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Does anyone make replacement leaf springs for 1 tons?

I'm working on a 1950 GMC F250

St Louis Spring. Good quality. Good prices. Canadian steel.

About 16 years ago I bought new springs from Eaton Detroit Spring for my 1 ton.
https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/
They did a fine job, reasonable price, and had all the related pins, bushings and U-bolts available too.

Thanks

So I got my new leaf springs and U-bolts from St Louis Spring, whom I highly recommend. Best price and quick turnaround.

Now that the temperature here in North Carolina has dropped below 95 degrees, I've started trying to remove the leaf spring pins that have been in place for 70 years.

Guess what? They do not want to come out!

I've tried heating them with a propane torch and twisting the end of the pin with vise grips to no avail.

Has anyone managed to get these out? What's the best way?

The 9ft bed is currently on the truck so access is somewhat limited, making the task even more of a challenge.

I would try one of those U Joint or ball joint presses. They look like a large clamp but they are very powerful.

If Fred’s suggestion doesn’t work for you, or you don’t have the tools, try this. On the rear spring shackles there should be a hole tucked up on the inside of the frame. This will allow you better access to the inside of the lock pin than you realize. It’s a good thing those one tons sit higher up than the little fellas! Remove the lock nut on the pin and then use a drift punch and a hammer to hammer them out from the inside of the frame. As you hammer deeper, the hole will hold the punch too! It worked beautifully for my one ton.

I always think about the hours spent fighting rust, crud, old repairs, etc, in order to get pieces refurbished or replaced. 95% of your time is spent “in the trenches” figthing that stuff, but once you’re out (and everything’s is new or as good as), you get that 5% “holiday at the beach” as all the pieces go together smoothly, cleanly, and very easily. “It took me how long?! And now I only get to play with nice stuff for 10 minutes?! Aaargh!”- that’s truck building!

Oh boy,,,here come the trenches again.

Here's how this guy did it.

This one shows doing it with the bolt and sleeve press method.

Here is an old post, with links to older posts. They might contain information and links-to-information that might help you?

I know that most people used WD40 but I used PB Blaster and propane to get them out on my 1954 1/2 ton.

Fox,

Did you have the bed off, when you punched the pin out? Clearances are really tight for the amount of force that seems to be required.

I've taken a break from this as the temperatures and humidity decline from triple digits here in the south, but now its time to get back at it.

I've got a freshly built 260 with HEI, PCV, 2 Brl Webber, backed by a Saginaw 4 speed and 3.73 14 bolt rear with discs on all 4 corners, ready to go as soon as these $&^*#@$ pens come out.

Buck,

Yes, my bed was off at the time, but I was surprised at how little force was needed. I was not swinging for the fences at all. Remove the tapered lock pin, set your drift on the inside of the frame, and once it starts, it should come fairy easily. If not, Pb blaster it. Soak, use the heat carefully. Try again. Good luck.

Edit: I just watched that video shared above and my spring mount on the frame is different. I have a Canadian GMC one ton (Chevrolet frame). The perch on mine has a hole drilled so you can access the backside of the spring busing pins. If yours doesn’t have this, my help has gone out the window. I’ll try to get a photo of that hole for you tomorrow.

Buck,
Here are a couple photos of the spring hanger and that hole in the frame to drift out the spring pivot busing pin.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tmGhENbcnY4PdwgA6

The hole is directly below the bed spacer block.

Don't know if it will help, but here's how I got mine out. No bed in the way.

After driving out the lock pin I rigged up some plumbing fixtures to attach a 10mm 1.25 pitch bolt to my slide hammer.

Screwed the bolt into the hole for the grease fitting and attached the slide hammer

Soaked everything well with PB Blaster, then used the slide hammer to pull the bushing.

When I got near the end it didn't want to move any more, so I carefully jacked the spring up and down until the unworn part of the bushing lined up and out it came.

Tim