A spring is most apt to break in the center, as in Fig. 329. The spring clips A A will probably hold it together after a fashion, but the ends will sag and put a dangerous strain on the clips. A hard-wood board B, from 1 inch to 2 inches thick, should be procured, and the sides trimmed down so that it will be about 5 inches wide in the center and 2 or 3 inches wide at the ends. Drive nails C C in the ends of the board, jack up the frame of the car to take the weight off the spring, put the center of the board on the rubber bumper D, or, if there is no bumper, on a suitable block of wood, and bind the ends down tightly to the spring with leather straps or clothesline.

In case the breakage is toward one end, a block E, Fig. 330, should be nailed to the board over the break. The remainder of the operation is substantially as shown in Fig. 329. When clothesline is used, the winding should start at the end of the board, the short end of the rope being tied in a single knot, and led along the board and covered by the subsequent turns.

Fig. 329 - Repairing a spring broken at the center.

Fig. 330 - Repairing a break at one end of the spring.