MTFCA Forum

I am going to use NOS Scandinavian bands. Langs has regular springs which they say are too short for most t's. They have more expensive longer -apparently stronger- springs for Kevlar and recommend them for all other bands. I have detachable bands if that matters.
Snyders has regular inexpensive springs that are longer.
Anyone have any recommendations?

To me it makes sense to use the longer springs regardless of the band material. They will help to keep the bands from any dragging on the drums that would cause premature wear and drum heat. Using the stronger spring with Kevlar is the best way to go.
I think weak and shorter springs was a cause of finding a T transmission with deeply worn drums along with using steel rivets instead of brass to attach the lining to the band.

Thanks for the reply. I think I will go with the longer heavy duty springs.



John

Can you post the free lengths of the two types of springs so that folks can measure the ones they have on the shelf to determine what they have? Thanks!

My first concern wouldn't be the springs, it would be on how old are the NOS Scandinavian bands. They rot with age.

Those new Lang’s better band springs are 2 1/4” length. Made of proper steel and tension to Ford print. The length is only slightly more than Ford print. Over the years other reproduction springs have been shorter and weaker than Ford originals.

In two separate occasions now I have found the so called stiffer springs to be a royal PITA.

When Moxie26 and I did Tom Edison’s car in West Orange I was fairly confident that the demountable with the car were totally round and probably even originals. The spring kept trying to walk up the groove as it was tightened. A bit of a hassle of back and forth to keep it from riding up, but eventually got it back together.

Next car I did, same thing started to happen and I was in no mood that day to spend an hour just getting Springs in.

I put each spring in the vice, compressed it once to the fullest and released it. Length still showed the same to my eyes, but now they dropped in sweet and stayed square on the lugs when tightening.

If they start to climb...try the vice trick

The longer the spring the less wriggle room you have when fitting the hogshead. On our RHD cars, reverse and the brake have external adjusters, so the gap for those spring/band ears is fixed. I have had to resort to wiring the springs to compress them a bit to be able to drop the cover down over the band ears. Your experience may vary.
As long as the springs keep the band ears against the adjusters, they are doing their job, regardless of band material.

Allan from down under.