47 Dodge Turkey Truck Build

[JBNeal]

sometimes a hole is added in an enclosed space like this to let moisture boil out, as moisture can condense within the air in the enclosed space if the weld is not 100% sealing off the space...otherwise, the enclosure has a continuous rust stain bleeding from every little pore in the weld zone

[Young Ed]

Well when it was new there wasn't any welds there. I just had to add some due to the rust...

[Young Ed]

 To reattach these I can use a 3/8 bolt that will be slightly lose or drill out to a tight fit 7/16. The more tricky part is to get a flange bolt with a shoulder requires either 3/8 x 1.75" or 7/16 x 2". Then the unthreaded area on mcmaster is between 3/8 and 7/8. I'm thinking I should get the 7/16 drill slightly and hope the unthreaded area is on the short side of their range so I don't have to mess with adding thread.

[Merle Coggins]

If the shoulder is a little long you could use hardened flat washers (grade 8) to use up the rest of the shoulder. A longer bolt will even hold torque a little better anyway.

On the machines I work on (Volvo Construction Equipment) they often use longer bolts with 1" long thick wall spacers under the nut in many applications where they want the bolts to hold torque. They claim that the longer bolt will hold the torque better since it has more room for stretch.

 

Merle

[Young Ed]

Got some more work done yesterday and today. I now have a bare frame with a cab sitting on it. Next the cab gets moved aside and then I can start modifying the frame for the 5 speed. I wanted to be able to move the frame easily and flip it over if needed.

 

Also found a source for grade 8 flange bolts in a better length.

https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=17269

 

 

Edited September 29, 2015 by Young Ed

[Young Ed]

To get this back together for the front I'll need new pins and new shackles. The one might be ok but the one shown here is clearly loose until you get right to the last thread. The new one in the picture is a Jeep part that has the same threads but it slightly shorter. Other than the obvious that this will slightly lower the truck is there a reason not to use one of these Jeep ones? They are about 1/4 of the price of the dodge ones.  

 

[Desotodav]

The Jeep shackles look like they will work well Ed. Be sure that you get the correct left and right thread combinations.

[Young Ed]

The Jeep shackles look like they will work well Ed. Be sure that you get the correct left and right thread combinations.

 

Yup the jeeps have the same LH and RH thread combos as the dodges so thats easy. It looks like I'll have to stick to the dodge suppliers for the pin/bushing ends though.

[Jeff Balazs]

It doesn't look like it would make all that much difference. For the price seems like a good deal.

Jeff

[Young Ed]

Other than cosmetic reasons is it necessary to pull the leaf springs apart?

[Plymouthy Adams]

not really...if they totally crusty you may want to disassemble, clean paint and assemble with some lube

[The Oil Soup]

I used the jeep shackle on my '53 on the rear suspension , they are 2.75" between center vs. 4" for the originals. Good price!

[Plymouthy Adams]

the shackles provide connection, alignment and pivot point for the positioning of the spring...it also serves another purpose...the ability to allow extension to the spring as it flattens under load...limiting this by using shackles of lesser distance between centers will allow for the eye of the spring to lock against the chassis and when this happens the spring is now going to deflect in a manner not wanted..and could easily warp your spring in a manner it will not flex back to correct length once unladed.  IF you operate the vehicle with this restriction in mind...you can go ahead with the mod...but if you intend on utilizing the truck in the capacity of it weight carrying by design..I would advise against the Jeep unit

[Young Ed]

I am using the stock height shackles in the rear. I bought new ones that came without bushings and bought a set of Jeep ones for the bushings. The Jeep ones I pictured above are the fronts.

[pflaming]

I disassembled all four, but then I had to in order to remove one leaf, the second from the bottom. Lots of work, but now their surfaces are buffed and lubed. I have a ver nice ride and a 2" lower stance.

[Plymouthy Adams]

based on front location...you may not have an issue..was just reminding folks that the travel of the leaf spring is critical and there must be a gap at the chassis and spring eye on full deflection..

[Jeff Balazs]

based on front location...you may not have an issue..was just reminding folks that the travel of the leaf spring is critical and there must be a gap at the chassis and spring eye on full deflection..

This is a good point. From your photos it looks like the center to center difference is only about a 1/4". Not certain if that is enough of a difference to cause an issue but it does bear watching.

 

Jeff

[Young Ed]

not really...if they totally crusty you may want to disassemble, clean paint and assemble with some lube

OK I deemed that totally crusty So paint the entire thing and then put some grease between the leaves?

So I got them apart. I need to find new bolts. They didn't look to be in good shape and one broke. Is the center bolt unique? I think I could reuse it. Doesn't appear to have ever had a proper head but rather its just round. It came apart most of the way without holding the head but right at the end I had to put a pliers on it. Oh and I also need to source or make new spacers or whatever you want to call them. 2 of them came off in pieces.

[TodFitch]

The head of the center bolt should fit in a hole in the axle mounting pad to keep the spring and axle aligned.

 

I don't know a retail source for those miscellaneous leaf spring parts but you might try a local spring repair shop.

[Don Coatney]

Centering bolt is critical. If it shears your differential will shift and cause a crab walk damaging the shock absorber. Been there, done that. 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

_{as stated..the bolt serves two purposes..to locate and place hold each spring in relationship to the other in regard to center..the head is to inset and center to the hole in the axle spring pad....use a grade 8 bolt..I have seen times where I have had to turn a bolt head for use and other times I have been able to use an Allen head bolt.  Some older leaf springs were wrapped with a grease impregnated cloth and metal wrapped...}

Edited October 4, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[Don Coatney]

When I installed my replacement differential the centering hole for the spring was much larger than required. I used a 1/4" plate to correct  this.

 

[Don Coatney]

As pictured

 

[Mlindblom]

I was gonna try Minnesota spring and suspension. their in NE phone number is 612-788-0400. Minnesotaspring.com. Have not used them and have no knowledge of them but seemed like a good place to talk to about helping with my springs.

[Plymouthy Adams]

_{I was gonna try Minnesota spring and suspension. their in NE phone number is 612-788-0400. Minnesotaspring.com. Have not used them and have no knowledge of them but seemed like a good place to talk to about helping with my springs.}

 

_{what is there to help with unless you suspect they need re-arched or your intentions are to replace the altogether..clean up and recondition cosmetically is pretty low tech and straight forward..}