Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

[John F.]

[Mike M.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

no way the rivets are gona break. ok to do one side at a time.you can install the straps prior to adding the weight of the body. i install the rivets so that the peened ends face each other. good luck,mike

[Terry D.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

John
Did you look in the archives? I believe this issue has been addressed a few times.
Terry

[John F.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

Terry - I did look at the archives and mostly what I could find were discussions around the mongoose tool and CC tool for installing the rivets. if you can point me to another discussion, i'd be interested in seeing it. maybe I searched the wrong key words.

[Gary C.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

John, 2 search resulted in these threads. Multiple key word searches will provide lots of results. Gary....
p.s. you may have to copy & paste these URL's - can't see to get them to link for me

1st search - rebound straps
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=83026&uid=9349

2nd search - rebound strap length
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=67269&uid=4602

[John F.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

Thanks Gary. I found the first one prior to my post however the second one is very helpful. I did not find that one.

[Donald H.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

John,

I just did my 60 rebound straps. I installed them with the body off the frame. I used a 2x4 and ratchet straps to compress the rear springs. You can sort of see in the photo attached.

According to the 58-60 TIM&JG the rivets should go back to front in all locations. I.e. the rivet head is on the rear.

[Joe E.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

I have installed many sets of rebound straps with the body off the frame and no problem with the spring pressure on the straps. I have looked at many original straps and have alsways seen the rivets with the head to the back and the peaned part was to the front. When you put the strap thru the hanger the short ends will be to the inside. I judge C1 all the way to national level and we look to see that the rivets face to the front.
Joe

[Anthony P.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

Joe,

Are you saying that all of the rivets (front and back part of the strap), should all have the rivet head towards the back of the car?

I am a bit confused because earlier in this thread Mike indicates having the peened ends face each other, which would indicate that the rivet heads on the front end of the strap would face the front of the car, and the back portion of the strap withe face back.

Would the rivets for a 1962 also be installed like this?

Thanks,

Tony

[Mike M.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

i face the peened ends towards each other because that's the way my 54,55, 56, both 57's , both 61'a and the 62 were confiigured from st louis. i's also aware that others with virgin straps have reported the rivets installed differently. 8 out of 8 was convincing to me. i suspect judges viewing straps on a 58-60 configured different from that which the judging manual call for would deduct a minor amount. mike

[Joe E.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

I have taken several original straps off and all have faced to the front.
I have done 56, 58, 59. 60, 61, 62 and some were cars for original owners and were documented that way. When we judge chassis we do take a minor deduction for rivets that do not face forward. I do trust Mikes judgement and anything could be possible on the assembly line.
Joe

[Troy P.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

No offense to the judges in the crowd but the 53-55s had the rivets facing each other and this is what the 53-55 class Judging Chairman told me he expects to see. See attached photo of one of my unmolested 54s.

I recognize the 56-57 AIM and later AIMs show the rivets facing forward. Possibly they were actually installed that way in later years or more likely which ever way the worker felt like it on any given day. Think about it, would Chevy really care which way the workers installed the rivets?

As I recall there was a thread on this and various members reported what they found on their unrestored later than 1957 cars and there was no consistent answer. However, I do seem to recall that there were more replies "facing forward" then others.

My suggestion is to put them back the way you found them.

[Dan D.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

I checked my 54 - original/un-molested in this area, and they are exactly like Troy and Mike posted. Peened ends facing each other on the inside. On my 57, both peened ends face to the front of the car.
-Dan-

[Mike M.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

perhaps all the c-1 judging manuals should be revised to state the rivets can face any direction. my guess is the assembly line workers installed the rivets to suit their own ease of installation.mike

[John H.]

Re: Rebound Straps and questions on installing them

perhaps all the c-1 judging manuals should be revised to state the rivets can face any direction. my guess is the assembly line workers installed the rivets to suit their own ease of installation.mike

Mike -

I'd agree with that - the rivet tooling was hung overhead on bails (like a spot-weld gun), and whether the operator was right-handed or left-handed would also affect the ease of doing that job; it would get done with the minimum possible manhandling of the tooling.