[AT] Bending a hook on a spring

George Willer gwill at gwill.net
Wed Aug 6 10:49:03 PDT 2008


Work hardening will happen, but it is much less a factor than destroying the
heat treatment.  It wasn't stated, but it's assumed the spring is steel. ;-(
Work hardening is much more likely in other metals such as copper or
aluminum.  Heat treating for both is very different also.

Remember, when using heat (including welding) on heat treated high carbon
steel, there's always a zone between the heated, altered area and the
original where the properties aren't as expected or predictable.

That isn't to say that there's no risk of failure bending springs cold, but
if successful, the result will be a better spring.

George Willer

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
> william.neff.powell at comcast.net
> Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 12:52 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Bending a hook on a spring
> 
> You may actually "Work Harden" the spring by bending it without the aid of
> heat...?
> 
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "George Willer" <gwill at gwill.net>
> > Len,
> >
> > The original spring was most likely made without any heat at all, after
> the
> > heat treating was done while it was still straight wire.  Rusty and
> pitted
> > is bad news because the pits are stress raisers where cracks can begin.
> >
> > If you do try to use heat to form the loop, it's rapid cooling that will
> > cause brittleness.  Slow cooling will cause the heated area to remain
> > softer.  It's worth a shot if the normal use doesn't tend to make the
> > softened loop fail.  The black smith way to cool slowly... drop the hot
> > spring in a bucket of wood ashes or lime.
> >
> > I have to make a lot of pedal return springs for my (16) Cubs.  I do it
> > cold.
> >
> > George Willer
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> > > bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Len Rugen
> > > Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 11:57 AM
> > > To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> > > Subject: [AT] Bending a hook on a spring
> > >
> > > Speaking of a WD-45...  I started fixing my broken Joy Ride seat on
> mine
> > > last night.  All I got done was exercising a wasp, taking the old one
> > > apart and scrounging a spring.  The problem is 2 short but strong
> > > extension springs.  They are about 5" long hook to hook, 2" dia and
> 1/4
> > > or 5/16 rod size.  The hooks on the old springs broke.  I have a
> similar
> > > size spring, but it's way long.  My idea is to cut it into sections of
> > > the size I need, but then I need to put a hook on each end.  My Dad
> did
> > > this on the first broken spring years ago, but his replacement was
> > > weaker than the last original spring.  I just broke the last original
> > > one.  I know he we thru several of his replacements because the hook
> > > would break off where he heated it.
> > >
> > > Any hints on how to put a hook on a spring?  Will heating it make it
> > > brittle?  Could his have broken just because they were old, rusty and
> > > probably pitted before he bent them?  If I heat the spring, should I
> try
> > > insulate it so it cools slowly?
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > AT mailing list
> > > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> 
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 





More information about the AT mailing list