Front spring assembly question

[dbcooper292]

Hi all - I'm glad to have found this forum! By way of introduction I live in rural eastern CT, and am working on a 49 B-1-D one ton dualie. Past projects include an MG I made out of two junks, and a lot of other little sports cars, but this is my first old truck. The pieces are way heavier than on an MG! It took me a couple tries to realize I can't necessarily hold stuff while I unbolt it and expect to be able to just support it with my hand once it's loose! At this point my truck is a frame, with the rebuilt motor mounted back in. I have a couple more repairs to do to the frame but would like to remount enough suspension to roll it out of the (attached) garage for cutting torch use. So that brings me to:

I can't figure out whether the machine shop that worked on the spring shackles gave me the right setup to put back together. I have a drop hangar on the front of the frame, and a threaded hole toward the back. I have two U-shackles that are threaded on both ends. I have two threaded bolts. I have four 'double threaded' bolts which are hollow and have threads inside and out. The springs have one end with threads in it and one end with a closed loop but no threads or bushing.

It seems right to attach the threaded end of the spring to the drop hangar on the front with the 'single threaded' bolt, which is the right size. But if I do, and I attach the shackles to the rear mount on the frame with a double threaded bushing bolt, I'm not sure what to do with the other end of the shackle and the unthreaded spring loop. I couldn't find a diagram in the manual that answered this question, and since the machine shop bought and fabbed some new pieces and cleaned up others it's hard to be sure what's what.

Any help would be much appreciated, Thanks!

db

[48Dodger]

Hey welcome to the club! Post where your from, we got people from all over. You might find someone close.

The eye is threaded and both sides of the hanger as well.

[48Dodger]

VERY IMPORTANT: lower rear driver side sleeve nuts are LEFT HAND THREAD front spring and back....there are only two. Both are on the spring NOT the frame.

I'm pointing at the driver's side on both pictures

[48Dodger]

The rear shackle has a sleeve that screws in and then the shackle screws in

This is the pin that goes in the front of the rear spring...its notched to be held in place by a bolt

hope all this helps.

48D

[pflaming]

48D: WOW Thank you. That was my next project and I had no clue. I know, 'buy a book'!!!! Question: How does one determine if these are worn out? I understand that 50 year old parts are worn, but just how bad is bad? Any predetermining method?

[Todd B]

This post would have saved me about 10 hours two weeks ago. I asked for help on this site but received zero help. You are mistaken when you say the rear shackle sleeve turns in then the shackle. They must be turned in at the same time.

Todd B.

[dbcooper292]

Thanks very much this is great. It looks like my shackle stuff is right, so here is the remaining question - is it right that my front springs (when I say rear anywhere in this post it just means the rear end of the front spring) are threaded in the front end but not threaded in the back? Does this mean that the double-threaded-shackle-bushing-thingy just turns onto a threaded shackle and rides inside an unthreaded spring at the rear end of the front spring? It's this lack of threads or a bushing in one loop of each front spring that's got me confused.

Thanks - db

[Dodgeb4ya]

As for the 1 ton Dodge rear suspension set up I don`t think the 1 tons use any threaded pins or threaded "U" shackles on the rear suspension at all-just straight pins. 2 pins at the rear cast shackle and 1 pin at the front of the rear spring.

Bob

[48Dodger]

"This post would have saved me about 10 hours two weeks ago. I asked for help on this site but received zero help. You are mistaken when you say the rear shackle sleeve turns in then the shackle. They must be turned in at the same time. Todd B."

That's funny you say that, cuz I've haven't had one that has come out that easy yet. I know there's a tool for that spot as well. The zerk fitting is just on the otherside, you can't see it in the photo cuz its out.

I remember your post Todd and a few of us had talked about the fact that the info about the LEFT HANDED threads isn't covered in the manuals. So when I saw DBcopper's post I'd thought I'd take a stab at explaining it. All those photos are from this morning.

Those sleeved nuts are fat threaded bushings really... as far as wether they are worn or not, is a judgment call I haven't had to make yet. Mine have all fit tight so far.

48D

[Todd B]

These are very important pictures and info 48 dodger has posted. I looked in every manual possible. Called all of my old reliable dodge mechanics and all the parts guys I have worked with on other trucks. No one had the answers. My son finally gave it a shot and the parts guy he works with at his place of employment found the parts and the info and had them the next day. My son tells me its all in who you know not what you know!!!

Todd B.

[woodscavenger]

So can we create a set of Sticky threads, or a central site like the section on the P15 site where good technical info can be stored centrally?

[48Dodger]

Maybe you're missing the threaded bushing? I sand blasted the ends to get a better picture for everyone. Honestly I don't know if they are pressed in or threaded in like the sleeve nuts (that's what I call'em anyway). I posted these pictures on both threads. Let me know if any other pictures will help. The photos are of the driver side spring, front eye and its hanger.

48D

[48Dodger]

This the rear eye of the front spring. Note that there is no pressed in bushing like the front.