Working with car leaf spring steel

Charles in Aus.

Well-known Member
I have an old Ferguson loader , the bucket needs a new cutting edge but they are not available anymore . Most edges on sale here are for large heavy machines and are just not suitable .
A large sedan's leaf spring is just about the right size, 3'6'' long by about 3,1/2'' wide.
How do I anneal one to be able to drill for the rivets that hold it on to the bucket and what is the process to retemper it to a reasonable hardness ?
The loader won't see too much hard work and as it has a trip bucket there won't be any backwards scraping happening .
 
Might try a replacement cutting edge for a 3pt grader blade or even a used on will work. It will take a lot of heat to take the temper out of the spring steel to make it work. Just an idea. Bandit
 
There May be a local distributor or welding shop that may be able to get it for you. When I was in the steel fabrication business I bought for other smaller shops.
 
Shouldn't be terribly difficult to anneal it, Charles--heat to cherry red and cool slowly--probably overnight--packed in ashes, vermiculite, perlite, or even a heap of damp earth in a pinch. However, before I annealed it, I'd try drilling it with a cobalt drill--I've drilled many leaf springs and they'll usually drill just fine with a good drill. That will save you retempering it, which could be difficult on a whole spring. Small sections, like for a knife blade, chisel tip, or such, are much easier--heat to cherry red, quench in oil, and then heat back until the color changes to the desired level of temper. You could do the same for a whole spring but it will require a larger heat source, quench tank, and much more chance of getting uneven results.
 
That spring steel can be worked but it is not the best for a loader cutting edge. You can break it or crack it easily when using it on a loader.

Loader cutting edge material is tough but usually not that hard. It is for wear not hardness that make them work.

I see your not in the US. I can buy cutting edge material in bulk sticks here in just about any size you can think of. I keep 1/2 x 4 and 5/8 x 6 on hand.

You should be able to find cutting edge material on line at steel suppliers not farm part suppliers. The length your needing would be easy to ship by UPS or FedEx.

Here is a link to a site that has it for 3/8 x 3 up to 1 x 8. They ship so you should be able to just order a length you need.
Steel cutting edge material.
 
I agree with Banditfarmer. A new or used blade edge for a rear scrape blade, or even a discarded blade from a motor grader should work with less trouble.
 
You can drill temper steel but there is a trick. I put it on the ground and make a little dam around it. Have a garden hose dribble water to keep it wet. Use a BRAND NEW drill bit and run your drill VERY VERY slow. A little faster than standing still. Take your time and it will work. Most all drill bits are M42 steel and the ones that are harder are very expensive and brittle. You can buy very good bits at Fastenall if you need only one size at a time and they cut really well.
 
Thanks all , some really useful suggestions and advice .
The bucket had an old grader edge welded on to it when I bought it , far too heavy to look good or work well .
The original edge was only a 1/4'' thick , a strip really at three inches wide . This is why I thought a leaf spring might work , it is the only readily available hard steel I could think of . Thanks for the lead on the cutting edge steel , I will try to source something like that over here .
If you think the USA is losing its manufacturing capacity you should consider our situation . Victoria was once the manufacturing capital of Australia , Once ! This sort of job could have been sorted at one of six small engineering shops in my area a few years ago , now if it isn't a stock item from China it just isn't available .
 
Try a leaf spring repair shop. The one near me has the flat stock that they make springs from. They punch holes in the spring when needed. A shop may be able to punch the holes you would need.
 
I have heated to cherry red an area a little larger than where you want to drill and let it cool slowly. I use carbide or cobalt drill at to make the hole.
 
Do you have a forge that can accept the entire leaf spring? In my mind at least that's the only way you'd be able to take the temper out of the spring and put it back later. The spring just won't retain the heat long enough heating with an acetylene torch.
 

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