Only if you follow the proper stretching procedure. I'm quoting my Dad on this one- - - - -he had a classroom lecture for his high school auto mechanics students about the right way to stretch a spring. Here's the condensed version, as he could take up 15 minutes of classroom time on the procedure:
1. Using a yardstick, measure the original length of the spring.
2. Grab the spring firmly by both ends with Vise Grips
3. Stretch the spring to exactly 3 times its original length, using the yardstick as a precision measuring tool.
4. With a pair of diagonal wire cutters, cut the stretched spring into pieces no more than 1/2 inch long.
5. Throw the pieces of the cut spring into the nearest trash can.
6. Buy a new spring
7. Do not stretch the new spring!
After he taught the auto mechanics course at that school for 15 years, he retired. Another instructor took over, and ran the shop for the next 7 years. When he retired, I took over the same shop and ran it for another 15 years until the school board in their infinite wisdom closed the program. I spent one year at another school, and also retired. Now neither of the schools have any technical trade education courses of any kind!
Jerry
