Riveting GPW Leaf Spring Clips

[Raflad]

Yesterday I tried hot riveting a spring clip to a GPW leaf. I had a spare leaf to practice on. I placed the rivet thru the clip and heated it to a cherry red, placed the spring over it and pounded with a hammer. It cooled pretty quick and I had to reheat it a couple of times in order to get the rivet flush in the countersunk hole. Came out great, but in the process of reheating it I was putting a lot of heat into the leaf spring. I am assuming this is not good, if so, is there a better way? Thanks.

[semberae]

What kind of torch were you using to heat with?

[Raflad]

It was a Bernzomatic Map gas and oxygen kit, the sought of thing you buy at Home Depot. I don't have oxy-acetylene.

[70th Division]

Yesterday I tried hot riveting a spring clip to a GPW leaf. I had a spare leaf to practice on. I placed the rivet thru the clip and heated it to a cherry red, placed the spring over it and pounded with a hammer. It cooled pretty quick and I had to reheat it a couple of times in order to get the rivet flush in the countersunk hole. Came out great, but in the process of reheating it I was putting a lot of heat into the leaf spring. I am assuming this is not good, if so, is there a better way? Thanks.

Hello Adam,

That sounds great !!
Shouldn't be a problem, at all.
Just keep the point of the torch flame on the rivet, and hammer away.
Don't over heat it where it starts to melt, and try not to get the spring to hot.
I used a can of water to cool it off,
and also used an oxy/acetylene torch which heats it fast.

The best way is to have 2 people work it, one to heat it , while you hammer it.
That way it doesn't cool down while you are switching from torch to hammer.
I used a backing tool with a dome milled into it to protect the rounded head from deforming when heating and hammering the other end .
It worked great !


Best Regards,
Ray

[semberae]

An acetylene torch with a medium brazing tip works the best. You can pin point the heat where you need it.

[htc]

Hello

I just weld the rivet in place. It is only needed to keep the clip in place. Easy.
(some pictures of the result viewtopic.php?f=4&t=319189&hilit=spring ... 0#p1867494)

Greetings
Hans

[Raflad]

Thanks for the responses. I guess some heat is not an issue then.

[Raflad]

Hello

I just weld the rivet in place. It is only needed to keep the clip in place. Easy.
(some pictures of the result viewtopic.php?f=4&t=319189&hilit=spring ... 0#p1867494)

Greetings
Hans

Did you cut the rivet flush with the underside of the leaf and fill in the countersink with weld? I modified M-38A1 clips for the long ones on the front. Just had to weld up the holes, re- drill them to the correct size and shorten the length. They look good

[dpcd67]

DO NOT heat those rivets; they are soft and can easily be formed cold.

[htc]

Did you cut the rivet flush with the underside of the leaf and fill in the countersink with weld?

Hello
The rivets that I used had a length which was a little less than the combined thickness of a leaf and a clip. And yes I did fill the hole with weld after which I removed the extra material.
I think I even added a washer to make sure that the clip was able to move around the rivet. Not sure that this was necessary however as the weld material does not touch the clip.

These clips are only there to keep the leafs from moving back and forth (perpendicular to the axis of the rivet). ‘Sideways’ is maybe the better word. I do not think that there is a lot of force in the direction of the axis of the rivet. The clips just have to stay in place. (Hope you understand what I mean AND this is the way I think it works. Could be wrong ).

Greetings
Hans

[dpcd67]

Right, the rivets don't do anything but hold the clip in place; I cringe hearing about you guys welding on springs.....

[Raflad]

Right, the rivets don't do anything but hold the clip in place; I cringe hearing about you guys welding on springs.....

I have no intention of welding the springs. I’ll try like you suggested to form the rivets cold next time I’m with the jeep.

[dpcd67]

I meant other guys.
True, those clips are subject to very little stress; look at the willys ones that are thin stamped sheet metal. And some later M series have the U bolt Ford type; no rhyme or reason.

[Raflad]

DO NOT heat those rivets; they are soft and can easily be formed cold.

Well, I tried as you suggested to no avail. Either I have the wrong rivets or your BFH is bigger than mine Ended up heating them them and got them to form. I still appreciate your response, I'm learning constantly thanks to this site.

[bazza46]

Raflad,
I think those rivets become work hardened when they are first installed and peened over; that's why they are hard to work now.