#1 How do I check if my 53 1/2 needs new front leaf springs? #2. When bushings are changed in the front springs, do they slide in and out, or do they have to be beaten out? I see the catalog pictures of parts, but do not understand the complexity of how to replace. Please explain. KentC
Nothing slides out! Kent, nothing that has been on the road for 50+ years will merely slide out! Gentle persuation maybe, but slide out, NOT! Do some research and get something that will pop them out, such as a worn out socket that you don't mind screwing up. Pound on it gently at first and if that doesn't work, get a BFH! Works every time!
The shackle pins in the bushings in both the springs and the frame screw out. They will probably be very worn and may take application of a vise grip to get enough grip to unscrew them. The bushings in my springs needed to be pressed out and new ones pressed in using a hydraulic press. I have heard of others (Ken, I think) that used a big bolt, sockets and washers combined with an air ratchet to draw them out. I used a King pin press to TRY and remove the bushings in the frame, but they refused to budge at all. when I put the new pins in the frame bushings, they play was negligable so I left the old bushings in place as they did not seem to be worn enough to worry about it. Andy
Ball Joint press Someone on the forum about a year ago told me to go get a ball joint press for my king pins. It worked great there and it also worked great for pressing out all of the spring bushings. It cost something like $35 at Harbor Freight. Ken, on my old truck the BFH alone didn't budge them:mad I wound up tightening up the ball joint press until I thought it was going to bend and then hit the end of it with the BFH. That worked
New springs One thing to look for is wear underneath the springs where the end of one spring rubs on the one above, you can get a step in the bottom of the spring if it wears too much. Look at the spring from the side and check for even thickness all along the individual springs.
Leaf Spring Wear Correct and this is why you're supposed to take 'em apart every spring and wire brush off all the old grease and rust then spear with graphite grease before re-assembling . This will also make old springs ride super smooth.... Some here may recall cars from the 1940's & older often came with wrapped leaf springs ,this served to keep the grease in and water & abrasives out . I know some farm mechanics who've had very good results in building up springs out of mixed used leaves.... I wonder who that was......?
Thank you. I will take the suggestions and open my manual and see if I can make them match. Muchos garcia. KentC
I See That You know my neighbors........ If you look into older posts you'll see how to make up a cheap bushing remover/installer , beating them works yes but it also ruins them usualy . Take the new threaded bushings out of the package and test them into the old frame bushings beore you hammer it all apart , often the frame part is O.K. wit new center parts , well greased , the first time you install them might be tight from wear..... Good quality springs (Eaton , Diamond etc.) usually come with new bushings in the eyes all ready . I hope my farm repair methods don't upset anyone here , they do work having been time and safety tested many times over .
Concerning the front leaf springs - I have studied the comments and manual, and looked at my 1/2 ton, 1953. I think I understand now. Questions: #1 The rear connect point, where the spring eye bolt and bushing are - does this need to be checked for wear and replacement, or just replace with the shackle kit? #2 In the Chevy Duty Catalog, it lists the whole leaf spring ($130 each) and the main leaf ($60 each) - do I just need the main leaf and is it easy to attache the other subordinate leafs, if I just buy the main spring? #3 On my shackles, two of my rubber seals are gone and the other two look rottened, on their last legs - both sides, both springs - replace with shackle kit, correct? Would this cause road jerk? #4 Is there a way to check to see if I need to buy new springs, like in question #2? The vehicle had 90,000 on the speedometer before being parked in 1961, my guess is dirt roads, lots of bumps. Thank you for the help. KentC
Springs The wear thing is a bit subjective... if it doesn't bottom out on bumps , they're prolly O.K. and new shackles & bushings will work wonders . The end rings were originally cork , if you get lucky and find some , soak in engine oil a few days to soften up and not break apart when you install them . Replacing main leaves is simple but , you might as well take 'em apart first and look for the ridges caused by wear first as a new leaf in a worn out spring with ridges isn't going to work well . Yes , a tiny bit of play in one (or more !) shackles translates to a HUGE steering error . Don't forget to look for the tiny caster shims (wedges) stuck between the top of the axle and the spring from behind .
They do bottom out in bumps, I noticed the rubber bump mark on the main frame, both sides. That is my "wham" sound I have been hearing, when I go across railroad tracks. Sounds like I need to replace the springs. The wedges are not tiny (maybe 1.5" across), but I replaced them when I 1st started working on the front end. I suppose size does not matter if the setting is correct and the front end man said it was. I suppose I just put them back in the same spot, right? As I remember they were hard to find and maybe I bought some at a semi-truck (large trucks) repair shop. When removing the old springs, do I just jack up the A-frame (if that name applies), loosen off on the mounting (4) bolts on each spring until the tension is off the springs - then remove per previous instructions? Thank you.
Pretty much so , your truck was built with two live axles , no A Frames.... You'll find the old springs come out easier than the new ones go in as new ones tend to be too short..... Take youe time and be prepared to replace the U-Bolts unless the threads are _perfect_, the chatter guns used in the assembly plant tended to be off spec and over tightened them to the mash the threads point on most vehicles... Call around the springs shops and ask the price of U-Bolts , most of them make 'em up to match your old ones , DO NOT accept longer ones ! I dunno why they insist but it's a bad precident being dangerous and all . Although the prices may vary by 200 % , they're all the same quality . You're supposed to slow down over the R.R. trax , this is a 52 year old truck ya know ! it's built to different design . Adding some good heavy duty gas shocks like _white_ KYB's (never , EVER those grey things !) will help with the bottoming out a goodly bit and improve handling too as these old trucks are HEAVY .
KYB Shocks No I don't, sorry I'd just find an application catalog and look 'em up.... Might have to find out what else they fit and do some research but most companise these days have a tech line you can call or E-Mail....
