Squeak in front right leaf spring.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
OK guys I need a little more help.
First, The shim kit is not wide enough for my leaf springs. Mine are 3 inches wide and the curved shim is only 2. The piece with the stud is square and my original ones are round. I managed to get the first piece with the stud in on one spring but it does not fit very well. There is also a "clamp" that wraps around my springs to prevent you from seperating them.
What am I doing wrong? My truck is in the air so any quick help is appreciated. Thanks Guys.
David
PS earlybirds, what year is your truck and is it a 4 x 4?
First, The shim kit is not wide enough for my leaf springs. Mine are 3 inches wide and the curved shim is only 2. The piece with the stud is square and my original ones are round. I managed to get the first piece with the stud in on one spring but it does not fit very well. There is also a "clamp" that wraps around my springs to prevent you from seperating them.
What am I doing wrong? My truck is in the air so any quick help is appreciated. Thanks Guys.
David
PS earlybirds, what year is your truck and is it a 4 x 4?
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 476
Likes: 13
From: Hickory, North Carolina
A little more info.
As I mentioned earlier their is no way to use the curved pieces. I could possibly make the flat pieces work but I would have to grind off the two 1/8 inch lips from each side as these would be completely between the two leafs as opposed to the lips wrapping around the side as I think is was intended to do. I may not have to grind the lips off the ones for the rear leafs because these leafs have a tapered end. Also the nipples on the flat pieces are about 1/2 the length of the original shims.
David
As I mentioned earlier their is no way to use the curved pieces. I could possibly make the flat pieces work but I would have to grind off the two 1/8 inch lips from each side as these would be completely between the two leafs as opposed to the lips wrapping around the side as I think is was intended to do. I may not have to grind the lips off the ones for the rear leafs because these leafs have a tapered end. Also the nipples on the flat pieces are about 1/2 the length of the original shims.
David
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
A little more info.
As I mentioned earlier their is no way to use the curved pieces. I could possibly make the flat pieces work but I would have to grind off the two 1/8 inch lips from each side as these would be completely between the two leafs as opposed to the lips wrapping around the side as I think is was intended to do. I may not have to grind the lips off the ones for the rear leafs because these leafs have a tapered end. Also the nipples on the flat pieces are about 1/2 the length of the original shims.
David
As I mentioned earlier their is no way to use the curved pieces. I could possibly make the flat pieces work but I would have to grind off the two 1/8 inch lips from each side as these would be completely between the two leafs as opposed to the lips wrapping around the side as I think is was intended to do. I may not have to grind the lips off the ones for the rear leafs because these leafs have a tapered end. Also the nipples on the flat pieces are about 1/2 the length of the original shims.
David
here is the front shim installed.
here is the rear shim installed.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 476
Likes: 13
From: Hickory, North Carolina
Silver, thanks for taking the time to post pics!
Now I understand that our leaf spring set-up is different. I only had 4 shims on my truck. All of them were round and badly worn I might add as you can see in the pic.
I made the new ones work though at least for now. As I mentioned before the ones on the rear of the leafs fit ok because of the taper at the end of the leaf. The way I made the front fit was to cut away the 1/8 lip. Hopefully you can see what I did in the pics.
There were no curved pieces on my leafs at all. I guess this was a change made from 2002 to 2002.
I would like to hear your thoughts.
Thanks very much, David
Front of leaf
Back of leaf
Old shims
Now I understand that our leaf spring set-up is different. I only had 4 shims on my truck. All of them were round and badly worn I might add as you can see in the pic.
I made the new ones work though at least for now. As I mentioned before the ones on the rear of the leafs fit ok because of the taper at the end of the leaf. The way I made the front fit was to cut away the 1/8 lip. Hopefully you can see what I did in the pics.
There were no curved pieces on my leafs at all. I guess this was a change made from 2002 to 2002.
I would like to hear your thoughts.
Thanks very much, David
Front of leaf
Back of leaf
Old shims
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
SC Dave-my truck is a '99 4x4. It has the snow plow package(heavy duty front leaf springs) so maybe the WIDTH of the springs is different from yours. The shim kit from Ford fit perfectly on my truck.
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