Spring ‘eyelet’ enlargement

[arisLgr]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

I’m replacing the ‘closed’/non-U type shackles at the rear springs, with the original threaded U-shackles. I pressed the bushing out of the spring eye, but the threaded shackle bearing, is a bit larger and wont go in.

How can I widen the spring eyelet? I plan to heat it to red with the torch, but what should I use to push through to make it wider? I need to be able to do this on the car, to avoid removing the whole spring from the car.

BTW, your .pdf Guide to repair/replace the damaged threaded bracket cylinder, once more will save me! Here it is http://willysmjeeps.com/downloads/M38.s ... repair.pdf
Aris

[arisLgr]

Well I guess I posted a question that has not been encountered so I received no replies.
Here is another idea: Instead of ‘widening’ the spring ‘eyelet’ I was wondering if I can work on the lower Threaded Shackle Bearing, i.e. to put it on the lathe and cut down its diameter, so it will fit on the spring.
In doing so the threaded bearing will lose it’s outside threads, but If I am not wrong, the threads are needed only for the upper side, to fit onto the mount cylinder.
Any ideas?

[OKCM38CDN]

I am going to throw this out, but the springs come with different threads on the bushings, there are right and left hand threads depending on the spring... could you be trying to put them in the wrong threads on the springs.

Later models had all the same threads, but early models had opposing corners if I remember correctly had opposing threads.

Hope this helps...

[arisLgr]

Maybe I cant describe it correctly, but my SPRINGS have no threads where the threaded bushings go into. The threads are only on the shackle BRACKET that is welded on the chassis.

[wesk]

Before you remove the temper from the spring eye area do you have equipment and knowledge to re-temper that end of the spring? If not then I suggest you stick to resizing bearing.

[arisLgr]

Thanks Wes I'll resize the bearing.

[Jeff_Lee]

I recently had this same problem with a pair of rear springs. I purchased replacement springs from a reputable source, but unfortunately, the springs were made in China and the sizing of the spring eye was too small... The supplier sent me a replacement set with exactly the same problem.
It was impossible to mechanically press the new (in spec) bushings into the eyes - something I have done easily with a hydraulic press on past occasions. I even shaved and tapered a couple of bushings to see if I could urge them in.
My final solution was to take them to a Truck suspension shop. The shop specialized in repairing BIG tractor trailer leaf springs and knew what they were doing.
They heated the eye and opened it slightly. They were experienced and could eyeball the resizing. They tested one eye and bushing. It pressed in well.
Then they resized the other 3 eyes and re-tempered the spring ends. They did it all in a hour, and charged me $100.

I am afraid that this is our fate... With companies like OMIX-ADA and Crown importing parts from India and China with little (None?) incoming quality control. Note I use the word "importer" rather than "manufacturer". These two companies love to call themselves "manufacturers", when that is far from the facts.
Then there is the mixing of inches and Metric measurements in specifications. My favorite example is a 1" brake wheel cylinder with a 3/16" inverted flare brake line port, and a bleeder screw that has a METRIC hex on it. That is lazy, uncaring specifying.
Inches get "converted" over and over to the China and Indian metric manufacturing standards and sloppy tolerances get built in. I fear they spend little time actually on the ground in China and India teaching their suppliers how to build quality into the products - they just negotiate the lowest cost and pass the junk on to us. We spend extra time and treasure making it serviceable, rather than pushing back hard on the distributor, so that they can, in turn, push back even harder on the importer. This is widespread in the entire vintage car restoration supply base.

I'll get off my soapbox now, but the message I am trying to send is - DON'T ACCEPT THIS JUNK. Return it and demand quality or your money back!! If these suppliers actually get this unworkable stuff back on their loading docks, even the slow learners may take note in their bank account.