For those that have replaced leaf spring hangers...

[Jimbo45]

Hey guys and gals, new to the forum, and wasn't sure where exactly to put this thread.

I recently picked up a well used '95 2wd with 2.3L and 5sp man. I got most of the issues ironed out the past few nights (not sure if have the cab water leak fixed yet ), and just noticed that the leaf spring hangers look like they could crumble at any time. I just found a couple How To's on the site (AWESOME), and should be able to get all the parts ordered and tackle this after Christmas sometime.

But, here lies the question....on mine, the front driver's side hanger has a bracket for the p-brake incorporated into the hanger. All of the replacement parts I have seen are ambidextrous for R and L, and don't have a provision for the p-brake cable!? How are you guys attaching the cable to the replacement hangers? I had a thought of cutting off that portion of the old hanger and welding or bolting it to the new one somehow. Anyone done this?????

TIA and great forum you folks have here!

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Mine was just held on with the bolt that holds the leafspring on?

 

[bobbywalter]

drill and remount...or make a mount from some strap.

 

[racsan]

mine had a hole in the bracket holding the parking brake cable that the bolt went through, the same bolt that goes through the spring hanger bracket & the spring bushing. wouldnt be hard to fab something up if you had to, it merly holds the cable up.

 

[lil'_big_truck]

I just unbolted the p-brake mount and bolted it back onto the new one. its pretty simple

 

[four100d]

I just unbolted the p-brake mount and bolted it back onto the new one. its pretty simple

Like lil'_big_truck said, when you take the bolt out, the parking brake bracket is a SEPARATE piece and will come right off. It probably is so rusty that it looks like it's part of the hanger, but it's not...

 

[Jimbo45]

Like lil'_big_truck said, when you take the bolt out, the parking brake bracket is a SEPARATE piece and will come right off. It probably is so rusty that it looks like it's part of the hanger, but it's not...

Oh, maybe I will have to look at it again. Mine looks like the one in the second pic down in this thread (which also appears to be part of the hanger): http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/leaf_spring_bracket.htm . Weird, I'll crawl under it this afternoon and look again. Thanks guys.

 

[racsan]

btw, if you choose to pull the bed off (and i recomend doing that) you dont need to pull out the tailight lenses and drop the wiring down, just pull apart the plug connection at the back of the framerail, do remember to open the fuel-filler door and remove the 3 screws holding the filler neck to the bed. those torx bed bolts can be quite a pain to remove, use penetrating oil from below, a air impact if you have one, or a breakerbar with a cheater pipe. i used anti-sieze on them when i put mine back together, hope i dont need to pull the bed again, but if so, it will be easier than the first time.

 

[four100d]

btw, if you choose to pull the bed off (and i recomend doing that) you dont need to pull out the tailight lenses and drop the wiring down, just pull apart the plug connection at the back of the framerail, do remember to open the fuel-filler door and remove the 3 screws holding the filler neck to the bed. those torx bed bolts can be quite a pain to remove, use penetrating oil from below, a air impact if you have one, or a breakerbar with a cheater pipe. i used anti-sieze on them when i put mine back together, hope i dont need to pull the bed again, but if so, it will be easier than the first time.

I agree... You can do it with the bed on, but it is definitely easier with the bed off (I've done it both ways). To add to what racsan wrote, if you have mud flaps and you are planning on leaving your bumper on, it's easier to lift the bed off with the mud flaps (and brackets) removed. Also, I used the long handle of my big floor jack for a breaker bar to get the bed bolts out. Another thing, I don't know why it is, but the torx bits from autozone are crap compared to other brands.

Have fun with the leaf bolts! They were as bad as the front cab mount bolts; I hate 'em...

 

[mp3deviant721]

My e brake bracket was almost rusted all away except for the part that actually holds in the cable. All I did was take it off and re-install with the new hanger.

 

[racsan]

i used a tractor with forklift forks on the bucketof a front loader of a small farm tractor, i had cut 2 2x4's to fit under the bedrails, took the tailgate off, and lifted the whole bed & cap off as a assembly. i realize not everyone has access to a tractor with a loader, but if you do, it sure makes it alot easier!

and heres my l.f. parking brake bracket, hanger compltely removed, not very easy to see in the pic, but its there.

 

[F8LBITE]

I'll be starting this project today or tomorrow. Anyone know how heavy the box is? Do you think it's something 3 guys could handle lifting? Thanks

 

[racsan]

i could lift one whole side easily off the frame, i would think that 2 guys could lift the box, with 3 im not sure where youd put the 3rd guy, perhaps behind the wheel one the bed is lifted to drive the chassis out from under the bed.

 

[F8LBITE]

I was thinking if you had a 3rd guy, 1 on each side but a little more toward the front & then the 3rd guy would grab the back end.

I'm kinda liking the idea of not laying on your back to do the job. I have yet to crawl back underneath to see what condition the other brackets are in. If I need to replace more than 1, that bed is definitely coming off.

 

[Jimbo45]

I was thinking if you had a 3rd guy, 1 on each side but a little more toward the front & then the 3rd guy would grab the back end.

I'm kinda liking the idea of not laying on your back to do the job. I have yet to crawl back underneath to see what condition the other brackets are in. If I need to replace more than 1, that bed is definitely coming off.

I will be interested to hear how it goes. Be sure and post after you do it. I plan to remove the bed too. I think there would be much cursing if I tried this with the bed attached. It will be about a month before I get to mine, but I plan to take pics along the way and post them. Pics are so helpful to visualize something before you try it. Thanks for all the help so far guys, this should be a fun project on my beater (that's actually morphing into a nice truck). Maybe I will start my own beater project thread....