Lessons Learned: Replacing Leaf Springs, '66 Convertible
Folks,
I just spent about 8 hours replacing my leaf springs. If anyone reading this is thinking of doing the same, I just wanted to share my experiences with you; hopefully it will make your foray a bit shorter than mine!
1. Raise the car with a jack on the rear end housing. Support the car with jackstands about 8" forward of the door jamb, under the rocker. Now my car is a convertible and has the big beefy inner rockers, so I'm not sure if this is the best place on a coupe or 2+2. In any event, you want the car supported NOT by the rear axle, and NOT in the way of working on the front spring bolts. Spray down the U-bolt nuts really good with some sort of breakfree stuff. Let the axle down to relax the springs, then remove the U-bolts and shocks. Put your new U-bolts on at this point, and finger tighten them down. This will hold your springs and axle in place, and the new nuts will be easier to work with when you are shuffling springs around.
2. As I have read in several posts here, forget trying to get those front eye bolts off, unless your springs were replaced at some point and the hardware is still in decent shape. They will need to be cut off.
3. Speaking of cutting: Take my word for it and forget the Sawzall or other reciprocating blade saw. A 4" grinder with a cutoff wheel will get you only partly there. Get your hands on a 6" or 7" grinder, or get a cutoff blade for your circular saw (which is what I used).
4. Jack up the rear axle again, until the springs take up the weight of the car. This will prevent the spring popping down on you whilst cutting. Cut on both sides of the spring between spring and bracket. Once you're about halfway through, you should be able to put a wrench on either the bolt head of nut and twist it off, snapping what is left of the bolt. This is what I did. Get yourself a cheater bar!
5. Once you get to this point, swapping the springs out is pretty straightforward, so I'll give it a rest now.
Hope that helps someone out there!
Michael
__________________
1966 289-2V C-4 Convertible. All original drivetrain. Factory center console and power top. Dual res. MC and power brake upgrade. Rust bucket brought back to life, I am the 2nd owner of "Lucy".
1990 GT 25th Anniversary 5.0 AOD Convertible. Dynomax cat-back, K&N, the usual crap. Welded in subframes, welded in reinforcement plates (Ford riveted them in. Go Ford! )New engine and transmission. Date coded radiator hoses. Second owner of "Katie".
When I removed mine this last time, I resorted to cutting the spring away from the front spring loop, then cutting the loop into about three pieces and knocking the pieces out, exposing the bolt, and then cutting the bolt. I was able to do that with my small 3" cut off wheel. It took longer than your method, but I only have one arm and holding a larger tool would have been impossible for me.
Yeah holding any tool at that angle really stinks. My dad helped me on this, and I suggested just cutting the old spring as you did, but he thought a cut-off blade in a circular saw would do the job. We had to take turns holding the saw, it was not fun at all.
On the plus side, the car rides incredibly well now. Acceleration, braking, cornering, everything is drastically improved. Probably one of the best bang for the buck improvements I have ever made on any vehicle!
I wonder how much a shop would charge for this? Please tell me it is in the thousands so I feel better!
Michael
__________________
1966 289-2V C-4 Convertible. All original drivetrain. Factory center console and power top. Dual res. MC and power brake upgrade. Rust bucket brought back to life, I am the 2nd owner of "Lucy".
1990 GT 25th Anniversary 5.0 AOD Convertible. Dynomax cat-back, K&N, the usual crap. Welded in subframes, welded in reinforcement plates (Ford riveted them in. Go Ford! )New engine and transmission. Date coded radiator hoses. Second owner of "Katie".
Most shops won't even try. They will say "we don't do restoration work" cuz there just isn't enough money in it. The shop my brother has does nothing but restorations, and its hard work.
Especially when doing one that has no parts available, like the 28 Essex we finished last month.
For you guys that used the sawzalls, I feel your pain. Those saws are great for mild steel, and I went through two blades before giving up on it and using the grinder and circular saw. Those bolts must be hardened steel of some sort.
The new bolts had to be beaten in; I even greased mine up and they still needed to be hammered in place. I guess hammering + 43 years of the elements takes it's toll. If I had to get the new bolts out today, it would still require considerable effort!
Thanks, Silverblue, and by the way, those pics are giving me flashbacks! And yes, it was worth the effort to put on.
Refugee, I wonder if this is the type of repair you don't get a written estimate on; it could be this much, but it could be lots more kinda deal?
Michael
__________________
1966 289-2V C-4 Convertible. All original drivetrain. Factory center console and power top. Dual res. MC and power brake upgrade. Rust bucket brought back to life, I am the 2nd owner of "Lucy".
1990 GT 25th Anniversary 5.0 AOD Convertible. Dynomax cat-back, K&N, the usual crap. Welded in subframes, welded in reinforcement plates (Ford riveted them in. Go Ford! )New engine and transmission. Date coded radiator hoses. Second owner of "Katie".
Lessons Learned: Replacing Leaf Springs, '66 Convertible 
)New engine and transmission. Date coded radiator hoses. Second owner of "Katie".
