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Re arching a spring in SW Washington

C

Chogf22

Registered User
Camas, WA
Anyone know a place I can get a spring re-arched in SW Washington state? Also, any guidance I can tell them aside from “uhh...maybe an inch or two that way”?

Thanks!


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I've heard "take it to a sring shop" advice many times,
but I've never even seen a spring shop-
including when I lived in the L.A. metroplex.
 
hotrod180 said:
I've heard "take it to a sring shop" advice many times,
but I've never even seen a spring shop-
including when I lived in the L.A. metroplex.
Click to expand...

We have a 4X4 shop that does modifications. I asked him about springs and he said he does them.

But he also said using wood blocks, a heavy duty bumper, and a really long cheater bar did pretty well, too.
 
All you need is a tracing of the arc on a new bottom spring. I don't have one handy but will volunteer any of our members with a new spring on the shelf to send you one. I have done it in a vice with big wrench but easy way is with a press, patience, few blocks, and 5 inch or so pipe.
DENNY
 
When you get to the point the spring has lost its arch, you are on the backside of things.... Unless it is softened and done
Correctly to a new "spring temper' it is hardly worth the bother...... We used to " rebend" them years ago, with them usually just relaxing right back; or snapping off in the back but maybe you will have better luck. To recreate a spring temper' after you soften it to re arch it, you will need to " overharden it" first then draw it back to a " spring temper'.......good luck with that.
I think I would simply buy a new Pawnee Spring and save the bottom of your rudder????
Best of Luck
E



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I put a few different sets of new tail springs on my flatbed scanner to get the arc. I'll dig around for the PDFs later if that will help anyone.
 
These guys manufacture springs I have had several different kinds of vehicle springs re-done, both leaf and coil, although several years ago. So there are still "spring shops" around. They did them correctly with heat treating, not sure what they still do.

photo.jpg

Pohl Spring Works Inc

Website
Directions
Spring supplier in Spokane Valley, Washington
Address: 6415 E Nixon Ave, Spokane Valley, WA
Phone: (509) 535-3648








 
Last edited:
Here's a flatbed scan of two sets of tail springs. Univair 4 leaf 1-1/4" set on the left, old but unused ABI 3 leaf 1-3/4" set on the right. Ruler for scale if you're trying to print it out.

We'll see how this works, as the forum software likes to chew up attached images and spit them out as blurry junk. Here's a link to a higher quality image just in case: https://i.imgur.com/Uatw5y0.png
 

Attachments

  • PA 18 Tail springs.pdf
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  • PA 18 Tail springs.jpg
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Matt, Long time since I've seen you on here!? Betts spring Inc. in Portland can make anything you need.

Mike
 
TurboBeaver said:
When you get to the point the spring has lost its arch, you are on the backside of things.... Unless it is softened and done
Correctly to a new "spring temper' it is hardly worth the bother...... We used to " rebend" them years ago, with them usually just relaxing right back; or snapping off in the back but maybe you will have better luck. To recreate a spring temper' after you soften it to re arch it, you will need to " overharden it" first then draw it back to a " spring temper'.......good luck with that.
I think I would simply buy a new Pawnee Spring and save the bottom of your rudder????
Best of Luck
E
Click to expand...

Agreed, a spring flattens from losing it's temper (like me) through years of load and cycling. If annealed, re-arched and re-tempered then it's basically new again. Otherwise you're just buying a little time, and the flattening will accelerate.
 
Right. I did a lot of straightening of stuff (rotating shafts, hydraulic cylinder rods, etc) before I sold my machine shop. Cold straightening, gotta go a little past the desired point, then back to it due to hysteresis.
 
Daammn all this time I have been saying I need to re-arch my tail spring because I fly heavy and screw up my landings (tail wheel first) I could blamed it all on temper!!! Just go bend the bitch and stop landing tail first. I have seen you fly, you got this.
DENNY
 
Big truck springs lose there arch and get re-arched every day. I don't have a spring shop in my small town but there is one in Memphis where my folks live. My Dad is on a first name basis with the family that has owned and run it for 3 generations. They re-arch them cold and the springs on his Clipper which has a heavier tail than a Cub and gets landed on the tailwheel more often than not has lasted 1800 hrs so far. He introduced them to Airframes/Bushwheel when they were having spring vendor issues but unfortunately that didn't go anywhere.
 
More than one way to skin the cat I see...

I ordered a new Pawnee spring, will compare them side by side, then re arch the old one as a spare.

I don’t fly heavy often, but my hunting buddy has been stress eating lately 🤣

Thanks for all the help everyone!


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I am with Steve on what actually happens. I was completely surprised that truck and Citabria springs are straightened cold. I always thought that heat treating was required. My first experience was at a truck spring shop - since then we just use a big press.

But can I recommend an aluminum wedge? That's what I do most of the time.
 
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