Can you put a hydraulic jack in the centre of the spring to take the load whilst you undo the nuts?

Tony

Damian, do you have the spring eyes clear of the stub axle assemblies and looking seriously "u" shaped? If so I would say most of the spring tension has dissipated and there shouldn't be a problem.
To be certain, presuming the above to be the case and the body is securely supported, you need a wide and stout piece of timber such as a fence post which is sufficiently long that it can sit under both spring eyes at the same time. By jacking under this so that you are barely lifting the car, you should take the tension off.
You can buy or hire a special tool. When replacing, it's much more of a struggle.

you can always try using a piece of strong rope. Feed the rope through one eye of the spring, then pass both ends through the inner wing/shock absorber mount hole. Tie the ends together and place a piece of metal through the loop to stop it going back through the hole. Then use a bar or a piece of wood and place between the 2 lengths of rope and turn it to tighten the rope, this should pull the spring up and take the tension off the spring while you undo the nuts safely without stripping the threads. Then loosen the rope by turning them back. Once one side is off the other is easy. You can also use this method to put the spring back on.

Snap, I have one of those!

Yours looks like its leaking oil as well Sean? The leaf spring is now off. I kept one end connected to king pin and one end supported on jack. Took off one block and released the jack. Once first end was off other side was easy. Not looking forward to refitting it!

I haven't looked into it yet, it was rather messy. It's usually the small seal around the shaft that leaks. It will get a complete overhaul before it goes back. I'm not looking forward to fitting that spring back on either.

I was lucky with the steering box...no leaks or wear, but I have been through all the leaf spring trauma....
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/foru...hp?t=13107&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=120

Well thats it, everything is now stripped just leaving the bare shell. Next stop, the shot blasters

Had a good think about the refitting of front springs. Have a piece of fairly heavy duty 'T' section as the cross member (may have to slim down a bit at the ends in order to go under the spring ends and not foul the suspension up-rights)--weld 2 cross member pieces onto the 'T' section, to be just inside where the spring mounts onto the body, with a hole drilled at each end of the cross pieces. Make up (or have made up) 2 long (ok, very long) 'U' bolts with long threaded sections. These 'U' bolts go over the spring and through the holes in the cross pieces---with washers and nuts do up the 'u' bolts so that the spring is flattened---fit spring, undo and remove 'U' bolts. This will be a lot safer than using straps.

It's got to be safer than the way I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a question and it has always intrigued me. In Damian's first picture on this page that shows the rear swinging arms there are two little tabs with a hole through them that look like they should have a spring in them. They are in the centre of his picture, slightly below the horizontal.

I have them on my car as well but there is nothing connected to them. Does anyone know what they are for?

I think that they should have a return spring for the brake lever attached

Vitesse said:

I have a question and it has always intrigued me. In Damian's first picture on this page that shows the rear swinging arms there are two little tabs with a hole through them that look like they should have a spring in them. They are in the centre of his picture, slightly below the horizontal.

I have them on my car as well but there is nothing connected to them. Does anyone know what they are for?

Click to expand...

Hi

See the attached note, these small springs are available from most suppliers, Ihave the drawing on ere with the Axel Gerstl price

Hope this helps

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

Huge, the anti-rattle springs connect to the back-plate but the tabs that Tony is asking about are on the swinging arms and seem superfluous.

fiat500 said:

Huge, the anti-rattle springs connect to the back-plate but the tabs that Tony is asking about are on the swinging arms and seem superfluous.

Click to expand...

Yeah that's the ones I am referring to but I also have learnt about the anti-rattle springs. I always thought they were a flimsy for return springs.

I thought maybe I was missing some springs off those tabs but obviously I am not.

Vitesse said:

Yeah that's the ones I am referring to but I also have learnt about the anti-rattle springs. I always thought they were a flimsy for return springs.

I thought maybe I was missing some springs off those tabs but obviously I am not.

Click to expand...

Ah I see it all now, some of it, (said the blind man). I'll have a look in the morning at my car and see what is there. I'll let you know what I find.

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

Here you go.



Joe R