Building leaf spring packs

Hey all,

I'm about to repair a leaf spring pack by adding in leafs, and throwing in some extra leafs to give me a little more up in the back.

I get the stacking part, that's easy.

I'm curious about those sheet metal clamps, for lack of better words.

How do I go about getting the correct size and attaching them. Where do I get them? Napa? What info do I need before I try to buy them?

I was just going to use bolts for the pins, is that acceptable?

Thanks
Luke

I think those clips are only used to prevent the leaves from rotating about the U bolts. You only are concerned with the width of the leaf. I have seen many where the depth of that clip far exceeds the spring pack depth.

I would just get new center bolts from a spring shop.

They shouldn't be to expensive and will be the right size to fit the alignment holes in the perch.

jstand wrote: I would just get new center bolts from a spring shop. They shouldn't be to expensive and will be the right size to fit the alignment holes in the perch.

bingo

OK so the idea is just to keep the leafs from rotating, thus forcing them to stay stacked on each other.

We don't have a spring shop around here that I'm familiar with, or that the phone book (google) is familiar with. NAPA seems to be my only resource at the moment.

So the center bolts may be a NAPA thing as well? I was just going to hardware store it.

Taiden wrote: OK so the idea is just to keep the leafs from rotating, thus forcing them to stay stacked on each other. We don't have a spring shop around here that I'm familiar with, or that the phone book (google) is familiar with. NAPA seems to be my only resource at the moment. So the center bolts may be a NAPA thing as well? I was just going to hardware store it.

I have used a standard bolt when re-packing leaf springs. The reason they have special bolts is there is often no place for a regular sized bolt head on the perch. On my chrysler 8.25 the bolt head fit through the hole in the seat, but I have read about needing to grind a standard bolt head down to fit.

Realistically the ubolts hold everything together, the center pin keeps everything centered during assembly, there should be no major load to that bolt/pin.

If you plan to keep the vehicle, chances the spring isolators are shot, look into something like this: liner

amazon if you can wait a couple of days. search leaf spring clamp and leaf spring pivot bolt

Every town has a truck spring shop. They will have bins of the pieces you need. Just don't wear clean clothes.
In the Portland ME area the Google is showing: http://www.palmerspring.com/ http://mcfarlandspring.com/

Alright, so I found a few spring shops. They were helpfulish, but didn't have enough parts in stock to rebuild these suckers, so I had to shop at two separate ones.

I live in Bangor now, so sad to leave your known area. I knew all the "places" in Portland. :(

Do I need some kind of liner between the leafs at the center bolt? I have some milk carton here... haha.

Not at the center bolt, just where the leafs rub together. Not totally necessary.

Your kinding right? Try Palmer Spring. They've been around the portland area for years. Heck i'm in ma and I know palmer spring... But then again i've worked on old junk for ev..va.

In reply to 44Dwarf:

Yeah, Palmer is awesome. I'm in Bangor now, though. A good 2.5 hours away. :(

I ended up getting them in with isolators from a local parts store. They charged me $3 a piece, what a racket. I got the pack clamps for $1.20 a piece at a local spring shop. The spring shop didn't carry isolators, what a racket!

Anyway, I got the Jeep back on the ground, and the rebuild leaf packs work great! I replaced one leaf which had snapped, rotated the matching one on the other side 180° to combat the same wear area that would have snapped that one, and added another #2 leaf to each side. I netted a 1.5" lift which is exactly what I wanted, got my new shocks in, and got rid of the broken leaf! Nice!

Now I get to throw in my little spacer up front, install my tow hooks, and put in the front shocks and run off to get her inspected.

Thanks all for the help

Oh i miss Bass Park UBM / Sidewayspromo Flat track races up there. Nothing like bike on a mile tossing pea gravel at you slid'in sideways.

Sounds like you got it done right,

The clips on the leaves are there to ensure the spring is as stiff in extension as it is in compression. Sometimes you actually want to make the spring less stiff in extension - for example, Mopar drag cars run with the clips removed from the rear half of the spring, and the axle wind-up lifts the tail up. Less stiffness in extension on the rear leaves helps them rise a bit further than if the rear leaves were clipped. The front leaves still have the clip on to keep them rigid.

44Dwarf wrote: Oh i miss Bass Park UBM / Sidewayspromo Flat track races up there. Nothing like bike on a mile tossing pea gravel at you slid'in sideways. Sounds like you got it done right,

Tell me more! What is this you speak of?

http://archive.bangordailynews.com/2001/08/27/creamer-roars-to-bass-park-win/

Here's an old article when the "teacher" (Rodger Dukee) lost to the "student" (Aaron Creamer). Aaron went on to get his national pro number just a few year later and unfortunately lost his life in Sturgis after someone blow up in front of him. Miss that kid every day. I along with others worked on his bikes for years the kid had the right stuff. Pete Giamallvo the sideways promoter has now passed away to so flat tracking all most gone in New England. There just about to reopen Pete's track (WVRC Wachussett Valley Riders Club) down in Winchendon Mass.