snapped middle leaf on the drivers side

ah looks like both bump stops are gone too...lol. I guess i have never seen them under there ever. I suspect they were gone before i got the truck. Had a look back and when i put on my frame caps a couple years back and the driver side spring looks fine in the pictures. Must have just broke recently i guess. I didnt hear or feel a thing but its broke alright.

 

yeah the bump stops being gone aren't helping that's for sure, not good for the rear shocks either. Can usually get a set of aftermarket stock bump stumps for fairly cheap, I think Daystar and Energy suspension sell them

 

looks like mcgeorge has them for about 40 bucks each. THey are listed as coil spring dampers but they are for the rear and the diagrams show leaf/fitment. Might order from them. I couldnt find anything from Daystar or Energy Sus.

 

The bump stop is not critical. I'd try to source an aftermarket one from RockAuto or anywhere else you could find one.

 

seems the u bolts nuts are larger than 19mm....but smaller than 21mm. A 13/16 goes on but has a bit of slop. Id hate to call that good enough only to round/ruin them with the breaker bar....impact. gun. Now im on the hunt for a 20mm deep socket i guess.

(CORRECTION.......)

Yup...they are 19. Lol....just that rusty and covered in scale. Jesus.
You cant really get a wire brush in there but scraping the hell out of each side of each nut with a small chisel/punch cleaned it off enough to get the 19 on. Crazy....

 

Thanks. I have had a look around at rock auto and oddly it doesnt appear they carry them. Been searching around a bit for some afforable aftermarket replacements but still havent come up with much. Most sites have fancy ones that are well over 100 bucks and in some cases well over 200 bucks just for a bit of rubber. Im sure they exist somewhere...i just havent found them yet. RockAuto is my go to for most things. Great place.

Update: Holy christ....im blind. They have them at General Spring for $30. Not sure how i missed that

 

Got a pile of parts ordered. The rear shakle bolts broke free no problem The front is impossible to get at due to the tank. Might have to try to turn the bolt head on the other side while holding the nut on the tank side with a large wrench. I have a feeling im going to have to cut that one from what i have read anyway....

Also the axle plate/u bolt nuts. I had my 18 inch breaker bar on there. No dice. I cant get much leverage laying on the ground. I might try my electric impact on them but if the 18in bb doesnt move it im not holding out much hope for that. Might try to get one of those 25 inch breaker bars from HF and get on it with that. Id put a cheater bar on my nice older Craftsman 18 inch but id rather not break it since i know the new tools are garbage. id rather spend the 20 bucks at HF and snap that one i guess. IF that fails, i guess i go the angle grinder method and hope i can find a spot to get in there with it. Mabye might try one of those smaller ones that goes on a die grinder too. THose probably wont cut very easy being hardened and all..

 

18 or 24" breaker bar + hi lift jack handle = beast bar. (plus a high impact 6-sided socket)

Get yourself a torch too if you don't already have one. A little heat will go a long way. Also tap on the bolt/nut for a bit after you spray some pb blaster, it helps to drive it in a little further. (also have a fire extinguisher on hand if you intend on applying heat shortly after the pb blaster).

 

THanks....yeah ive done the heat thing before with my suspension on other cars. It works great. I was actually surprised how the rear shackle bolts both just popped loose. THose where no problem.

 

got myself the 25 inch breaker bar today....and i dont think they are are going to budge. Thick walled impact socket. I dont have a cheater pipe with a large enough diameter to get over the handle on the breaker sadly. Even the jack handle on the floor jack is too small. One of the four of the nuts feels like it might snap off actually. Not sure if that is possible or if the bb would snap at the joint before that happens. If it ever stops raining and clears up ill crawl under there and put some heat on it. Still waiting on parts so i have time.

The more confusing part is there is NO way to get a socket/bb on the front bolt nut to try to get it free. I tried from the bolt head side on the outside of the frame. Gave that a few good rattatats with the impact hoping to at least work in the penetrating fluid everywhere. I grabbed the other end of the bolt near the tank while giving it the beans with the impact and i could feel nothing.....lol. IM sure its going to be seized as well. I dont have the truck up in the air yet figuring it would be easiest / safest to break the nuts loose there and have the most leverage without chancing the truck falling. Got some small cut off wheels just in case all else fails.

 

I used some heat and borderline cardiac arrest. I could swear that the 1 bolt felt like it was twisting off and going to break. Anyway......i was able to go back and forth....tightening a bit first actually then loosening. I have 3 of the 4 ubolt nuts moving about 1/8 of a turn. These bastards are rusty. Im going to need that cheater bar. I heated them again and soaked them good..and ill be back at it tomorrow. Still no clue how im going to get the front one. Probably turn the bolt head using the bb and if the whole thing spin...use a box end 19mm on the inside nut since thats all that will filt....just to hold the nut while it spins off..........then probably cut it anyways since the stupid shaft thing will be stuck to the bolt in the bushing.

 

Worst case cut straight up on the inside of the leaf bracket with a 4-1/2 angle grinder through the bushing and bolt. Up here in the rust belt of north jersey torching will only god so far. Sometimes it’s easier to cut. Remember if the heat gets into the perch/ bracket to long and depending on the rust level it can make it weaker.

 

yeah...im a bit worried about using a the 4 1/2 inch metabo with the cut off wheel is that its close to the tank. I have some fiber glass blankets and can cut some scrap wood to block that off probably. I have the small cut off wheels for the drill thinking that might work a bit better. i suspect either will work ....with the drill taking much longer. The other fear i have is cutting into the damn mount itself as i go and screwing that up. I guess if im extra careful and error on the side of caution cutting hard against the face of the sprint that should work out ok.

Pretty sure i should have ordered the rear shackle assembly for another $50. Seems like folks have the same problem there. I guess i can try to see if that comes out easy....then beat the piss out of it with the 2lb sledge.....then order the part. Maybe ill get lucky....nope.

 

oh boy, this makes me not look forward to replacing my leafs...
but thanks for all the indepth info