Bench Seat Spring Broken on Curve

[1965c1O]

Mid 70's Chevy truck bench seat.

Drivers side spring is broken at the 90 degree CURVED portion of the spring and don't have any welding tools.

In this video (link below), he uses cable clamps (Ferrules) to re-connect broken springs.

However, don't see how it would work on the 90 degree curve (unless there are curved ferrules) ?

In this post, he used fuel lines to connect the springs at the curves. Is this recommended and will it hold solid ?

Any other ideas ?





Also, is there a way to firm up the entire length of the elevated spring that runs along the drivers side of the bench (as the passenger side feels firmer in general).

Thanks.

[Gromit]

You can bend these seat springs yourself using a simple homemade steel tool. I found it a lot faster to just make the tool than driving all over town looking for a spring of a specific shape. You just need a drill and a tap of the right sizes and the hardware store steel bar stock to make the tool.

You can also buy wire spring steel stock at any Ace Hardware store or you can get an old boxspring (bed) and take it apart to get lots of spring steel of various sizes. Or go to your local upholstery supply to get spring stock.

I think I posted about this exact topic a while back and gave a youtube link of some geezer's video of how to make the spring bending tool so you can do a search on this site..

[1965c1O]

Gromit,

Are you saying to bend the spring near the 90' curve on both ends so that is becomes straight at the broken area to put on the cable clamp?
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[Gromit]

Quote: "Are you saying to bend the spring near the 90' curve on both ends so that is becomes straight at the broken area to put on the cable clamp?"

No cable clamp - I'm saying just bend a whole new spring, end to end - out of new spring wire stock and then insert that into the seat frame to replace the original spring.

I'm not saying it is simple if its your first time bending a spring - but once you make the tool you can make the spring in an hour or less; that is allowing for messing up the first one..(or two if you're like me)..

It would help if you had one good unbroken original spring to look at to try and duplicate.

[1965c1O]

Ok, that makes sense. I would worry about the spring tension or how to make sure it matches if the spring is not originally from a bench seat. Are there specs for that or most springs happen to be similar?

Also, what is that factory clamp that connects together the different lines of springs and how do you remove/reinstall those?
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[Grumpy old man]

Ok , let's see if we can clear some of this up .

No, you can't repair springs broken on a 90 with a Ferrell ,any repair would just not last

No, you can't weld springs they will become untempered at the repairs area and just bend or break again

No , you can't use furniture coil springs to repair automotive springs they are two different animals

Yes , stock type springs are available try Auveco

Yes , New spring clips are available they have a special spring clip pliers to install them but vise grips will work it's just slower .

Post pictures of broken springs there are a number of different styles and sizes

Yes you can use generic z springs to fabricate your own repair springs ,you need a small set of bolt cutters to cut them .

No you don't need to fabricate some type of"bending tool " you can bend them to fit by hand( wear gloves ) .

[1965c1O]

Grumpy old man,

Thanks for all the clarification.

[Grumpy old man]

If you buy generic z springs they have to be bent into a z to install them , just look at the other springs to get the length and size .you can reuse the spring clips ,remove them with cutting diagonal pliers and reinstall with vise grips