Aug 30, 2023. Chasse Update Attacked the front axle with my son tonight. It's almost all apart now and about to turn that big corner from taking apart to putting back together. Just have to drill for the booster/master cylinder bracket and the last small pieces will come off. Since the truck was already restored once, there's not too many surprises on it, but the surprises I have found have been in taking the chasse apart, which was never done before (at least all of it), so makes sense.
First off, in picture 1, the passengers side outer bearing ball cage was cracked. The inner bearing didn't look straight either by any means. I'm putting front disc brakes on with roller bearings anyway, so not an issue. On the driver's side, the half of the race that fits on the spindle was difficult to take off due to some small grooving on the spindle. It wasn't deep and should clean up OK.
Picture 2 shows the driver's side leaf spring pin. Three out of 4 were like this, so will be getting new pins and bushings. The pin in the picture turned out when I tried to take the grease fitting off, so I went with it. All the shackle assemblies were bent. Already bought new ones though. Seems the suspension wasn't being held together by much anymore.
Curiously, I thought the driver's side leaf spring was bent, but after taking it off, I realized I have two different leaf springs. Pictures 3 and 4 show the drivers side and passenger's side leaf spring respectively (leaf spring pin side). Looks like the passenger's side was repaired at one time. Nothing looks cracked or broken, but the second leaf on the passenger's side was cut short to fit, so thinking they came from somewhere else as a farmer fix.
All in all, leaf spring shackles and pins aren't the end of the world. Will have to think on what to do with the front leaf springs. Maybe look for a used matching pair.
There is some play in the king pins. Was really hoping not to have to replace them. The don't look easy to get out. Will investigate how much play is OK, but gut feel is there is too much play in mine.
Pictures 5 and 6 are of my 14 year old son helping out tonight, and 7 and 8 are the after pics of tonight's work.
