Hi Garrett,

Kinda hard to see but 4,000 lb ratcheting strap didn't even move it.

I used brute was shocked it didn't budge. Used a 24" huge crescent wrench stood on it and jacked it up. Was worried it would deform the area where the spring eye so i quit. Appreciate your input though.
The current plan of action is to cut the U bolts and using the length as leverage to unjam the leafspring eye. New u bolts will be delivered tomorrow.

 

Yeah, seems like you know what you're doing. Springs seem to be a struggle no matter what.

And for the U-bolts, "they can't be tight if they're liquid!" (As the oxy/ace torch pops to life)

 

Nice of you to say but if i knew what i was doing it would be done. Lol. A straight front axle is so much easier to work on.

Oh yeah oxygen and acetylene. I would probably catch ol'blue on fire. Lol

 

Finally made a tool turns out to be too lightweight. I will try to add a handle to the second plate. Might try to boxing the channel iron handles.

The intention was to use my right foot on the chain to tilt the leaf spring eye so a bolt can be feed through.

The top of the homemade diy ttb leaf spring tilter...... that needs futher Modifications to work as intended. Keep everyone posted.

 

What's that old saying? Necessity is the drive of invention? Something like that...

 

Hi Garrett,
Yes Agreed. I tried to use it but the channel iron bent when force was applied. So i picked up a 36" long piece of 1"× 1/2" piece of box iron. Hopefully that won't bend. Still have the old design bolted to the truck. Been to cold and wet outside to work on it.
keep you posted on my progress and thanks for your interest.

 

Easter weekend update.

Hi all hope everyone had a good Easter weekend. Well pictures are worth a thousand words.

Hard to see the Bushing but the edge is visible.





well since January haven't made much progress. I am really getting tired of working on a vehicle more then i drive it. Overall ol'blue has been pertty disappointing. When its good its great but when it isnt is most of the time.

After the Bushings we shall see. It might be time to retire ol'blue.

 

Sorry for the delay in a update.

A few weeks ago i had nice weather and some spare time so i gave it another try with ol'blue. (see signature at the bottom of the post)
started with this

This is with the end of the axle lifted slightly and the spring eye shackle at its highest point. Pertty harsh angle.

When i would raise the axle the spring eye Bushing wouldn't come close. From the wheel well.
so decided to use a 3" wide ratcheting strap to try to pull the spring back under the frame.

3" wide ratcheting strap and homemade spring tool

Still with not much change. So with only 4 frosty cold adult beverages down i decided maybe i would sit down to figure out how to pull the pull the forward spring eye in the frame pocket.

An I bolt through the spring eye. Upper center to right.


Lower left homemade Tool Upper right green ratcheting strap going threw the cribbing blocks



Finally
i have started ol'blue (see signature at the bottom of this post) about every 3 months. Amazed how easily it starts every time.

hope to finish the other side on the 4th.

 

Forgot to add this one.

 

Have you considered putting the shackle in the frame first and then put the spring in last? If you can get the spring higher before it tries to engage the shackle, the higher the springs gets, the closer to the correct spot it will be in.

 

Hi Dave,

I did actually at first but with the polly Bushing installed in the shackle and the shackle bolted into the frame there was zero give at all. I looked at the spring eye Bushings and they appear to be softer. Which makes sense for such a small mounting point to have a harder compound.

Well one think so but unfortunately when the spring was raised the angle remained pertty much the same. At one point i had it very close but any higher and it would have shaved off the retention lip off one of the Bushing halfs.

I tried everything that's why it took so longer then a normal. I was beside myself every single time i headed in from working on it.

made a cribbing block i wanted the option to have full droop without wheel being mounted. At one point using two floor jacks and a bottle jack. Still don't know what has caused a 2° + camber originally observed with a metal on metal issue were the rubber had split.

Dave i am going to tell ya that i sure hope it fixes it. With the truck spare tire. Figured after i torque all the bolts i will drive it for a bit to settle the suspension before i re measure. The drivers side front brake caliper was sticking or hanging.

we shall see with everything back together.

 

When you finally get it together, just make sure you do not cinch the shackle bolts down tight till you get the full weight of the truck on it. You don't want to tighten the bolts when the suspension is at a odd angle hanging in the air, the bushings may bind when you sit the truck down on the ground later.

 

Hi Dave,
Good advice thank you. I did make sure the drive half shaft still rotated. I removed the c clip passenger side d44 axle and replaced it with a d50 passenger side axle and a valve spring in the pocket to keep everything together. Free upgrade besides it has a lunchbox locker in the front so in deep snow if necessary i unlock the drivers side tracks much truer that way.

You wouldn't by chance have the torque specs for a 85 f250 4wd front end would you?

 

front spring to axle u-bolt 85-120ftlbs
front spring shackle to shackle bracket 150-210ftlbs
front spring assembly to hanger bracket 120-150ftlbs
front spring rear bracket to frame 35=50ftlbs
front spring to shackle 120-150ftlbs
front shock bracket to frame 48-65ftlbs

 

Thanks Dave👍👍👍