Hey Everone,

I just did the front leaf springs on my truck. 97 F350 CCLB. I tightened the springs to 130 ftlbs, the shackle to frame at 150 ftlbs, and the ubolts to 110 ftlbs. The passenger side got all bent and crazy. I haven't driven it yet. Is it a bad idea to run it like this?

Thanks,

Bill

 

Were the old ones bent?
Looks like the bracket bent as well. What did it look like before the leaf spring repair? Where did you get the u bolts from?

 

The old one wasn't bent before the new leaf spring. I didn't think about looking at the bracket before I put the new ubolt on. The ubolts and springs are from general springs.

 

I am pretty sure bent the bracket when jacking the truck up doing the leaf springs. I did one side at a time with the tires on. I jacked up the drivers side from the frame without disconnecting anything other than the shocks. I must have went too far and bent the plate.

 

I wouldn't run that...

Looks like the jack bent the whole bracket up in the middle. You might be able to get it bent back down? That's gonna be a booger no matter what though.

 

I agree. I need to get it sorted out before driving it regularly. I am ordering new U bolts today. The back u bolts look good but I will replace them.

My plan so far is to use some sort of spreader between the bent ubolts. Hopefully I can get enough space between the axle and bracket to get a shim or wedge in there.

I don't want to bend or dent the axle if I pound a wedge in there. How beefy is the axle tube?

 

Your concern is about getting it apart with it bent like that? Can you get a cutting wheel on the shank that's bent, just above the plate? Or maybe loosen/remove the nuts and cut off just _below_ the plate?

 

I will chop the ubolts to get them off.

I was thinking I might bend the ubolts with a spreader to try and flatten out the bracket. I need to bend the bracket or do something so the new bolts don't bend out of shape. It seems like they would weaken if they are bent.

What do you think about this?

If I can't bend the plate flat, I put a flat rectangular metal piece with two holes under the bracket and bolt it on. Something thick that won't bend so the bolts will be kept straight.

 

How hard is a replacement plate to find?

 

The plates are welded on and they are not available. I will limp it down to the shop that does my alignment tomorrow and see what they say.

The truck has been getting some love after it was recovered. Once I get the ubolts sorted out it is going to be awesome. I just finished the banks intercooler install, tru cool trans cooler, python remote start, and hydra chip. New front leaf springs and billsteins all around. I just an appointment to get the door jams, wheel wells, and corners painted next week.

I am going to be able to do 80mph up I70. I can't wait.

 

Ok, went to my shop today. They said I could run it no probs. I can't really do that, but I have a plan.

I am going to get a thick peice of metal with two holes to go under the bent bracket.

I am going to cut off the old u bolt. I will use the threaded part of the old ubolt and two nuts to compress the thick peice of metal and the bracket back in place. Once the bracket is back where it wants to be, I will install the new U bolt with new metal piece.

 

I would just get a piece of heavy steel plate 1/2 " 0r heavier thickness big enough to cover [under the bent plate] & use a big heavy C clamp & squeeze the 2 to-gether . It will straighten out. & of course you will have to remove the front u-bolts friskyjake

 

or a comealong connected to something below the truck that is pretty stout.

 

heat and a pry bar. then make a plate to add on for good measure. Or wsld a space in there so it will not crush again.

 

I'm confused.If the old u-bolt wasn't bent before you did the leaf springs, then there is no way it bent like that from jacking the driver side from the frame. It looks like the nuts were just over tightened.