Spring restoration question

[fireguyfire]

Starting to tear down my factory springs off of my 1958 Sweptside and I have a couple of questions.

The front springs at the thickest parts are held together by the center bolt, plus 2 “C” shackles that are held on by a bolt and nut.

tye last 3 longest springs are held together by the clamp style band that you can’t unbolt.

How do I go about Remington the clamp band holding the last 3 springs together, and how is the best way to re install them once my leaves are sand blasted and painted?

second question is regarding lube in between the freshened leaves during reassembly.

Tuese springs were obviously made before nylon pads, and I’ve been told to add a small thin layer of grease where the leaves overlap.

Is this correct, or is there a better product to use between each leaf?

[Tooljunkie]

I disassembled my spring packs. I pried the clamps open to seperate them. A couple broke, i welded the broken tab back on. Welding that tab back on is no big deal. 
there was grease between the springs when it rolled out of the factory. 
dont concern yourself with saving centre bolt,cut it and get a couple new ones. They come quite long, which will pull the stack back together. Then cut off the excess. 

[fireguyfire]

Great tips; thanks.

can you share the method you used to pry open those spring clamps?

[Old CWO]

I like those vinyl/plastic leaf spring liners with the lip and use them whenever I am restoring a leaf pack.  If keeping the original look isn't mandatory I will simply remove the original clamps and install new full wrap clamps.  It's much easier.

[Old CWO]

12 hours ago, Tooljunkie said:

dont concern yourself with saving centre bolt,cut it and get a couple new ones. They come quite long, which will pull the stack back together. Then cut off the excess. 

 

New bolts for sure, they are cheap.  It's so much easier to just zip the old ones off with a cutting wheel on a grinder than try to remove rusty, crusty bolts.

 

When I do leaf springs I "cheat" and use socket head cap screws instead of spring center bolts.  It has a similar head diameter for the perch pocket but you now have a way to hold it better with an Allen wrench. 

 

You shouldn't try to pull the pack together with the bolt,  I have stripped a couple doing that.  A better method is compressing with large C clamps as you tighten the bolt.

[Tooljunkie]

9 hours ago, Old CWO said:

 

New bolts for sure, they are cheap.  It's so much easier to just zip the old ones off with a cutting wheel on a grinder than try to remove rusty, crusty bolts.

 

When I do leaf springs I "cheat" and use socket head cap screws instead of spring center bolts.  It has a similar head diameter for the perch pocket but you now have a way to hold it better with an Allen wrench. 

 

You shouldn't try to pull the pack together with the bolt,  I have stripped a couple doing that.  A better method is compressing with large C clamps as you tighten the bolt.

Think i may have stripped a bolt or 2 in the past as well. Fine thread strips easy. 
if i need to pull them together, i use my vise.