Installing rebound straps on C1 57

[Joseph W.]

I am doing a body off restoration and in the final stages of the chassis. I finished installing the rebound straps today and found that to be very challenging. I made a spring compressor with two lengths of 3/8" all thread and two pieces of 2 x 4 about 12" long drilled for the all thread. I was using CC's strap riveter. The only way I could get it to work was to rivet the lower rivet and plates with one side of the riveter, then put the top rivet and tool over the top rivet and set both rivets. This worked out fairly well. I searched the archives to see if there was any help on this, but didn't find much help.
Joe

[Mike M.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

the best way to peen the rebound strap rivets is the use of The Mongoose tool. search archives for previous discussions of said tool.mike

[Bert L.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph,

Hi, Last year I had thought of resuming the fabrication of "The Mongoose", the rebound strap riveting tool I marketed through advertising in The Driveline during the 1990's. The fact that a tool became available for this purpose through Corvette Central, and at very low cost, prompted me to shelve my intention. I have absolutely no idea of what CC's product looks like or how well it performs, therefore cannot comment on it's effectiveness, or ease of use. The Mongoose does it's job well and without any negative issues that I am aware of, having never received a single complaint from any of my 36 former customers. Incidentally, my sale records indicate that Mike M, who was one of my first clients, purchased his tool in March, 1991. The tool's cost to produce, (I have to employ a machinist to modify some components that make up the complete assembly) is the major factor in establishing it's price. I had to set The Mongoose's price at approximately $150.00 just to be able to "break even". This was never a money-making proposition on my part; I regarded it as a service to the NCRS community then, just as I would now, if there was enough interest shown in it's rebirth. I may have already stepped over the line of propriety and contravened forum regulations by saying as much as I already have, this is beginning to resemble commercial activity on my part. That was certainly not my intent! Email address is in my profile if you have questions, best to leave it at that.

Best regards,

Bert

[Gary C.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph, rebound strap installation and tools have been covered multiple times. Search on "rebound strap" will take you to all the posts on this link: https://www.forums.ncrs.org/search.p...02360&uid=6368 Bert's tool was probably best tool out there to use. Rather than making a spring compressor tool it's easier to use 1 1/2" or 2" tie down ratchet straps to cinch the springs down. Gary....

[Joseph W.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph, rebound strap installation and tools have been covered multiple times. Search on "rebound strap" will take you to all the posts on this link: https://www.forums.ncrs.org/search.p...02360&uid=6368 Bert's tool was probably best tool out there to use. Rather than making a spring compressor tool it's easier to use 1 1/2" or 2" tie down ratchet straps to cinch the springs down. Gary....

Gary -
I have plenty of 2" tie down straps but since the frame and rear axle are freshly painted I decided this tool would do less damage to the new paint. There was no damage to the paint. Thanks for the input - Joe

[Joseph W.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph,

Hi, Last year I had thought of resuming the fabrication of "The Mongoose", the rebound strap riveting tool I marketed through advertising in The Driveline during the 1990's. The fact that a tool became available for this purpose through Corvette Central, and at very low cost, prompted me to shelve my intention. I have absolutely no idea of what CC's product looks like or how well it performs, therefore cannot comment on it's effectiveness, or ease of use. The Mongoose does it's job well and without any negative issues that I am aware of, having never received a single complaint from any of my 36 former customers. Incidentally, my sale records indicate that Mike M, who was one of my first clients, purchased his tool in March, 1991. The tool's cost to produce, (I have to employ a machinist to modify some components that make up the complete assembly) is the major factor in establishing it's price. I had to set The Mongoose's price at approximately $150.00 just to be able to "break even". This was never a money-making proposition on my part; I regarded it as a service to the NCRS community then, just as I would now, if there was enough interest shown in it's rebirth. I may have already stepped over the line of propriety and contravened forum regulations by saying as much as I already have, this is beginning to resemble commercial activity on my part. That was certainly not my intent! Email address is in my profile if you have questions, best to leave it at that.

Best regards,

Bert

Hi Bert -
The CC tool ultimately did a beautiful job, but was a challenge to use. Since I havn't seen a "Mongoose" I can't compare the two. - Joe

[Brooks G.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph, I have been out of pocket and just saw your post on installing rebound straps on your C-1 '57. Just this past week I finished installing those straps on my '56 which should be the same as for yours. Like you I also purchased the tool that Corvette Central offers to do this with. In my case the tool came without instructions which I later found on their web site. I have since printed these off and keep them with the tool. In my experience the 1 inch long cap head screws that came with the tool to hold the two halves of the tool together were just too short for me. I purchased and used 1 1/2 inch screws. I need all of the mechanical advantage I can get. If you follow the instructions, you make two dry runs with plates, rivets, and the tool in place. I think this helps flatten the straps making the rivets easier to install on the final run. The ends of the furnished special screws crimp the rivets. The piece of flat stock steel with the tool is inserted in the loop and turned with a wrench to loosen up the loop making it easier when the final installation takes place. This tool worked great for me as it duplicated the factory crimps on those rivets furnished with the repro hardware I purchased. I hope it also worked well for you. I wish you all the best on the restoration of your '57. Brooks Glover (2141)

