The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk replacing suspension parts

I managed to get a little work done in the garage today. I removed the front axle on my '53 3100 and took it to the machine shop to have the kingpins replaced, then I started taking a look at the leaf springs. I'm glad I dug into the suspension this far because the spring bushings were worn completely through and into the springs themselves, look how badly the pin is worn. It should be driving like a new truck once I get all the new parts put back together!

old vs. new spring
worn spring

I like your approach. Do it Once....Do it Right.
Looks like someone lost their grease gun!!
Years of hard work can take a toll on a truck grease or no grease. Metal does wear!

This is a classic example of why it is thought that an old straight axle truck is unsafe to drive on the freeway. When the suspension parts are worn this bad, the truck is unsafe to drive. When all the components are within spec. the trucks are quite safe to drive, and alot more fun than that new Chevy off the dealers lot.

yep that's worn out. My 37 isn't even that worn and it had grease harder that a woodpecker's lips.

Well said, Lonnie!
Samantha

Where did you get your new springs? Mine do take grease and actually don't appear to be worn all that much, I’d still like to put a new set on this year. I'm torn as to where to buy them, but I’ve been thinking about Detroit Spring. Everything else in the front end has been rebuilt or is new and I'd like to do the springs just because I'm sure they are a little fatigued after 60 years of bouncing around country roads.
And as the other guys have said, do it right the first time and you will have a nice riding truck.

Tks
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I bought mine from Jim Carter and they fit perfectly, It is nice after new cab mounts and springs to see it sit level.

I bought mine from Jim Carter also. My old springs were not only worn at the bushings but at the ends of each individual leaf they were wearing into each other quite a bit.

Denny,
I got mine from Eqton Detroit and am VERY pleased with them! They are exactly like the originals - they make them from the same drawings. They have an excellant product!
Samantha

If the ends aren't wallered out, have the springs re-arched.

You can go to a sping shop I got one by My house called service sping and they can re-arch or make new and You save on shipping just take Your springs in or take Your truck in . I hope this helps , Pete

I priced re-arching (rebuilding)the springs locally from a shop in Rockford and a new set for the vendors were about the same price. I'm sure ya had a finger slip there Sammantha, Eaton Detroit spring was going to be my first choice, since they specilize and have been in business for a hundred years. Wouldn't be a bit surprised if JC and the others were supplied by them.
I'll have to check out Service Spring Pete. You say they are in Melrose, that's only an hour or so away from me.
tks
DG

Yeh, and I have going there for 30+ years good people , if You come in ,come over and see My truck , Pete

JC Whitney has front springs available for the 1/2 and 3/4 tons. They're fairly reasonable priced too. With the the extreme rarity of these trucks I would be willing to guess they come from the same place Eaton or even Jim Carter gets theirs. I'm going to be getting a set for the 54 before too long myself. JC seems the way to go.

Here are pics of the front end finally going back together with all of the new parts.

New: Brake shoes, brake cylinders, tapered wheel bearings, king pins & bushings, leaf springs, leaf spring bushings, shocks, tie rod, tie rod ends, and fresh paint.

front left
rebuilt front axle

FYI

We know that JC Whitney and Jim Carter and others are vendors, but Eaton claims to be a manufacturer. They make their springs, whereas the vendors buy for a manufacturer.

Eaton is a manufacturer as Lonnie said, and the springs are authorized GM restoration parts, and best of all, they're made in the U.S.A!
Samantha

Dbell I love the photo of everything going back together. It looks like the axle is held up by a 4x4 and a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Those sure are strong cans. Great job.

Dumb Dumb. My god he must be using a FULL can. What a waste.

I am just getting started with my restoration but since the truck does not sit level I know I will need to do something with the springs. The only local shop that does re-arching charges based on time but their estimate is more than either Jim Carter or Eaton. Disappointed with some of the off-shore parts I have already started assembling, I asked Jim Carter where their springs are made. They said they are made in Missouri. The Eaton springs are more expensive but I believe they indicated the price included new bushings too. Eaton will also re-arch springs but look at their website to see what they say about doing that.

Chuck

Hookalatch,

Something to be aware of when your truck is not sitting level is the cause could be that the frame has been damaged. It is difficult to tell, but if the arch of the springs is close when they have been removed from the truck; start checking the frame for damage. The damage may be that the structural integrity of the frame has been compromised. The best way I can describe this is that there may be loose or broken rivets. This will allow the frame to "hinge" instead of flex. This is what was wrong with my frame.

When my frame was completely disassembled and sitting on jack-stands this was quite evident. I performed this test with jack-stands under each corner of the frame. Standing at the rear of the frame I could easily lift the right side rail off the stand several inches before the opposite side would start to come off the jack-stand. When trying to lift the left rail off the stand, I could barely lift it because of the weight of the frame. The right side was "hinging" off the left side, whereas the left side was still tight and lifting the whole frame.

I hope this is not the case with your frame.

That is hillarious, I didn't even catch that, I can assure you the can is empty! Milwaukee has good quality aluminum!