell me what it should be torqued to when I get her back together?

[splat1955]

Hey, thanks Shel....I wasn't expecting that many ft. lbs.......but I expect you are right about the '51 being the same as the '48....Thanks......I didn't see it anywhere in my '46-'48 manual.......I probably should have checked my old Motors manual...I forget that I even have that manual for this car...and it probably has a ton of useful info. Thanks again.

[Normspeed]

Yup, it was in my post on R&R ing the springs. Ya missed it Splat.

[splat1955]

Ya know Norm, I must have read your post 3 or 4 times before I actually went out and started the work....so I know I read that comment about the " shade tree " torque...and I remembered reading just now when I searched for the post. Man, I had everything else memorized so I wouldn't have to come back in and read the post again. Well, anyway, tomorrow hopefully I will get the springs cut....I'm waiting for some spring silencers, but I'm still going to throw them back in and use the old silencers just so I can drop it down, bounce is around a little and see how it sits....that way, if need be and it's not low enough, I can take 'em out again and cut more.

Oh, btw, I talked to ESPO....just to make sure they had the springs I will need if I ever need to go back to stock. Talked to Lori there. She explained to me the best way to measure the springs so you will get the drop that you want. First, naturally, you have to know how much you want to drop the car.

Then, sit the springs with the flat ends down on a flat surface. Measure inside the spring from the base to the end of the coil on the top....usually that will be the highest point. Once you have the actual length of the spring, then you'd want to cut 1/2 of what you want the total drop to be. Using mine for example, my springs are 13 1/2 inches in length and I want to drop it 3 inches, which means I would need to cut 1 1/2 inches out of the spring making the total length of my spring 12 inches. With the tape still inside the spring and up against the spring, rotate the spring slowly watching the 12 inch mark until the a part of a coil lines up with the 12" mark....then mark the spring at that point for cutting. She also said that the only time this isn't real exact is when the springs are really old and soft, or if at anytime someone has used heat on the spring to make and changes to it. So, anyway, I guess I'll find out when I cut them and put them back in. I took measurements of the frame to floor and front fender bottoms to floor before I removed them.

Will let ya know what happens.

Yup, it was in my post on R&R ing the springs. Ya missed it Splat.

[Don Coatney]

How do you cut the spring? What tool do you use?

[splat1955]

Hey Don,

I haven't cut the springs yet. I've got a grinder with a cutting wheel....was going to use that....if I can find the wrench to replace the wheel. Otherwise, I will take them to town to a machine shop.....

[Young Ed]

The few things of read on this all agreed to cut using the least heat possible. I wonder if a saws-all would do it? I wouldn't think a cut off wheel would heat the rest of the spring up too much either.

[Plymouthy Adams]

if cutting with a thin ziz wheel don't sweat the heat..warp (edit to be wrap, not warp) the coil to be cut with a wet cloth..this will sink the heat.

[Young Ed]

I thought warping the coil was what we were trying to avoid

[blueskies]

I cut one coil from my springs. I tried to cut them with a sawzall and a cutoff wheel. Neither of these would make a dent in the steel. So, I broke out the torch and went after them. I used a cold wet rag a few inches from the cut to keep the heat from traveling up the spring as much as possible.

If you look at how the spring sits in the lower seat, you will see that about half a coil is supported in the seat. The heat did not travel beyond this on my cut coils, so I can't see how it would have any affect on the unsupported coils of the spring. This is quite different than heating the coils with a torch to lower the car, which changes the metalurgy of the spring and can be rather dangerous.

My 2cents.

Pete

[Plymouthy Adams]

I thought warping the coil was what we were trying to avoid

good catch Ed...little dyslexia sneaked in there on me...BTW warp ='s wrap in my previous post for those interested....

[Don Coatney]

"Excess heat" was my real question on coil cutting. Looks like all have avoided it.

[Normspeed]

Don, I used a harbor freight 4" angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel. I cut the springs 1/3 at a time, alternating between springs so each could cool down between cuts.

