De-arching leaf springs ?

The correct way is annealing, bending to shape, hardening and redrawing, but if you do not know the alloy, you won't know at what temperatures to do this. If you don't have the facilities to do this, it is also impractical. So, this leaves two choices. Go to a spring shop and buy what you need or take your old springs and try to reform them cold, but to do this requires you to push the leaves beyond their yeild point and that could be both difficult and dangerous. I don't think this is possible with hammer alone. I think you will have to force the spring to flatten and then with a very heavy hammer slam the spring past its yeild point, but if that shock causes the spring to release itself, it could kill or seriously injure you. Of course, this operation is all about feel. I wouldn't do it. The cost savings involved isn't worth the safety risk. Steve

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snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net wrote in article ...

The spring shop I used to work in now has a huge press, and they arch/de-arch leaves cold.

When I worked there 35 years ago, we used a four-pound hammer and a large anvil......cold.

And, I have re-set the arches on dozens of spring leaves over the years.

Hit the side you want the spring to go to......more arch, hit the inside of the curve - less arch, hit the outside of the curve.

When you hit the spring and everything isn't square with the anvil, you will get what is known in the business as a "....hand full of bees."

Just thought you should know.

I've arched springs many times with just a heavy hammer. I've also bent them in a hydraulic press, cold. But to relieve automotive leaf springs I generally just heated a couple of the booster leaves a few inches from the end and pulled them down a bit.

Beating on the inside arches the spring. Beating on the outside de-arches.from my experience

Thank you guys..... This is exactly what I was wondering. I will get my hammer and a thick pair of gloves.

grummy