[kpbrown31]

Anyone have any ideas other than brute force on trying to bend this stuff? I've got some 66 Catalina seats with several broken springs and I planned to replace them myself as a project. They have this sharp bend to hook into the seat frame. I started playing around with ideas, but nothing has worked just super well. Curious if anyone has past experience. I'm sure there is a special tool, but I'm not a regular upholstery guy, so I was trying to knock it out without investing a ton of money in proprietary tools.

[Entropy11]

I made a set of these with steel handles. It’s a night/day difference from just trying to muscle them. You can use a big enough pair of crescent wrenches that’ll span the “U” shape on either side of the part you want to bend but it’s pretty dangerous if they slip.

[kpbrown31]

Originally Posted by Entropy11

I made a set of these with steel handles. It’s a night/day difference from just trying to muscle them. You can use a big enough pair of crescent wrenches that’ll span the “U” shape on either side of the part you want to bend but it’s pretty dangerous if they slip.

Nice work! Maybe I should try and find a set locally where I'm at and give them a try. I'm not near my welder or shop to build much.

After messing with my 9ga spring some more, I'm not sure it's going to be achievable doing it by hand without some sort of tool, or heating it up with the torch and then trying to bend it.

[Entropy11]

The only thing with heat is that it kills the temper in the springs and it’s not easy to treat them back to where they need to be.

I’m trying to think of anything that could safely bend those yet be easy to find. That stuff is just so dangerous if it shoots free. I’d gladly send you these to use but I made them so they snugly fit the 11ga I use and I don’t know if they’d fit 9ga. Hmmm.

[dataway]

Might be able to squeeze some steel tube of the proper dimensions in a vise to make a suitable flat ovals to fit the spring then try to grab those with something.

[kpbrown31]

Originally Posted by Entropy11

The only thing with heat is that it kills the temper in the springs and it’s not easy to treat them back to where they need to be.

I’m trying to think of anything that could safely bend those yet be easy to find. That stuff is just so dangerous if it shoots free. I’d gladly send you these to use but I made them so they snugly fit the 11ga I use and I don’t know if they’d fit 9ga. Hmmm.

Yeah I figured heat my hurt the integrity of the spring. Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need to make you do that. Plus yeah, mine is the thicker gauge. I can’t believe how strong it is. I had thought about welding two small bolts or studs to a piece of flat metal and then you could use the studs as your anchor points and bend around them to get the correct shape maybe. Idk. The stuff is stronger than I ever imagined.

[rambow]

Unfortunately they don't make one for the Medium Loop size spring that GM Seats used.
There is a 1" version that fits the "Small Loop" spring that is used in Ford and Mopar seats, and a 2" version that first "Super Loop" spring that is used in LazyBoys and Couches.

I own both since I have had to bend both the small springs and the medium ones...
I cut my 2" ones down so they are only about half as deep. Ideally i would cut them again and have them welded so the pocket is the exact length (~1-1/4") for the medium loop springs, but have never gotten around to it. They work great like this and I bend a lot of spring.


This is the 2" Version:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/7105548...xoCdGIQAvD_BwE

As others have mentioned above, you could easily fabricate something similar for the exact size you need if you can weld up some scrap metal. If not, then consider buying the 2" version above.

Don't waste your money on the 1" version, they will not fit the medium loop springs even though they are "close"

Before I ponied up the $$ to buy the paddles, I would use two pairs of square head lineman's pliers. Each one grabbing an opposite loop. Wasn't ideal, but it worked and was cheap.

[rambow]

wait, Just re-read your post, are you talking about the hook at the end of the spring and how to bend it inward, or are you talking about bending the compression "z" bends?

The paddles will make the z-bends... basically just twisting the loops opposite directions.

To make the inward bent hook, i stick the peice of spring in my vice with the cut end up sticking out of the grips, then have a small tube i stick over the exposed end and just pull it backwards. You have to hold onto the rest of the spring of course, but works great.

I'll see if i can take a picture of how i do it.

[rohrt]

I made my own too

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...0&postcount=25