The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Torque tube rear ‘37

I’ve replaced the brakes, outer bearings and seals, but first time cutting loose the axle U bolts to clean everything up and put back together. The service manual doesn’t really address rear end alignment, but it appears through quite a bit of slop allowed in the leaf spring bolt that fits in the pivot casting of what they call spring seats. Number one if the torque tube is perpendicular to the axle measurement wise, does it just go back together on the leaf spring where it fits or should I be worried about measuring each side to the spring eyes or from somewhere? Number two, I have overload springs that sit on flat top caps see picture. The overlord springs are kind of cool and will never get used so I will probably will reinstall them. Is there a different cap when there isn’t overload springs. By the way, I snapped one of the overload spring you bolts off, but it appears they are the same as the squarish front spring u bolts except way shorter. Lot of wire brush work tomorrow. 80 year old hardened grease in there.

I have a similar axle collar on my '46. I know when I first installed the axle, I missed the pin hole on one side and didn't notice until I looked a picture I took. In the first pic you can see the axle is not perpendicular the the frame. The second pic shows where I accidently placed the axle on the leaf spring pin.

What you are referring to has a pinhole, it’s actually more of a slot. Until I get it all cleaned up. I cannot tell if it’s just wherever or if it was made that way.

Larry and John - It sounds like you may be describing different points on the axle collar mounts (aka - spring seat and cap assembly). The stationary hole John describes, I think, is the round opening on the bottom of the lower seat portion that rests on top of the spring and spring locator pin to keep that bracket in a stable position.

I think the "slot" Larry is referring to is the space on the upper side of the lower seat (inside the curved opening) where the axle housing locating tab (I think it's more than a pin) rests. Two different parts with two different functions. That upper side slot is meant to keep the axle position centered L to R in the brackets by the axle housing tabs, but also allows the axle housing to rotate in the collar (formed by the spring seat and cap) letting the torque tube and axle move slightly during operation of the truck.

The spring seat and cap assembly, from what I can recall from previous research, indicated there were actually two different style caps. The rounded kind that you can see in John's picture that does not support overload springs, and the flat style Larry shows that does support top mounted overload springs.

Clear as mud???

Thanks Dan! Being a married guy I’m pretty experienced at talking past each other and each think we are communicating! lol The “pin” I was referring to, is actually the bolt that holds the springs together, fits in the slot or hole in my picture. I think there is enough slop that I need to watch my measurements before tightening down the U-bolts. I still have to put in the shackle kit on that side, The driver side is completed.

No problem Larry. Being a long time married guy myself, I speak that "talking past..." language too - hahaha! Gotcha on the "pin" actually being the spring pack bolt. Did you not have the same hole "slop" on the driver side bracket? On your concern about the alignment of the axle, I think you could select a spot, such as the rear edge of the front spring mount on the frame and measure back to the forward side of the axle tube on both sides. If there is a difference side to side, with the u-bolts still loose, you could see if bumping the axle on that loose side fore or aft to see if it will bring those measurements into sync.

Actually, I do have overload springs. They sit on top of the axle collar and are held on by different U-bolts. I remember ordering U-bolts and they were too narrow and the vendor ask me if I have overload springs, then sent me the correct ones.

Thanks for clearing that up John.