The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Need Help Identifying Part

I'm new to the Stovebolt forum and am the new owner of a '49 GMC 3/4 ton pickup. Picked it up from an estate sale. My first efforts have been aimed at changing all the fluids and doing a lube job. In the process of doing that I have had the front of the vehicle up on those small portable drive-on ramps. A couple days after the truck had been up on the ramps, I found two identical small, rubber blocks on each side of the driveway where I had been working. The blocks measure 2" square, flat on one end and wedge shaped on the other... kind of like a short, cubby door stop. The blocks also have an off center hole 3/4" in diameter running through them from the flat side to the wedge shaped side. I checked under the truck hoping to find something like a shiny spot on the frame or suspension that might have indicated where the blocks came from, but no luck. I then started searching through vintage car parts catalogs hoping to find a similar part. The closest I found was a picture of some small rubber blocks which were identified in the catalog as "Axle bumper stops, front, rubber". However, looking at my truck, I found it had small rubber axle bumper blocks bolted to the top of the leaf springs between the axle and frame on both sides. A picture of the blocks I'm trying to identify can be seen at http://public.fotki.com/ltcmikem/ltcmikem/181_8193.html

I'm hoping someone on this forum will be able to help me identify and locate where these blocks/bumpers/spacers belong.

Mike

They look like bushings from an anti-sway bar.

Mike, not sure but they look like some type of manmade body bushings and when the load was taken off of the right spot,when u put your truck on the ramps, they decided to fall out. By the way your GMC looks like a good project to work on. c-ya

Wrenchbender Ret. & bowtiesr4me -

Thanks for your thoughts. No anti-sway bar on the '49 so I'll put the old gal back up on the portable ramps and see if maybe I can find a clean or shiny spot where the cab or bed mounts to the frame. I appreciate your time to think about this and reply.

Mike

Look in the bottom of the ramps. You should find a square hole in each, where the blocks fit as anti-skid devices.

Good looking truck there Mike. What part of Texas do you live in?


Phil

Fred & Phil -

Fred... THANKS !!! But, you only got me part way there. What are the "ramps".

Phil... Fredericksburg... where are you?

I think he's suggesting that the rubber things you found aren't part of the truck, but actually parts to the "small portable ramps" you had the truck on, used to "chock" the wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling off the ramps.

For clarity, refer to the following crude illustration:

[img]http://www.geekoasis.com/turtle/ramppic.gif[/img]

Mike - you're the one who brought up "ramps"!!
actually Fumblin, I think more likely he meant under the metal end of the ramp to keep the ramps from slipping forward as the wheels start pushing against them [worst thing about those ramps] - anti-skid blocks, not wheel chocks

Bill

I wouldn't think they are chocks, but more of a "antiskid device" like Fred said. They go Under the ramps to keep the ramps from sliding on the concrete. My guess.

Well then ignore the last crude illustration with TWO factual errors, and refer to the following:

[img]http://www.geekoasis.com/turtle/ramppic2.gif[/img]

Fred, Fumblin46 & Bill - You guys are my "three amigos"... muchas gracias!!! Color me (1) embaressed, (2) releived, and (3)delighted to have this mystery solved. See the picture at... http://public.fotki.com/ltcmikem/ltcmikem/182_8214.html

Fumblin46... your sketch is copied, enlarged, and printed and will be framed tomorrow and displayed in the shop... right where the "ramps" are stored. Thanks for making the extra effort!!!

Mike

Great illustrations Fumblin! It looks like you went to the same school of art I did.

AD_Pickup - "If you dont know for sure.......stay off the keyboard" I think alot of people on this site have been able to solve thier problems or get answers to questions BECAUSE many people reply. Being on this site is no guarantee you will find an answer, but it is guaranteed that people will try to help you. Some things are not capable of being answered definitively, and some responses dont address the question directly. So what? I am here to read about problems and all POSSIBLE solutions. Sometimes there could be more than one answer. I'll take your best guess, thank-you. I like the fact that sometimes it takes a lot of people thinking collectively to come up with a solution. "Two heads are better than one" How about 8,000? I myself am not very knowledgable and there are many more here who are light years ahead of me; however; if I THINK I can help someone I will continue to reply.
Sorry about the rant
Jeff

Mike, glad you solved your mystery part episode. I live in Amarillo, which is in the panhandle. I have a cousin that works for Arrowhead State Bank in Fredricksburg. His wife and my wife are also lifelong best friends. Next time we go to visit them, I will let you know. I would like to see that old truck in person.

Phil

Love them pitchers, Fumblin. One more thing. On smooth concrete them pads make lousy anti-skid devices. Glad to help y'all, Now, I gotta get back to my mid-morning nap.

The rubber block may help a bit in ideal conditions. I tacked a length of sheet metal to the leading edge of my ramps. Truck weight on the leader keeps ramps from moving.

Not exactly rocket science but after much frustration I had to cobble a solution!

Thanks again to everyone here who offered me a suggestion on identifying the mystery blocks. I worked at it for over a week... several hours under the truck and searchiong through parts catalogs. You guys did it for me and I really appreciate it.

Phil... it would be great to meet with you next time you're in Fredericksburg. [email protected]

Mike

Mike if you get some 3M Super weather strip adhesive and put some on the "hole" part I think you won't have to worry about them coming off again for a long time. TIP wear rubber glove when using this stuff, they don't call it yellow death for nothin!

50GMV253 & Brian -

Both of your suggestions are "keepers"... THANKS