EATON Detroit Spring

The leading manufacturer of leaf and coil springs for the street rod and restoration automotive industries

We Help Maintain American Icons by Manufacturing Leaf and Coil Springs Right Here in America

Phone: 1 (313) 963-3839
Fax: 1 (313) 963-7047

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      We have been manufacturing springs for American vehicles for over 80 years. Our process and expertise has been continuously refined and improved over the century and our Spring Tech section reflects some of that specialty knowledge.

      Browse our many articles, watch videos produced in partnership with AutoRestoMod, and learn all about your spring suspension here.

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  • Click to Call Now: 1 (313) 963-3839
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Products
    • Suspension Parts
      • Leaf Springs
      • Coil Springs
      • Shocks
      • Attaching Parts And Hardware
      • Installation Kits
      • Leaf Spring Shackle Replacement Kits & Parts
    • Street Rod Suspension Parts
      • Mustang II Front End Springs
      • 48 Inch Truck Springs
    • Allstate - Chrysler
      • Allstate
      • American Motors
      • Bricklin
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • Chevrolet Truck
      • Chrysler
    • Daimler - Ford
      • Daimler
      • DeSoto
      • Dodge
      • Dodge Truck
      • Edsel
      • Ford
      • Ford Truck
    • GMC - Jeep
      • GMC
      • Honda
      • Hudson
      • Hudson Truck
      • Hummer
      • International
      • Jeep
    • Kaiser Darrin - Nissan
      • Kaiser Darrin
      • Kaiser-Frazer
      • LaSalle
      • Lincoln
      • MAHINDRA
      • Mercury
      • MG
      • Nash
      • Nissan
    • Oldsmobile - Rambler
      • Oldsmobile
      • Plymouth
      • Plymouth Truck
      • Pontiac
      • Rambler
    • Sterling - Willys
      • Sterling
      • Studebaker
      • Studebaker Truck
      • Toyota
      • Willys
    • Request A Custom Quote
    • Search For Parts Here
  • Spring Tech
    • Learn About Leaf & Coil Springs
      • Spring Tech Articles
      • Tech Questions
      • Spring Tech Videos
      • Featured Elsewhere
      • EATON Detroit Spring Podcast
      • Buy Ford Manuals
    • Spring Tech 101

      We have been manufacturing springs for American vehicles for over 80 years. Our process and expertise has been continuously refined and improved over the century and our Spring Tech section reflects some of that specialty knowledge.

      Browse our many articles, watch videos produced in partnership with AutoRestoMod, and learn all about your spring suspension here.

    • Browse By Topic
      • Leaf Springs
      • Coil Springs
      • Attaching Parts
      • Ride Height & Stance
      • Ride Quality
      • Manufacturing Springs
      • Replacing Springs
      • Modifying Springs
      • Ordering Springs
  • About Us
    • About EATON Detroit Spring
    • Customer Showcase
    • Send Us Photos Of Your Ride!
    • Free Stuff For Car Shows!
    • Facebook
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      • Spring Tech Videos
  • Order Here
    • Lookup & Purchase Your Vehicle's Parts
    • Request A Quote
    • Email Our Sales Team
    • Dealer Information
  • Find Parts That Fit Your Vehicle
  • Click to Call Now: 1 (313) 963-3839

Drilling a Spring Will Damage Your Drill

Mike,

I just bought a new pair of springs from you folks for my 62 Falcon. I don’t have a warranty because I have a stroker motor installed. I installed the springs on my Falcon and noticed a decent amount of slop between my spring perch and the leaf spring center pin. I took the axle back out of the car and measured the hole. It was way bigger than the pin that came on my springs. I’m not blaming you guys, there’s a chance that the rear end in the car isn’t stock. Anyway, I know that it is very important for the spring and the rear end to be firmly mated together without movement…

Here’s where I may have screwed up:

I went to my local supply house and got a new spring locating pin with the proper OD. to FIRMLY locate my rear end. The problem was that it was 3/8" OD. where it goes through the spring and my stock pin was 5/16" OD. Using my trusty Dewalt and a little bit of WD40 I punched out the holes in my springs to the desired 3/8" size. With the new pins in place, my rear end set very firmly over the pins and everything went together nicely.

That’s when a buddy of mine (into 4-wheeling) told me that I probably destroyed my springs from the heat caused by the drill. I used a little WD40, but not a lot. It did get hot, because it ruined the drill bit. He told me that if the heat from the drill didn’t cause the springs to break, the stress risers caused from drilling a hole would (he told me the stock holes are punched and drilling a hole creates a stress riser). I spent $500 for these springs and if I ruined them before the vehicle has even been on the ground I’m going to be sick. What are your thoughts?

Thanks
– Corey

Corey,Fear not young man, you have not damaged your springs. Now that I have relieved your fears, let me tell you why.

All ’62 Falcon springs, and there were 8 different factory springs, use a 5/16 center bolt. This size center bolt has a head that is 1/2 Inch diameter. So based upon this your axle has either been changed or the hole in the spring seat was drilled out.

Drilling the holes in each leaf did absolutely no damage to anything except the drill bits. Spring steel is some mighty tough stuff even when it is not heat treated. This is one reason why we punch the holes. The other reason, and the main reason, is speed. As you know, it took you a lllloooonnngggg time to drill the holes larger. Imagine how long it would take us to drill several thousand holes a month?

As for heat, it takes 400 degrees to start softening spring steel and believe me, drilling the holes did not even come close to producing this much heat.

Finally, it takes a nick or a gouge or weld splatter to cause a stress riser in a spring leaf. A round hole will not. So go forth and enjoy your ride.
– Mike

Filed Under: Tech Question Tagged With: Leaf Springs, Manufacturing Springs

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OEM Replacement & Custom Springs

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WARNING:

This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
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EATON Detroit Spring, Inc.
1555 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48216
Phone: 1 (313) 963-3839
Fax: 1 (313) 963-7047
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