Coil spring install, 41 Oldsmobile

[Doctor's Pontiac]

I have been working on the suspension of my 41 Oldsmobile and when replacing several rubber bumpers, stabilizer links and tie rods, inadvertently I lowered the lower arm too much while the stabilizer link was disconnected and the coil spring fell off its seat. I tried to reposition and attempted to raise it with the jack under the lower arm to compress it again but it is too much at an angle from its seat and slides off again (see photos).

 

What is the proper way to reinstall the coil spring?  I have safety concerns because these springs are dangerous if mishandled. Thanks for any tips. Manuel

 

 

[pont35cpe]

Doctor, i just last night replaced front coil springs of my pickup. This it the tool you need, most auto parts stores have them on the shelf. I had to shorten the bolt for doing mine. You`d only need one, i`ve always had a couple of them in my tool box. Good luck, they are pretty simple and safe to use.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

That looks like a "spacer" in the seat.  Used to increase the height of worn springs.  Might that be keeping the spring from sitting deep enough in the seat?

 

  Ben

[Doctor's Pontiac]

 

4 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

That looks like a "spacer" in the seat.  Used to increase the height of worn springs.  Might that be keeping the spring from sitting deep enough in the seat?

 

  Ben

Yes, that spacer has been there since  I got the car. I thought was the actual “seat” but your comment may be the right explanation. I will leave it there as car was leveled and handled ok. It is making the install a bit more difficult though. Will look for the tool suggested by pont35cpe and give a try. Other ideas?

[NailheadBob]

Major auto parts chains have LOANER tools programs you may try.

 

Bob

[Pont 46]

Doc, do you have a shop manual? I just put new springs in my 46 pontiac, sort of same process. I would make sure you have spring mounted in correct postion, i believe flat side of spring is on bottom.

I install the control arm and put in lower bolt first, the moved my jack under control arm and jacked up from there. 

It seeems if you are rgiht under the spring it causes to much tension, but under the control arm sort of wedged the spring in it was basically easy. My manual didnt call for any spring tensions. 

Side note is it time for new springs?

[c49er]

Round part  of spring goes into A-Arm...

Matches curved spring seat...

Flat end of spring up to match flat seat area in frame.🙂

[Doctor's Pontiac]

Solved !!  Spring is back in place. Was about to head to an Auto Zone to get the spring compressor loaner they have when I gave one more try. I lowered the lower arm all the way and by doing so I found enough clearance to insert the spring upwards into the frame housing. While I was holding the spring as high as possible, my daughter helped with the jack under the arm. Once the arm touched the spring, it was still a fraction of an inch away from sitting well into the spacer but I was able to tap it with a rubber mallet until it reached the correct spot on the seat. Then I jacked it up a bit more to keep it safe.

 

Yes, the top of the spring is the flat end. The bottom is the round one that curves on the seat channel at an angle.

 

Thank you guys! 👍

[Shootey]

My question is how can you tell if your rear coil springs need replacing?  My 1941 Buick woody bounces up and down to the touch. Should I inspect the shocks first?  Thanks

[Bloo]

The short answer is yes.

 

A steel spring will never change it's rate as long as it remains steel. The only way for it to change rate is for the spring wire to lose diameter somewhere, for instance from rust, or to have the number of coils change. Otherwise it stays the same. This has to do with the modulus of elasticity of steel, and it is not affected by tempering or hardening or fancy steels or anything like that. Even stainless is real close. Some steels are too soft to use for springs, because they would just bend by yielding too soon, but even then the modulus of elasticity is the same.

 

If it took a given number of pounds to push a spring an inch in 1941, it still will unless it's wire has lost diameter somewhere or the spring lost coils (cut). Torched springs will remain the same as they were.

 

Preload can and does change. In other words, Springs can sag or be torched, or weight can be added to the car. All else being equal, if you start out with a shorter spring it is easier to get to the bump stops. The number of pounds to move the spring one inch though, that stays the same. If the car is sitting at the correct level according to the shop manual, the original springs are almost certainly fine.

 

All damping on a coil spring suspension comes from the shock absorbers or dampers.

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 hours ago, Shootey said:

My question is how can you tell if your rear coil springs need replacing?  My 1941 Buick woody bounces up and down to the touch. Should I inspect the shocks first?  Thanks

 

 I agree with Bloo.    You should add oil to the shocks.  If they will not hold the oil. i,e, leak, have them rebuilt.  Probably the fronts as well.

 

  Ben

[arcticbuicks]

I was in the local spring shop here and the father still does some old fashioned spring work as it was taken over from the grandfather of the boys running it now,i always wondered how they re arch springs or make new curved leaf springs ......the old way,so he took me in the back shop,interesting is that a spring can be changed by striking it with a dull axe with spring sitting on a piece of channel iron or between two anvils very solid on concrete ,striking the spring in the center point of it sitting between two points not too far apart,looked like about 8 inches,he had the springs chaulk marked about ever 6 inches and kept track to match them,it did not take to many single good hits to change the arch,he had a more complicating set up for coils that i cant explain on here.If you have a old leaf spring try it for fun........i said wow thats so easy i couldve done that at home.......he said thats why we do it in the back shop so ppl dont see

Edited January 9, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[JACK M]

Hmm, wonder if that would work on the carbon fiber leaf springs on my racecar.

[arcticbuicks]

i am not sure ......but i doubt it by my guess lol