Mystery Spring Appeared

[David13]

I was putting my passenger side front tire back on, when I got done looking behind me I saw a spring on the ground.

Now I have replaced many front tires, and rotated, and replaced front brakes, so I didn't realize where this spring might have come from.

I knew nobody had come up behind me and dropped it there. No one had been around.

I have three photos. The spring where found, the tire near where found, and a closer photo, showing size, more or less.

I'm sure forum management can offer some prize for the wise one that can tell me what it came off of and how and why it appeared there. Maybe a free week of forum, or something, you'll have to take that up with them.

Any ideas?
dc

 

[sota]

honestly? how about your tire picked it up and you knocked it loose when doing the rotation?
either that... been working on any AR pattern rifles lately?

 

[turblediesel]

It IS Spring!

 

[LibertyTC]

Ha ha ..Ya it's definitely spring....

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[Jeremy-WI]

honestly? how about your tire picked it up and you knocked it loose when doing the rotation?
either that... been working on any AR pattern rifles lately?

I don't think that came from any AR, dimensions are wrong

 

[duderz7]

Maybe it came from you when crouched at that wheel? Have you been gassy or had excessive BM's since? Looks like the th sphincter valve spring for a class 1 android.

 

[sleazy rider]

Have you had the rear brakes apart? Looks like a drum shoe retaining spring to me.

 

[David13]

I thought about it a bit and realized it could not have come from the Jeep. I didn't have the back brakes off, and it is too light weight of a spring for that.

Also, I don't usually clean any guns out in the drive way. Some of those springs will fly across the room into the wall, so that is something to keep inside.

As to picking it up in the tire, it wouldn't really catch, unless it got flattened out and then worn down a bit.

I looked at my Craftsman 1/2 drive ratchet 10' handle, which I was using to snug the lug nuts up before torqueing and, in the center there is a hole thru' where there had been a ball bearing that snaps into a socket to hold it on. The spring holds the ball in, until a button is pushed on the back of the ratchet. The button was gone. Never did find that. I did find the ball bearing and the spring.

The ratchet is Craftsman, purchased around 1969 or 1970, very solid and heavy, marked forged and Made In USA. The ratchet still works, but now the socket slips off easily.

Imagine this! After hearing so much about American made quality and all, and here, after a mere 50 plus years, it falls apart.

Internet says Home Depot will replace it, Lifetime Warranty with one of equal of theirs, Husky. Made in China. How long will that one last.

Lowe's will also replace with one of theirs Craftsman China or other. How long will that one last.

So what should I do with it? Turn it in for a China tool? Use it as is?
dc

 

[turblediesel]

Keep it. It's better steel than the new stuff. Know anyone with a lathe? Seems like an easy part to make. Might be able to make one out of a piece of brake line with a press. Good for another 50 years.

 

[sleazy rider]

https://www.mobiledistributorsupply...88VFTEZOjVfxbNaPsncu597aQcGn2gQxoCtd0QAvD_BwE

Unsure of what the spring and ball is lacking to hold it all together, but there are many rebuild kits available for older Craftsman ratchets.

 

[David13]

I had thought of looking for parts. Just haven't done it yet.

But that's probably the best idea. Rebuild if possible or use as is. It's just the button that's gone.

The ratchet itself still works.

I probably have 4 or 5 other 1/2 drives and 1/2 torque wrench. But it's just an excuse to look for a good quality one.

Howard.

That squirrel of yours didn't know what he was doing. But it worked out good for him in what he did want to do.
dc

 

[Glenn Dickson]

Do NOT trade in for Chinese made crap! Rebuild it. I have many S-K and Craftsman tools that my father and uncle bought in the 1950's. As farmers, those tools saw heavy use and a rough life. But I would never throw one of them away for a piece of Chinese made crap.

 

[Jeffrey Donnelly]

I was putting my passenger side front tire back on, when I got done looking behind me I saw a spring on the ground.

Now I have replaced many front tires, and rotated, and replaced front brakes, so I didn't realize where this spring might have come from.

I knew nobody had come up behind me and dropped it there. No one had been around.

I have three photos. The spring where found, the tire near where found, and a closer photo, showing size, more or less.

I'm sure forum management can offer some prize for the wise one that can tell me what it came off of and how and why it appeared there. Maybe a free week of forum, or something, you'll have to take that up with them.

Any ideas?
dc

It looks like a brake shoe holed down spring

 

[parkgate]

I was putting my passenger side front tire back on, when I got done looking behind me I saw a spring on the ground.

Now I have replaced many front tires, and rotated, and replaced front brakes, so I didn't realize where this spring might have come from.

I knew nobody had come up behind me and dropped it there. No one had been around.

I have three photos. The spring where found, the tire near where found, and a closer photo, showing size, more or less.

I'm sure forum management can offer some prize for the wise one that can tell me what it came off of and how and why it appeared there. Maybe a free week of forum, or something, you'll have to take that up with them.

Any ideas?
dc

Now you know what jeep really stands for !! Just Extraordinary Extra Parts

 

[Robochop]

I was putting my passenger side front tire back on, when I got done looking behind me I saw a spring on the ground.

Now I have replaced many front tires, and rotated, and replaced front brakes, so I didn't realize where this spring might have come from.

I knew nobody had come up behind me and dropped it there. No one had been around.

I have three photos. The spring where found, the tire near where found, and a closer photo, showing size, more or less.

I'm sure forum management can offer some prize for the wise one that can tell me what it came off of and how and why it appeared there. Maybe a free week of forum, or something, you'll have to take that up with them.

Any ideas?
dc

Do you have brake shoes or pads in the front? It looks like the brake shoe retaining spring, that holds the shoe to the backing plate. It has that little cap on top of it with the 4 way (+) slot in it! You may want to pull the tires and check the brake shoes.
Good luck!

 

[Ronald]

I was putting my passenger side front tire back on, when I got done looking behind me I saw a spring on the ground.

Now I have replaced many front tires, and rotated, and replaced front brakes, so I didn't realize where this spring might have come from.

I knew nobody had come up behind me and dropped it there. No one had been around.

I have three photos. The spring where found, the tire near where found, and a closer photo, showing size, more or less.

I'm sure forum management can offer some prize for the wise one that can tell me what it came off of and how and why it appeared there. Maybe a free week of forum, or something, you'll have to take that up with them.

Any ideas?
dc

I certainly agree with all the answers that say It looks like the brake shoe retaining spring, but I could be not right, how's the stopping and noise , if its all good just save the spring .

 

[David13]

The front has disc brakes. No such spring like that.

The rear has disc brakes AND ALSO drum brakes, parking brakes. I did not open up the brakes, front or rear.

I did find loose parts from my ratchet. I am 100% sure the spring came from the ratchet.

My experience with other springs from drum brakes is that they are much heavier springs. But yes, otherwise I do think they are somewhat similar, only just too skimpy.

Thanks
dc