A fellow member needs some help. The rear spring needs to be re shaped. Does anyone have the dimensions across the "mouth" for each spring leaf? Ideas on re shaping methods will be appreciated also.
Thanks in advance.
Bob
Your best bet is to replace the entire spring with a 9 leaf from a sedan.
Perhaps if you contacted the company that makes new T springs (T Springs 860-233-3557), they might share that information with you. As Larry suggested the pickups used a nine leaf spring, like the heavy sedans. If your friend's pickup has a nine leaf; OK, but if it doesn't and he wants it to be authentic, or he expects to be able to carry the loads that pickups were designed for, he needs to change it. The nine leaf springs, also used longer frame to spring U bolts to compensate for the thicker spring. Of course, if your friend wants a softer ride and doesn't need the HD load carrying capacity, he could get by with a eight leaf.
I did that a couple of weeks ago, didn't take any measurements, though. Loan/buy another good spring and take it apart so you can have something to compare the out of shape spring to. It can be an older rear spring, they're essentially the same from cut leafs began in 1918.
I put each leaf in a sturdy vice & bend to shape in small steps with a long pipe for leverage. The main leaf needs a wider pipe due to the rolled end for the shackles. Would have been less of an effort with a press, I had to jump up onto the workbench for each bend = some good exercise ;) Remember to never bend over the center hole - the leaf will break & it's not likely they're deformed there.
Thanks guys. Of course a new one would be the best option, but as a self employed 70 year welder he wants the least expensive route. He is a cracker-jack aluminum welder. The fact that he is color blind anyway probably makes alum welding not much different from steel. He cant see the color change anyway!
He does have a hydraulic press so re forming the spring leaves shouldn't be too hard if he just had the correct dimensions.
Thanks again,
Bob
Bob, Once again, call T Springs; not to buy a new one, but to see if they will give you the magic dimension that your friend needs to re-arch his old spring. If you won't call them, or they won't give you the dimension that you need, good luck getting the dimension.
This info was posted a decade ago, and might be most helpful to you.
9 leaf Rear (late: 1926-27)
Length of Spring Leaf.
(lower number) Overall Height of Leaf
8-3/4"
1/2"
11-1/16"
3/4"
13-1/2"
15/16"
15-13/16"
1-3/16"
18-9/16"
1-7/16"
22-5/8"
1-15/16"
27-1/8"
2-5/16"
31-9/16"
2-11/16"
33"
3-1/4"
I used a tape measure to find the over-all-length of each leaf. I let the tape follow the contour of the spring (laid it over the top). To find the height, I sat the spring on a level surface and measured from the level surface up to the top of the leaf. I would be interested in your comments. Perhaps a larger, more complete, list can be compiled from this. by Verne Shirk on July 29, 2000
Dan,
thanks for your research, but I'm having trouble understanding the height measurements listed. For example the main leaf (33" long) height is 3-1/4". That would not be enough to clear the top of the differential. By the way, I called the T-springs phone number yesterday morning and left a message on the voice mail. No return call yet. Maybe he will call on Monday.
Meanwhile I found this on the web @
http://www.macsautoparts.com/store/model-t-specs/#rearspring
Rear Spring Specifications
Main leaf length 45-1/4"
Main leaf height 10-1/2"
2nd leaf length 43-3/8"
3rd leaf length 36-9/16"
4th leaf length 30-3/8"
5th leaf length 24-7/8"
6th leaf length 19-3/4"
7th leaf length 15-1/16"
8th leaf length 12-3/9"
Leaves 3-8 are clip type
---------------------------------
Also found this on another site which did not specify body type:
Assembled Free Length 43 1/2" and Crown height 12" unladen (on car 45 3/4" and Crown height approx 10")
Comparing the last item with the first it appears the first measurements may be "as installed the vehicle". I guess if all else fails we can just bend the main leaf to 43-1/2" and then form the other leaves so that they "nest". Worth a try anyway
Bob