Before I embark upon cab repairs I am taking advice from members here and rebuilding the rear shackles.
I see there is a need to get a specific height between the rear of the can and the frame and already have shims for that.
However, upon dismantling the rear shackles I am noting 1 or 2 of the 4 bolts that go through the rubber bushings have worn so badly they are out of round. When I tightened them back up with new bushings they would barely rotate even when applying max pressure. The ones that look to be round rotate fairly easily. I am not doing anything more than getting the cab mounted for repairs at this stage so will drill them out and replace with grade 8 bolts.
I guess the question is...I looked at the prices of replacement mounts (!) and am wondering whether the grade 8 bolt route (or other suggestion) is a problem for on-road use or whether I need to simply stump up $220 for replacements?
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
If you're talking about rebuilding the rear cab shackles, I doubt you'd need grade 8 bolts. On a quick check, I didn't even find replacement shackles. I don't think they'd be that hard to fab up if you have a welder available.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Maybe I am just getting more miserly as I grow but those struck me as expensive.
The eyes (the the rubber bushes slip into) are absolutely fine. It is just the end plates that I might refab and the studs which have worn. They carry the weight of rear of the cab which is why I had thought possibly grade 8s.
Looking at the replacements, it actually looks like they use bolts as opposed to studs so I might just remake the end plates and use decent bolts with existing eyes.
Thanks...
Oh, and on a side note looking at them now I see that the 2 studs that wore were the two that bolted to the cab as opposed to the two that bolted to the frame. The frame ones are 100% fine.
Last edited by paul65; 05/14/201812:07 AM.
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
Maybe the aftermarket stuff that Classic Parts sells (they told me they wouldn't ship to me in Alaska, so I don't usually check them) have a bolt and steel sleeve arrangement. The sleeve would keep the bolts from mashing the rubber bushings, although I don't think that would be a huge deal. Some spring shackles use that with the rubber bushings molded to the sleeve and the shackle and they act as rubber-in-shear, just depending on the rubber to give and let them rotate enough for the function.
If rebuilding, I would definitely use overlong bolts so the shank the bushing fits on isn't threaded. Just run a die down them so the threads stop at the side plate.
Last edited by klhansen; 05/14/20181:01 AM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
After doing a little research I found McMaster Carr carries the perfect shoulder bolts. In case this is of use to others in the future here is a link to them below (part #94496a420). 1/2" diameter shoulder to go through the bushings and the right length (2 1/4") to go through the end plates and bushings.
Ordering 4 this morning and will fab up a set of end plates.
Excellent find!! I'm keeping this in mind for when I get my cab off and (probably) need to renew the shackles.
[on edit] Just ran across this: Shackles. Although the shackle links aren't that difficult to fab, if you can find one that matches up, these aren't that expensive.
Last edited by klhansen; 05/14/20188:13 PM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Excellent find!! I'm keeping this in mind for when I get my cab off and (probably) need to renew the shackles.
[on edit] Just ran across this: Shackles. Although the shackle links aren't that difficult to fab, if you can find one that matches up, these aren't that expensive.
Unfortunately the longest eye-to-eye distance I see on that page is 3 1/8". The 3100s use a 3 3/4" eye-to-eye distance on a 3/8 thickness steel with 1/2" bolts. I simply used the same thickness steel and made up 4 pieces, 5" long to match the originals. The shoulder bolts arrive today so I should have the shackles back on the truck tonight all being well.
In case anyone else is trying to work out whether it makes sense to make them up the bolts cost @$30 for 4. The steel I had laying around but the link below shows you can get a 3' length from HD for $11.
Shackles back on the truck and working fine. Just need to make up some shims to get the rear in spec.
The shoulder bolts linked above work absolutely fine.
As the side plate metal is thinner (3/16" it seems more prone to wear. The thicker (1/4") eyes cleaned up nicely as you can see and no need for replacements. I suspect the wear is typical and so the end plates are the weak link.
I will shape the end plates a little once I get the cab sorted. They are a bit bulky at present but do the job.
FYI I drilled smaller holes into the end plates that the stud passes through so that the shoulder of the bolt butts up against the inside of the plate itself. The threaded end barely slips though these smaller holes.
Last edited by paul65; 05/16/20182:09 PM.
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
