dog tracken truck

SDE · Mar 5, 2021

As I drove down the road this morning, I noticed that my steering wheel was turned to the right about 70 degrees. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that the box wasn't running anywhere near parallel to the center line. The two u-bolts on the right rear axle were gone and so was the plate that goes under the axle. The axle is now being held in place by two cargo straps. Steering wheel is straighter and it tracks much better. Hey I had to get it home some how. So what is the name of the plate that goes under the axle. My preliminary search has not found one of them yet. and where is a good place to get the parts? O'Reilly's might have the bolts, but not the plate/bracket.
TY
SDE

rustyfarmall · Mar 5, 2021

Salvage yard or from the parts department of the dealer who sells that brand of truck.

SDE · Mar 5, 2021

I was looking on Rockauto under drive train and what I discovered was that I needed to be in the Suspension category. It is a leaf spring plate. $24 and I think the bolts were $13 each.
TY
SDE

Sean Feeney · Mar 5, 2021

Has anyone been doing anywork recently there?

old · Mar 5, 2021

I have a 1969 Chevy pickup that I took apart due to the coil spring suspension arm rusting into and the rear axle had moved. Engine in it had less then 3000 mile on it after a total rebuild

Steve@Advance · Mar 5, 2021

There should also be a bolt through the spring leafs that centers the axle on the spring.

Common for that bolt to get seared off when that type failure happens.

The other side may have also sheared and have been stressed due to the twisting of the axle.

Once the repair is complete, a real good idea to retorque the bolts a couple times, preferably with the truck heavily loaded. The compressing of the springs relaxes the torque on the U bolts.

DoubleO7 · Mar 5, 2021

Your springs must be on top of axle then.

Might try your local speed shop or 4x4 truck shop that sells lift kit parts.
Unless your truck is bigger than a pickup.

Go look on Summit racing.com too

Bruce(OR) · Mar 5, 2021

Once you get them in, break out the tape measure and make center to center on front and rear axles the same on both sides.
That should get you squared up.

DoubleO7 · Mar 5, 2021

(quoted from post at 21:57:03 03/05/21) Once you get them in, break out the tape measure and make center to center on front and rear axles the same on both sides.
That should get you squared up.

The leaf spring center bolt goes into a hole in the spring pad welded to the axle. On most leaf sprung vehicles AFAIK.
Thus preventing any adjustments.

SDE · Mar 5, 2021

I wasn't aware that there was a bolt through the center of the springs. The bolt is broken and it is sticking up the thickness of the leaf spring. I thought that it was a stud that was for locating the springs over the axle. I guess I will need to order more parts now. The u-bolts on the left side are rusted to only half of the original thickness and so I will need to work on both sides. Or replace the truck.
TY
SDE

UncleTom · Mar 6, 2021

Those u bolts and nuts aren't going to vibrate off. What happend?

showcrop · Mar 6, 2021

Count your spring leaves on each side. your problem often starts with a broken leaf.

miangus · Mar 6, 2021

I had a little adventure with my 2001 Silverado 1500. I managed to break both rear shackles and the spring ends embedded themselves in the bed. As I had a bed liner and I broke both sides I didn't actually notice right away. The truck drove fine. When I noticed the issue and inspected the springs the left spring was also broke in the front eye. New springs new bolts and new shackles ordered online and delivered to my door cost about $300.00. I used a cut off wheel on my 7 inch grinder to cut the spring eye bolts. I got new U-bolts but didn't need them, a little work with the wire brush, a little heat from the blue wrench, some PB Blaster and the impact got the nuts off. I now use my wife's HD 2500 to haul 1 ton pallets of feed. I think when they set the pallet on the end of the box to get a better hold it was just too much for the old shackles, the operator also put a little down pressure when the forks were tilted to set it down.

fred kobs · Mar 6, 2021

You probably better look close at the axle housing itself also. Last truck i worked on the housing where they clamp was almost rusted thru. Took some ingenuity to repair.

DoubleO7 · Mar 6, 2021

(quoted from post at 01:20:02 03/06/21) I wasn't aware that there was a bolt through the center of the springs. The bolt is broken and it is sticking up the thickness of the leaf spring. I thought that it was a stud that was for locating the springs over the axle. I guess I will need to order more parts now. The u-bolts on the left side are rusted to only half of the original thickness and so I will need to work on both sides. Or replace the truck.
TY
SDE

Generally the spring pack center bolt has a round head that ends up going into the locating hole in the spring perch of the axle.
The round head could make one think the bolt has sheared off.

As showcrop mentioned, sometimes a leaf will break, often times right thru the bolt hole. Then it can work it's way out of the pack and fall out.
That causes the slop and loose ubolts, then the axle rocks forward and reverse when going or stopping. Which in turn can break the ubolts.

Since your other ubolts are so badly rusted, you might want to replace them as well as the spring pack center bolts.
If they have not rusted and let go, they are likely getting close.

Use a big c clamp on spring pack before loosening ubolts or center bolt .The pack might fly apart.

Mike Groom · Mar 6, 2021

There is usually a local leaf spring shop in most towns of any size ,ask around and I'm sure there's one you didn't know about.They will have the plates and the U-bolts and fine threaded nuts.

Hobo,NC · Mar 6, 2021

(quoted from post at 04:54:22 03/06/21) There should also be a bolt through the spring leafs that centers the axle on the spring.

Common for that bolt to get seared off when that type failure happens.

The other side may have also sheared and have been stressed due to the twisting of the axle.

Once the repair is complete, a real good idea to retorque the bolts a couple times, preferably with the truck heavily loaded. The compressing of the springs relaxes the torque on the U bolts.

I call it a tie bolt...

dog tracken truck

SDE

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rustyfarmall

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SDE

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Sean Feeney

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old

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Steve@Advance

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DoubleO7

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Bruce(OR)

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DoubleO7

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SDE

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UncleTom

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showcrop

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miangus

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fred kobs

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DoubleO7

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Mike Groom

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Hobo,NC

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