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| | | | Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 | Well I was finishing up installing the 4 new leaf springs on my 54 3100 and I noticed there was a wedge on the right front side between the axle and the leaf spring. I installed the two front leafs a week apart so I am not positive but pretty sure the left side had no wedge. I double checked and there was no wedge stuck to my old left spring and I didn't find one laying around on the floor anywhere. Any one have any idea why it would have a wedge in one side but not the other? I thought maybe to compensate for springs that wore unevenly for some reason. I decided to not use the wedge because hopefully the new springs would fix what the wedge was compensating for, and if it needed one the alignment guy could reinstall it. Unfortunately I could not pull the axle down tight to the leaf spring on the rear side so I ended up putting the wedge back in. I got the front of the front axle tight but the back of the front axle wasn't going to come down. Anyone have an idea why this happened? Thanks | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,782 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,782 | Some wheel alignment shops (like the one where I grew up) had equipment to bend and/or twist straight axles to get the caster and camber right. Caster was usually adjusted by shimming both sides to tilt the axle, but one with a twist already in it might only need a shim on one side. Have a good alignment shop check it to see what the variation is side to side. The oldtime correction for road crown to make the vehicle track straight was to put 1/2 degree less positive caster on the driver's side.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,209 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,209 | Wedges are for caster adjustment, so like Jerry said, get to a shop and have it checked. It will drive much better with caster, then with no caster. If it feels very loose at highway speed, you need more caster. 2 to 4 depending on how the truck sets, 2 is probably the standard setting. I see NAPA is selling them again, search for ( Caster adjusting wedge ) | | | | | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 1,043 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 1,043 | I have wedges on both sides of my 53 3100. If I buy new stock height leaf springs do I put them back in? I never knew what they were for. I just figured they were supposed to be there.
Old enough to know better, too young to resist.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | | | | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 130 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 130 | Jonald I have a 49-3100 and I plan to put 4 new leaf springs on. If you could e-mail me at [email protected] and let me know where you got your springs and what shocks (brand,size,part number) you are using, I would appreciate it. Thanks Doug | | | | | Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 | Thanks everybody thats some good info. I never thought of an alignment shop twisting the axle but it makes sense. Now I just need a good alignment shop which is hard to find in this area. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 88 | Jonald I have a 49-3100 and I plan to put 4 new leaf springs on. If you could e-mail me at [email protected] and let me know where you got your springs and what shocks (brand,size,part number) you are using, I would appreciate it. Thanks Doug Hi Doug Thought I would post it here so others can see where I got my parts as well. The shocks were Monroe Brand shocks I picked up new off Ebay for half price. The rear leafs came from LMC Truck. The front leafs I got from a place called SDS Truck springs. I think the LMC springs were better quality but I could not afford $300 a piece for the front springs. SDS had both fronts shipped for just over $300. Just don't expect them quickly as SDS claims. One showed after 2.5 weeks and the second after close to 4 weeks. They claim the first second spring was lost in shipping but I only got a second replacement spring after calling them several times. I never did get tracking numbers as promised. So their service is horrible but they had a decent product at a good price. Sorry I don't know any part numbers off hand because I just ordered the parts that claimed to fit the 54 3100, and luckily they all did. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,782 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,782 | Bending the end of an axle up/down for camber adjustment, or twisting it for caster was a pretty common procedure at one time. It was done with I beams, chains, and BIG bottle jacks. There were special fixtures for doing the twisting. All that adjustment was done between the spring and the spindle, not in the middle of the axle. I've seen big rigs aligned the same way, and the equipment that bends an 18-wheeler axle is really massive!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | The front axle on my '54 GMC 630 fire truck has a wedge on one side, looks original.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 357 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 357 | Got my axle springs from Detroit Springs. They built springs for our rides that are same as original.
Julian Carter
1970 Triumph GT6
1967 Triumph TR4A
1952 Chevy 3600
1948 MG-TC
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