[Joseph W.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joseph, I have been out of pocket and just saw your post on installing rebound straps on your C-1 '57. Just this past week I finished installing those straps on my '56 which should be the same as for yours. Like you I also purchased the tool that Corvette Central offers to do this with. In my case the tool came without instructions which I later found on their web site. I have since printed these off and keep them with the tool. In my experience the 1 inch long cap head screws that came with the tool to hold the two halves of the tool together were just too short for me. I purchased and used 1 1/2 inch screws. I need all of the mechanical advantage I can get. If you follow the instructions, you make two dry runs with plates, rivets, and the tool in place. I think this helps flatten the straps making the rivets easier to install on the final run. The ends of the furnished special screws crimp the rivets. The piece of flat stock steel with the tool is inserted in the loop and turned with a wrench to loosen up the loop making it easier when the final installation takes place. This tool worked great for me as it duplicated the factory crimps on those rivets furnished with the repro hardware I purchased. I hope it also worked well for you. I wish you all the best on the restoration of your '57. Brooks Glover (2141)

Hi Brooks -
I used the Corvette Central tool without the benefit of instruction, so I didn't know what the small flat bar was used for. I tried all ways I could think of to put the tool in place to do both rivets at the same time. I just could not make that work. I found that by putting the tool over just the bottom rivet and setting it that would allow putting in the top rivet and putting the tool over both of the rivets. The job did turn out very well. Did you install the rebound straps with the body off?
Joe

[Brooks G.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joe, glad to hear that the job of installing the new rebound straps on your '57 went well for you. From my own personal experience, I know it had to be a bit tough without the instructions. Using the instructions, I was able to get both rivets in place for crimping. However the crimping screws are quite close together so I only did one at a time. I did my rebound straps with the body off the frame which probably made the job easier. I also took the leaf springs loose from the rear shackles allowing the rear axle to be raised higher giving more room for the rebound straps to be looped around them. If my computer cooperates, I am going to try to attach some pictures of the tool and my results. Joe, maybe you can attach some pictures of the work on your '57. I am sure that members of this forum other than myself would love to see them. I wish you all the best on your '57. Brooks Glover (2141)

[Brooks G.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joe, sorry I messed up a while ago. I am now trying to post the picture you want to see showing the crimps of the rivets. It is not as clear as I would like but it does match the crimp on the originals that I removed. Brooks Glover (2141)

[Mike M.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joe, glad to hear that the job of installing the new rebound straps on your '57 went well for you. From my own personal experience, I know it had to be a bit tough without the instructions. Using the instructions, I was able to get both rivets in place for crimping. However the crimping screws are quite close together so I only did one at a time. I did my rebound straps with the body off the frame which probably made the job easier. I also took the leaf springs loose from the rear shackles allowing the rear axle to be raised higher giving more room for the rebound straps to be looped around them. If my computer cooperates, I am going to try to attach some pictures of the tool and my results. Joe, maybe you can attach some pictures of the work on your '57. I am sure that members of this forum other than myself would love to see them. I wish you all the best on your '57. Brooks Glover (2141)

no need to remove the rar shackels--just get a stout ratchet strap and loop around the rear avle housing and the frame and crank away. regards,mike

[Bert L.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Brooks, I don't want to appear to be nitpicking, but I'm certain this will probably be viewed as being just that by some anyhow. My comment pertains to the fact that the pictured tool's riveting process is achieved by means of rotating pressure and seems to cause a visible swirl pattern on the finished product,.... or perhaps my poor old eyes are deceiving me again!... Although I have sometimes observed evidence of cracking at the rolled edges of the formed clinch in originally factory-set semi-tubular rivets employed in the rebound strap application, I have never detected rotationally caused imperfections in the finished product. We are talking originality here aren't we? Not wishing to offend anyone though, just trying to elicit some constructive comments from the brothers.

Regards to all,

Bert

[Joseph W.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joe, sorry I messed up a while ago. I am now trying to post the picture you want to see showing the crimps of the rivets. It is not as clear as I would like but it does match the crimp on the originals that I removed. Brooks Glover (2141)

Brooks - I do have pics of the set-up I did to put in the rivets also showing the spring compressor I made to compress the springs. I have tried to send the pics to the post but can't see how to do it. - Joe

[Gary C.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Joe, the FAQs contain "how to" photo posting information that John Waggoner developed. Check them out. Gary....

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/faq.php?s=&do=search&q=photo+posting&match=all&titlesonly=0&uid=2923

[Brooks G.]

Re: Installing rebound straps on C1 57

Bert, unlike some folks I have to wear bi-focals to help me to see up close. I can't see up close without magnification. I have only looked at the finished crimp on the repro rivets at a distance of about 1 foot away. It looked to me like the Corvette Central had duplicated the factory crimp. I could possibly be mistaken. Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. They look good to me. Have a good one! Brooks Glover (2141)