Leaf Spring Center Bolt? (with my crazy story)

[readyon3]

What size is the leaf spring center bolt that holds the leaves together for a 94 ranger. Mine is missing I was driving down the road and started noticing that I had to turn the wheel to the right to go straight down the road, i kept having to turn it more and more, finally I pulled over and started looking around the truck, I noticed that the passanger side rear wheel wasn't centered in the wheel well It was slightly forward, looked at the axle and seen that the small bottom leaf spring had slid back and the axle had slid forward. I was only 150 miles from home so I drove a little farther until I found a garage and the guy let me use some tools and a jack, I got the springs lined back up and put a smaller bolt (only one I could find) down through the spring pack and into the block, and latched vise grips on the bolt to hold it in and bungee cords around the springs and axle to hold the vise grips in place. It worked, I made it home safe. I'm going to a buddy's house that has a lift today to do a one piece driveshaft swap and to fix the leaf springs but don't know what size / length bolt I need. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I called the local ford place and they said the couldn't get a bolt or tell me the size but would sell me a whole leaf spring assembly.

 

[slammer67]

I don't know the stock leaf-bolt size, but I have purchased these bolts when I did the SAS and I know there are only a couple different sizes that would work, just measure the hole in the leafs and the hole in the leaf mount on the axle and go down to NAPA or wherever and they'll find you one for like $4-5. you'll have to cut it off after you install because they run long.

It probably broke because your u-bolts came loose, inspect them and if they're good, then make sure they're tight. usually when you do suspension work or install a lift, you tighten everything, take the truck for a short drive, then re-tighten everything again.

 

[chvlfrk]

Go to your local parts house and they have them in various lengths, usually you install it, and then cut off the excess.............that's what I did when I put my Explorer 8.8 in. Cost like $2 each...........

 

[4x4junkie]

IIRC it's a 7/16" bolt.

 

[AllanD]

Actually the spring bolts are more usually 3/8" fine thread.

Spring center bolts are usually available at any NAPA store
but a good hardened Fine thread Allen Bolt will work well.

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[Andres629]

And just to add my .02 in here... while you're at it, might as well do both sides. If one went, my general rule of thumb is the other ain't far behind. FWIW