Hi everyone it looks to me like there’s a bushing missing or something on the shackle and I’m wondering if it’s a little dangerous to drive can you please look at these photos? It looks like it’s actually crooked.
Also, how does thos affect driveability? Is it hard to put one on?
Last edited by 38_1.5Ton; 11/05/20227:07 PM.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
the threaded bushing might just be off center, you need to unload the spring and pull the shackle apart to see It’s fairly easy job, nothing particularly special about how it goes together.
I’ve driven on much worse but you don’t want to do that too much because the leaf can get wallowed out if the threaded bushing is completely gone and then the job is more work to fix
The back end of the spring is bolted to the frame and so the axel shouldn’t be able to move too much with regards to the steering arm input so handling differences with one bad shackle will be minimal One of my trucks had worn out to a point that the axle would stay on the ground if you jacked up the truck That starts to affect steering -s
PS if you care about details in a judging competing the shackle nut on your passenger side shackle is on the wrong side Both shackle bolts had the nuts towards the passenger side of the vehicle when it was built, not symmetrically pointing inboard.
Thanks man! It looks like one with thr red arrows is missing some type of rubber though that the others still jave attached Ill add a closer pic. Dumb ques… to take tension off the spring I’m thinking out loud here, do I jack up the truck using the frame instead of the I-beam across the front?
Last edited by 38_1.5Ton; 11/05/20229:14 PM.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
~ Peggy M 1949 Chevrolet 3804 "Charlie" - The Stovebolt Flagship In the Gallery "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill
The rubber ring functions as a dust cover only. It has deteriorated due to contact with chassis grease. Some vendors have replacements made of cork, as they were originally (e.g. Jim Carter). I would jack up the front of the truck with the frame, but also use a bottle jack to slightly pick up the axle to take any pressure (weight of the axle assembly) off the shackles so they can be removed more easily.
Your shackles have tapered pins that fit into the flat iron side plates with a center bolt that clamps it all together. Each pin end should have a cork or felt washer between the spring and side plate to keep the dust out.
To me it looks like the entire spring pack has been pushed in, it doesn't look like wear to me it looks like damage. If you look down the spring pack from front to rear is the pack twisted? Are the axle U-bolts in good shape, are they tight and aligned where they should be?
I would not drive it...
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
Not sure if they are the same as my truck 1954 pickup but it looks the same. To me it looks like the metal threaded bushing is in correct but the inner part that screws inside the bushing looks like it is not screwed in evenly as you can see the threads on the one side .you will have to take it apart and check for wear .
I would start by taking your shackle apart and inspecting it. The pins are threaded in and should turn easily inside the bushing. Make sure the side plates aren't bent.
Shackle unit/kit Group 7.436....p/n 603712 can be found on the big auction site...
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
The pin can wear through the threaded bushing into the shackle mount. It usually happens on one side of the shackle and winds up looking like yours does. A replacement of the bushing and pin usually repairs that, unless the shackle mount is severely worn. If there's not enough metal in the mount to hold the new bushing tightly, it could be welded and remachined to the right diameter, but that's a pretty severe fix. You need to disassemble the shackles and remove the pins to check them out.
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.
I would start by taking your shackle apart and inspecting it. The pins are threaded in and should turn easily inside the bushing. Make sure the side plates aren't bent.
Shackle unit/kit Group 7.436....p/n 603712 can be found on the big auction site...
Mike B
Thanks. No the other side is straight.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
The pin can wear through the threaded bushing into the shackle mount. It usually happens on one side of the shackle and winds up looking like yours does. A replacement of the bushing and pin usually repairs that, unless the shackle mount is severely worn. If there's not enough metal in the mount to hold the new bushing tightly, it could be welded and remachined to the right diameter, but that's a pretty severe fix. You need to disassemble the shackles and remove the pins to check them out.
Yes this sounds also like a possibility kl.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
Did you unscrew the pins to see if they are worn? Looking at the picture showing both pin ends, it looks like the lower pin is looking down...what's it look like when rolled on a flat surface?
To me it looks like the spring pack isn't stacked straight...any chance the frame horn is bent?
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
No I just screwed it to the right to see if it moved. It felt like brand new. I didnt unscrew it no, I thought if it centered it was good. With no pins attached to anything, the long leaf veers to the pass side. I think that means the leaf is tweaked somehow. Its not stacked perfectly. Sorry I dont know what a frame horn is. :/
"To me it looks like the entire spring pack has been pushed in, it doesn't look like wear to me it looks like damage. " <-- I think its pointing to this. Also wondering where to get another spring pack for a 1.5 ton. Also seems hard to find. Or I think I could just drive it.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
38 1.5 ton Your local spring shop can save all that,frame horn is the end where the spring mounts up. In a wreck the frame horn is often damaged so the body man will weld on a new one. It's the very front,bumper bolts to it.
If your Main spring is bent or twisted you'll need to contact Eaton Detroit Springs to get a new one made...all of our local Maryland/Virginia spring shops no longer custom make springs, they buy them already made and 1938 is off the radar for them.
The frame horn is the front of the frame rail from the radiator forward...if your truck was in a wreck the frame could be pushed in or out causing the issue you have. Put a straight edge on the side of the frame and see if it's straight.
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
Something isn't lined up right, you need to lay under the truck and stare at things until you see what's different from one side to the other. Is there rust scale between the leaves that has allowed water to freeze and bend/move/twist the pack? Are the leaves all stacked straight up and down at the U-bolts? If you pull a string line from the front eye to the rear eye is the main leaf straight? Are all of the spring pack clamps in place?
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
