Has anyone ever had to replace or fix a broken frame spring mount pin?
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Has anyone ever had to replace or fix a broken frame spring mount pin?
Yes-Rear axle-Front and rear pins.
For the rear, I just found the right sized bolt at the farm store and cut the head to fit the recessed/channeled area in the frame. Length and Cross drilled then tapped for grease zerk. Welded in place of original. Worked fine with rough use.
Front, I threw out the original design and welded a nut to the inside frame mount and threaded a bolt into it though the spring eye. The nut and bolt will need to be cross drilled to keep it from working out with use. Also should length/cross drill/tap for zerk.
Kinda a PITA job, but it's certainly doable with a drill, grinder and welder.
Note: I chose grade 5 bolts with the thought that I'd rather have them bend and distort instead of snapping off.
My bolts have held up ok, but the passenger side rear hanger for the front axle spring has broken away from the frame twice in the last 5 years. Actually, it was twice in about 2 years. Once with the original weld and once with a slobber looking stick weld of mine done in a hurry in the rain. A good bead is very hard to do while being shocked.
I took my time and used the MIG 2 years ago and have had no problems since.
Okay, so out of 29 reads only 2 people have had trouble. I'm trying to get an idea since I'm down to frame if I want to overkill the spring mount and frame in those areas.
But if only a couple problems have been seen then there is no reason to overbuild it.
Those are most likely 3/8" bolts. I don't think they are designed to do more than keep the leafs together, and to locate them in the axle. Once the U-bolts are tight, these bolts should see very little load. My guess is that something went wrong with the U-bolts.
I was meaning the welded on brackets on the front and the pins on the back.
Col, I think it's more common than what you're reading...not terribly common, but it does happen.
The best fix would be to build a double shear mount instead of the stock single shear type.
Then just for fun, I will design and build stronger spring mounts. I'm doing a spring over with late model chevy axles. My thought was to move the mounts under the frame and box in the rear areas that would need it. The front frame looks good. Pics coming in a week when the work gets done.
When I bought my truck one of the rear pins was broke. The guy threw in a mount from a J series truck. Best I remember without going to the shed to look is that the J truck mount was forged and the M715 mount was stamped metal but after cutting the rivets out the holes matched the frame. I used bolts to remount to the frame.