The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 3600 Overload Springs are Great

My truck may be one of the few 3600 farm trucks that didn't come with overloads. That proved to be a bit of a problem with the heaver than stock flatbed the '51 wears when it was hauling hay or firewood. Well, sometime ago member SavannahDog, Julian very graciously dug his overload springs out of the salvage yard after thinking no one wanted them and shipped then to me. I finally got em installed this week and it really is a easy thing, once one sources the proper longer u-bolts. Tried them out today with a bit over a half cord of oak firewood. They did the job. Truck set just right and rode fine. Even empty it rides fine. Big bumps/holes do cause the overloads to make their presence know. The just hatched solution when making a longer distance (over 100 miles) trip is to just remove the overload spring stops. Should take less that 20 minutes then it rides truly OK again.

Thanks Julian!

RonR

That's great Mopar Guy. Glad there working out.

I like your truck. I'm doing a flat bed also. Just want to say, air bags are another solution that others might want to consider. I'm not being critical of your solution. Yours is way less expensive and works. I didn't have a set of helper springs available and it was just easier to throw some money at it and have the kit arrive on my porch.
My truck is a 1948 3600

AIR LIFT 57215 LoadLifter 5000 Series Rear Air Spring Kit

I really like your truck and the overloads. Your truck must have started life as a pickup to have the long running boards. I’ve had 2 1950 3600 pickups and both had the overload springs and 4-speeds.
Way to go, putting your truck to work. I like seeing a truck used as a truck. 👍🏽😎

Joel, bags were the original plan. Then Julian offered his overloads and I’m a sucker for original. Trucks still 6V. I did add air bags to th wife’s ‘15 2500 and they were easy and reasonably priced.

Those air bag upper mounts have a reasonably good moment on the frame rail without having a crossmember to tie the two sides together. Might twist and flex the frame leading to trouble eventually.

I added air bags to my 2 ton but put them between frame and axle so no twisting force on the frame.

The original type leaf overload spring pads on the frame mount closer to the cross members so better able to resist that twist, and they may take the load closer to the frame than the modern air bag shown, so less torque on the frame rail if so. And, the leaf springs if holding the same load apply that force to the frame at two places, so half the point load of the air bag.

I have a set overloads that can be sourced from your local FLAPS or amazon. Easy install.

I have a similar setup on my 1-ton and it has worked well for 30 odd years. Back in the day I lived with a friend who was hauling water from the town well with his 3100 when his well went dry. That had lots of additional spring leaves. He had a clean 325 gal oil tank in the back. After a couple of weeks of this the frame cracked between the spring hangers. So we began using my 3800. I added a couple of leaves from the bone yard to the overloads for that job. If they're too stiff you can take a leaf out or if too weak add a leaf. I've been doing that for decades as load requirements changed with no problems other than that I shook a camper apart before I came to my senses and removed a couple of leaves. It was far easier to do that than fix the camper, which took a couple of weeks with glue and a table saw.

The 1-T frame is heavier so I have had no problem with any twisting or flexing but the auxiliary springs were an RPO option on 3800s and were not on 3600s according to my spec book for '51. There was probably a reason.

We old- do you have more info on available overloads? Where I can get some?

Actually in need of the main springs as well

Grigg,
Good point! thanks for mentioning it. I could easily add a cross member to avoid the twist.