Hot riveting leaf springs. Do-able at home?

[Roger440]

Im restoring an old van at the moment. The leaf springs are very rusty, and as built have no interliners of any sort, so the corrosion will prevent proper operation/excess interleaf friction.

Interestingly, the service schedule said paint the springs with used engine oil every 6000 miles! Clearly wasnt done.

They are held together by 4 folded clips which are riveted on.

To clean up the leafs, i need to dissasemble.

Question is, putting them togther.

I dont have oxy, but i do have a rather nice induction heater that would get the rivets red hot. Is this likely to be succesful? Anyone done this.

Id like to be reasoanbly confident of success prior to disassembly.

Thoughts?#

 

[123hotchef]

can u use bolts insetad?

 

[Roger440]

No. They are similar to the "clips" you see holding the pack together. However, they are not "tight" as the leaves need to move through them.

 

[Fazerruss]

Ideally you need to get the rivets yellow hot or you'll struggle to get them to mushroom over and shrink tight

 

[Roger440]

Ideally you need to get the rivets yellow hot or you'll struggle to get them to mushroom over and shrink tight

Hmmm, this is excellent info. I didnt know that.

Im not going to achieve that without oxy am i?

 

[brightspark]

Hmmm, this is excellent info. I didnt know that.

Im not going to achieve that without oxy am i?

not a local heat you wont just on the rivet

 

[DaveB]

If the clips are like the normal MG ones then they are not closed on top of the springs and can be bent to open them allowing the leaves to be seperated, you would not need to remove the rivets.

 

[brightspark]

from what i can remember those rivets are just through the 1 spring to hold the clips in place the other springs just go through the clips and move . only the center is bolted through all of them

 

[Pond frog]

Can you use a bolt tighten to requirement then weld the nut in place

 

[addjunkie]

I think, youd need to clamp the spring, remove the rivets one at a time. Heat new rivetts yellow hot, and refit, and tighten hammer with a die. Allow to cool, do the next one.

 

[colnerov]

If you watch some of the Pakistan/Indian truck videos on youtube you can see how its done.

 

[Roger440]

If the clips are like the normal MG ones then they are not closed on top of the springs and can be bent to open them allowing the leaves to be seperated, you would not need to remove the rivets.

Yes, that is correct.

I guess if i heated the bend up firt it would reduce its likelyhood of breaking off.

Im thinking, this might be my best option.

 

[Roger440]

from what i can remember those rivets are just through the 1 spring to hold the clips in place the other springs just go through the clips and move . only the center is bolted through all of them

yes, exactly

 

[Gritineye]

Leave the rivets alone, just bend the clips open, only just enough to get the pack apart.

Reassemble then squeeze the sides of the clips in a vice and hammer the top tags down, squeeze turn, hammer to taste.

Done plenty that way over the years.

 

[brightspark]

Leave the rivets alone, just bend the clips open, only just enough to get the pack apart.

Reassemble then squeeze the sides of the clips in a vice and hammer the top tags down, squeeze turn, hammer to taste.

Done plenty that way over the years.

yep undoing the center bolt and u can tap one though the rest will just slide out. repaced a few and added an extra one on the single leaf ones i had 50 years ago on a mk2 escort van

 

[8ob]

Im restoring an old van at the moment. The leaf springs are very rusty, and as built have no interliners of any sort, so the corrosion will prevent proper operation/excess interleaf friction.

An old trick to improve the ride quality of a leaf spring was to grease between them and tight wrap denso tape around them to keep out the crud. There is a greasing wedge you can buy for re greasing between leaves.


Bob

 

[Gritineye]

Contrary to popular belief you can cut and drill leaf springs quite easily, make your own rivets, cold rivet the clips on and assemble your own custom packs.

Some I did earlier.

 

[Roger440]

An old trick to improve the ride quality of a leaf spring was to grease between them and tight wrap denso tape around them to keep out the crud. There is a greasing wedge you can buy for re greasing between leaves.


Bob

View attachment 485770

I know about the denso tape, or leather if you go back far enough in time.

However, the "leaf greaser" is a new one on me!! Think i need to buy one of those.

 

[Roger440]

Contrary to popular belief you can cut and drill leaf springs quite easily, make your own rivets, cold rivet the clips on and assemble your own custom packs.

Some I did earlier.

View attachment 485776View attachment 485777View attachment 485778View attachment 485779View attachment 485780View attachment 485781

By cold riviting, you mean literallky that, ie beat the crap out of o cold rivit.

Do you not have issues with them coming loose?

 

[nickk]

If you watch some of the Pakistan/Indian truck videos on youtube you can see how its done.

Good viewing but must wear flip flops.