[Young Ed]

The 50 ply 2dr that my dad has was a mild custom back in the 60s or so. Stock drivetrain( no v8 atleast) but shaved handles trunk etc. Who ever did it heated the springs until the car sank. The one spring was so crooked it wouldn't even stand up on the garage floor when we took them out. Just don't do that method!

[Don Coatney]

Don, I used a harbor freight 4" angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel. I cut the springs 1/3 at a time, alternating between springs so each could cool down between cuts.

Norm;

I also bought a 4" Harbor Freight angle grinder for about ten bucks a few years back. Evan came with a spare set of brushes. Hard to beat a deal like that. I just yesterday got a Harbor Freight flyer in the mail. They have a 1/2" pneumatic impact wrench on sale for $9.99. I thought I got a good deal on my impact wrench when I bought it from them for twenty bucks 35 years ago. It still works same as the day I bought it so I am not ready for a replacement yet.

[Plymouthy Adams]

as my buddy always say..those ingenious copycats overseas can make anything out of a beer can...but they can't make a beer can...

[splat1955]

Hey Norm and Don,

That Harbor Freight 4" angle grinder is what I am going to be using as well. Mine also came with the extra brushes about 3 years ago when I got it. I finally got a chance to use it about 2 years ago....put on a cutting disk and used it to cut off the u-bolts on the rear of the jeepster...worked great! Then used my HF 1/2 impact wrench for all the shackle bolts...The impact has to be close to 10 years old....and have used it for a lot over the years. Now though, since it's been 2 years since I used the angle grinder, I've got to dig through all the tools to find the wrench that takes off the plate that holds the disk....cause it wasn't with the grinder. Finding its probably gonna take longer than cutting the coils! Going to be cutting them alternately a little at a time as you suggested Norm. In my teens, I remember using a torch not only to cut springs while they were still in a car...but heating them while they were still in to drop the front....man, we were driving some real bombs back then...but have learned a lot since.

Don, I used a harbor freight 4" angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel. I cut the springs 1/3 at a time, alternating between springs so each could cool down between cuts.

[Young Ed]

You didn't have a maroon 50 plymouth 2dr with pinstriping did you? haha

Someone had a nice custom job until they rear ended someone else. Then it went to the junkyard. A guy from MN who's a friend of one of our POC members was towing it back as a parts car from the junkyard in CA. On the way home he spotted a black p15 in a junkyard in wyoming. Got back to MN and decided he had to have that one too. Thats how my p15 ended up in MN. Eventually he decided not to work on the 2 50 plymouths and concentrate on the 48. Dad bought the 2 50s. Then about 10 years later he decided his health was too bad to work on anything anymore. Just in case you wanted to know how my p15 got to MN

[splat1955]

Nope, that wasn't mine....of course, it was back in the early '70s when I first got my license....so who knows.....my memory isn't what it used to be either.

[Scott1953]

Could someone point me in the direction of Norms original post. I've searched and can't seem to find it. I'm going to be removing springs this spring and want to be as safe as possible doing it. If a spring compressor is available, is that the best way to go about the job?

Thank you,

Scott

[blueskies]

Could someone point me in the direction of Norms original post. I've searched and can't seem to find it. I'm going to be removing springs this spring and want to be as safe as possible doing it. If a spring compressor is available, is that the best way to go about the job?

Thank you,

Scott

Here's what I did.

1, remove the torsion bar so that the lower A arm will swing all the way down.

2, support the frame on jack stands.

3, put a floor jack under the lower A arm, and jack it up so that it just about lifts the frame.

4, remove the upper A arm bolts that mount the A arm to the frame.

5, swing the upper A arm and spindle upright out away from the frame.

6, slowly lower the floor jack to let the lower A arm swing all the way down to the floor.

7, The spring will fall out without force. All of the spring tension is released before the spring can come out of the upper spring pocket, no spring compressor is necessary.

Pete

[rolliejoe]

Pete,

Your method made it easy, thanks.

[blueskies]

Pete,

Your method made it easy, thanks.

Glad it worked out...

Pete

[jimainnj]

Springs my next job after tie rod ends, I cut 1/2 coil off new springs with 4" cut off wheel no problem ( love that tool). I had copied Norm's post before just in case it disapeared. Jim