Leaf Spring Replacement

[harriw]

Hey folks,

Driving home from work today noticed bad clunking in back end. Drove the 6 miles or so home wondering what tools I'd left in the bed after hauling mulch all weekend... Got home and found the center leaf from the pass. side rear leaf spring had just snapped in half right at the axle.

SO... I'll be putting on some new leaf springs tonight or tomorrow. Figure I ought to replace the spring bushings while I'm at it. Spring hangers and shackles are all in good shape, but is there anything else I ought to be doing while the springs are out? Is there anything non-reusable I should be replacing at the same time (U-bolts, nuts, spring seat, etc.), or is everything re-usable? I'm thinking this ought to be pretty simple job with an impact wrench - anything in particular to look out for? The haines manual instructions look pretty straight forward...

Finally, any suggestions where to find leaf springs, preferrably in a hurry? The local chains don't seem to carry them...

Thanks a lot guys! I'll post a pic of it when I get a chance - I'm still shocked I made it home without incident!

-Bill H

 

[legoms013]

I'd check your local junkyards for similar leaf packs from a Ranger or Explorer.

If you are ambitious you could also try to locate a set of chevy K/C1500 leafs and sways those in (requires moving the front two hangers 6" forward, new bolts and trimming of the cab mount). Just a thought.

All the u-bolts/nuts and plates are re-useable.

My only main real advice would be to hose everything down with PB-Blaster for a few days beforehand, couple times a day to break any rust bound nuts and bolts, facilitating faster work on the day you actually go at the project.

With an impact, you'll be done before lunch

 

[harriw]

Thanks for the feedback! PB Blaster is my friend Only catch is this is my daily driver, and the sooner I get it back on the road, the sooner my wife won't need to drive me to work (in addition to taking the kids everywhere).

If I can wiggle that broken middle leaf out (or at least the loose piece of it), do you think I'd be ok driving locally (and slowly) on 2.5 springs on that one side for a few days while I locate new springs?

-Bill

 

[legoms013]

Hmmm.

How many leafs are in the pack? And which leaf is it that broke (bottom, middle upper etc)?

 

[harriw]

Looks like 3 leaves total, including the short one on the bottom, and it's the middle one that broke. So under normal conditions, it's riding on one spring at the moment... Strange - LMC only shows 4 and 5 leaf packs as options.

Door sticker says "W X" code for springs - I assume that's a W code for front and X code for rear? According to my local Ford dealer parts counter (he made the same assumption), the "X" code is discontinued so I may be forced to go either JY or aftermarket...

I assume the shackle/hanger bolts/nuts are also re-usable (assuming they're not a rusty mess)?

Thanks again!

-Bill

 

[legoms013]

Correct if they are not a nasty mess, I'd reuse them.

As far as driving on it temporarily for short distances, you should be fine as long as you don't gun it hard (which could cause the other two leafs to crack/fail).

 

[harriw]

Ok, thanks a lot. LMC does have a set, but it's a one-size-fits-all approach rather than different spring constants (although they do have an HD spring with a 5th leaf).

I also found a local outfit that specializes in springs, and will try giving them a call in the morning. Thanks again!

-Bill H

 

[rkneeshaw]

If your 94 is like my 94, get ready for a hell of a time.

Source the leafs from a ranger in a junkyard with low miles.

If you don't think they've ever been out before, then make sure you have a torch handy. There was no way my bolts were coming out of the leaf eyes at all, we had to melt them out. Same goes for the bushings.

Replace the bushings in the leafs you get, now is the time to do it. You'll want a balljoint press to help get them in.

I documented the size of the leaf eye bolts here just a couple months back, try searching for the thread, and also some differences I found between model years.

 

[harriw]

Well I can't say yet but it doesn't look quite that bad - I know they've been out before because it had new shackles and mounts when i bought it 2 years ago. And it doesn't look like there's that much rust. I hit it with PB this morning, and just fired up the compressor...

SO... I found a local spring shop that had replacements (either 3- or 4-leaf). We had a look though, and decided I'd be fine with just replacing the leaf that broke, and its mate on the other side (to keep things level). So I have 2 replacement middle leaves, brackets, etc.

Next question: My stock springs have small pads on the ends of each leaf where it rubs against the next one. These new springs have nothing. Should I put a dab of grease on the ends where they'll contact the main spring? or just leave them to rub metal on metal?

Thanks again guys!

 

[truckphone]

Not to be a pain, but I've heard from some people I regard as pretty smart that you don't reuse U-bolts. I've never been able to since everything here rots so quick but its suposed to be a no-no.

I guess just temper what you do with that thought.

 

[bilzy7]

I put new shackles in and they were hard but came out with impact np.

 

[harriw]

Y'all were right, wasn't as easy as I'd hoped. Most of the bushing bolts were seized. The ones I could access with the impact just spun the nut on the other side. Once I threw a wrench on the other side it wouldn't budge. I wound up taking off the spring and shackle hangers on the passenger side (they'd been replaced shortly before I bought the truck so they were bolted on, no rivets to contend with). Driver side was a different story. Couldn't do the same there, because the gas tank blocks access to the bolts/nuts up front. So I wound up cutting through the bushings/bolts with a saws-all on that side.

By the way, I had to take the rear bumper off to get access to the last bolts on the rear spring hangers... I actually just slid the bumper backwards and re-attached it with one bolt per side (temporarily) since I didn't feel like lifting it out of the way, but just thought I'd mention that.

Also, has anyone left the shocks on while doing this? I unbolted them since that's what Haines called for, but I don't think they would have been in the way...

So now everything's out, but I need new bushings (I'm gonna have new ones pressed in all around as long as everything's apart).

The two leaves I got (middle leaf for each side) fit, but the curve is wrong. Also, the curve on the existing springs is way different between driver and pass. side due to the uneven weight distribution over 17 years.

So, I'm on hold until I can get the springs back to the spring shop to be re-curved and have new bushings put in (and get new driver side bolts). Then I can put her back together again

While I'm there, maybe I'll grab new U-bolts... I've asked a few people and you're the first to tell me that, truckphone, but when you get down to it that's pretty cheap insurance.

By the way - any reason I shouldn't put anti-seize on all the bolts during re-assembly to make it easier next time (hopefully)?

Thanks again for all your help everyone!

-Bill

 

[rkneeshaw]

I think its safe to reuse u-bolts if the height of the new spring or block mean the nut will be threaded on to a different part of the bolt. Its my understanding that the threads are designed to "give" or "stretch" a bit when you fully tighten down the nut, and I think thats why some people say you can't re-use them.

 

[bilzy7]

No I never removed my shocks while doing mine. I did take my bed off for ease of access but if your only one there and you can hoist it up don't bother...
Ya I got some seized bolts that make me just wanna cut them off on my bumper but until I get a new bumper they stay!