Need help with a spring problem

[TimTSE]

I have purchased coil springs that go on tag trailor ramps to assist in lifting them up and down. They have two ends that stick out at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, but one end needs to be bent to 5 o'clock in order to effective carry the load through the range of motion of the ramp. My question is how do I bend this end arm on the coil spring? Do I just heat and bend or heat, bend and quench in oil? How many times and what oil?

[TimTSE]

I have purchased coil springs for a tag trailor that has ramps that are very heavy. The ends of the spring have arms that stick out, one end is 6 inches long to catch the pin that holds the ramps on the trailor and the other end is 3 inches long and rides on the ramp in a trough. The arms are at 10 o'clock and at 2 o'clock. I must bend one of the arms from 2 to 5 o'clock to better carry the load through out the range of motion of the ramp as it goes up and down. How do I do this? Do I heat and bend? Or heat, bend, and quench in oil? Please help.

TimTSE

[viking-sword]

Though I don't know if this will help much, I have for the last year been using my 4 and 6 inch post vises with springs from large leghold traps. when I bought replacement springs for the traps I simply took a pair of springs, one inside the other, and set them in place where the normal spring would have gone, they work just fine, and someday soon I'll make proper replacements for both of them. Most good spring steels used for this application must be fully hardened and then tempered at a higher temperature than most common ovens will reach, hence the burning oil method is still used by most folks, and though messy, it's usually very successful. Most folks have a hard time finding a receptical for the oil temper, but I've found that by taking the hardened spring, a quart or three of oil, and an old metal car hubcap, without any holes in it of course, out to a lakeside or country road, and doing this it's not so offensive to anyone. Hope this helps! VS

[Mills]

TimTSE if you'll start a new thread it'll help get your question answered quicker.

If you heat it, you have changed it. Most correct answer is pull it tweak it and and heat treat. Do you have a bender? You may be able to bend it into the position you want. You need to be aware that introduces stress that may shorten its life.


Mills, Thanks for the suggestion. I moved it to a new thread.

[Rich Hale]

When you bend it youi will likely have to use heat and that will take away the springiness you want in that area of the spring. Heat the spring in a forge until it is good and red.. Bend it where you want it..heat again and let air cool until the color is gone, I do that once others say do it three times, it takes the stresses out of the metal. Then heat it until it will not stick to a magnet and quench it in oil. Then put it in a pan with a little of the same oil and light the oil. You need to have enough oil to burn for twenty minutes, or a bit longer. If you need to you can add oil carefully. I do this once.. others say do it three times. This last step reduces the hardness you got when you quenched it the first time and gives it the right amount of spring to last. If you do no9t have a forge to heat this spring all at one time see if you can heat the are and bend it,,then take it to a spring shop and have them heat treat it.