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Old 05-07-2004, 10:02 AM   #41
Rivet Master

 
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Good advice

I would say that Andy's comments are very true, and extend to leaf springs also. The only advantage with leaf springs is that you can modify them more easily by adding or subtracting leaves if necessary to increase/decrease the load rating.

I built a "pocket" in the belly pan to allow moving the shocks inside the frame. It doesn't look as good as the original, but I just wasn't happy with the clearance for the bigger shocks and deeper brake drums. Moving them inside the frame also makes it easier to replace them.
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Old 05-07-2004, 10:19 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin
Back to the part about getting opinions on the shape of your axles, my mechanical ability extends to changing my oil and other, very simple tasks. But I got under my Trade Wind and it was obvious that my axles are shot: even for a mechanically challenged person like me, I could relate those torsion arms to my own arm, and see that, pointing upward, they are at the absolute end of their travel, no bounce or cushion left to give.

So in my humble, untutored, new-experience opinion, quit hauling your compromised rig from shop to shop for opinions and roll underneath it. Those torsion arms tell it all.

Connie
You go, Connie! Your post about sums it up.
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Old 05-07-2004, 01:52 PM   #43
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Don

What does it mean when you said you had the springs reworked? I was planning to replace mine on the 58, and I thought that spring can and do wear out, so can they be reworked or rebuilt?

Thanks

Ken
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Old 05-07-2004, 03:07 PM   #44
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Ken,
Im my case the springs were cleaned up, new leaf installed, new clips and new bushings. According to the shop foreman, the arch of my springs looked ok. The free arch was about 5", measured from the center of the eyes to the top of the spring pack. During the disassembly and rebuilding, the individual leaves are inspected for cracks, corrosion, and defects.
If you need to have your springs re-arched, you might as well get new ones. There are very few shops that can do the heat treating required to restore springs to their original condition. Avoid any shops that re-arch the springs by bending them on a 'bulldozer'. Without the heat treatment, re-arching is only a temporary fix.
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Old 05-07-2004, 05:19 PM   #45
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My plan was to just get new springs - did you check into that, when I talked to Dexter, they said they could make me a set - either 1200 or 1500 lb. Trailer dry weight is about 3500 lbs and duel axle. Figured 1200 should be plenty, though 1500 would give me an extra margin - haven't decided yet

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Old 05-07-2004, 05:41 PM   #46
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New Springs

Ken,
Be careful! A lot of the springs nowdays are 1.75" wide and use 9/16" bushings and bolts. The original are 2" wide and use 5/8" bushings and hardware. You may need to replace your mounts, perches and other stuff.
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Old 05-07-2004, 06:35 PM   #47
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Yiks! I'll make sure I check that. Is there a problem if my springs are bad to weld new brackets on?

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Old 05-07-2004, 07:03 PM   #48
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Yiks! I'll make sure I check that. Is there a problem if my springs are bad to weld new brackets on?

Ken
Wouldn't be a problem. But you want to check a full service spring shop to see if it's cheaper to build new ones to the original size. Springs are pretty cheap. Anyplace that does truck springs should be able to make them.

If you decide to weld on new brackets, you can buy all the parts in one trip to Northern Tool or any other trailer parts retailer.
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Old 05-07-2004, 07:47 PM   #49
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Don

Thank you very much - big help, learned something new......

Ken
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