mocamino
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Post by mocamino on Mar 27, 2024 7:07:58 GMT -8
This question is addressed to John. How do you replace the through bolts that go through the shackles? With this suspension design, can the through bolts be replaced? Are these wetbolts? I don't see any zerk fittings. Thanks, Rod I suspect I'll have to grind/cut off the existing bolts and replace them by putting in bolts of exactly the right length from the outboard side to inboard side, thus having the bolt head on the outside and the nut on the inside. Too long and the end of the bolt will scrape on the bracket, too short and it won't have good thread engagement. Blue Loctite (NOT RED) will be my friend. I need to take another look to see if there is room for that. If there's not...well I'm not sure what the solution to that would be. What puzzles me is how in the world did they get those bolts in? Surely they didn't put the bolt through the perch, then weld the perch in? After looking at the pictures again before submitting the post, I think I know what they did. They must have assembled the frame with the suspension before ever putting the wheel wells and the body of the camper on. So they had easy access to the back of those bolts. I haven't peeled the skin back to see how far down I'm going to have to take the camper. We got a decent rainstorm two days ago and the old girl leaks. Not TERRIBLY bad, but enough to realize that a down to the frame rebuild is quite likely in her future. Makes me realize we probably paid too much for her, but that's water under the bridge (or through the seams, as it were). If it's down to the frame, replacing the spring bolts will be easy, right? If the water damage isn't as bad as I fear, I have an idea though. If I can get access to the wheel wells through the cabinetry, I could cut access panels in the wall of the wheel well to access the back of the bolts. That would allow insertion of the new bolts, then weld up the holes in the wheel well. Not ideal, but it would work.
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Mar 27, 2024 9:40:12 GMT -8
This question is addressed to John. How do you replace the through bolts that go through the shackles? With this suspension design, can the through bolts be replaced? Are these wetbolts? I don't see any zerk fittings. Thanks, Rod I suspect I'll have to grind/cut off the existing bolts and replace them by putting in bolts of exactly the right length from the outboard side to inboard side, thus having the bolt head on the outside and the nut on the inside. Too long and the end of the bolt will scrape on the bracket, too short and it won't have good thread engagement. Blue Loctite (NOT RED) will be my friend. I need to take another look to see if there is room for that. If there's not...well I'm not sure what the solution to that would be. What puzzles me is how in the world did they get those bolts in? Surely they didn't put the bolt through the perch, then weld the perch in? After looking at the pictures again before submitting the post, I think I know what they did. They must have assembled the frame with the suspension before ever putting the wheel wells and the body of the camper on. So they had easy access to the back of those bolts. I haven't peeled the skin back to see how far down I'm going to have to take the camper. We got a decent rainstorm two days ago and the old girl leaks. Not TERRIBLY bad, but enough to realize that a down to the frame rebuild is quite likely in her future. Makes me realize we probably paid too much for her, but that's water under the bridge (or through the seams, as it were). If it's down to the frame, replacing the spring bolts will be easy, right? If the water damage isn't as bad as I fear, I have an idea though. If I can get access to the wheel wells through the cabinetry, I could cut access panels in the wall of the wheel well to access the back of the bolts. That would allow insertion of the new bolts, then weld up the holes in the wheel well. Not ideal, but it would work. You just have to laugh when you hear people say "well they don't build them like the used too!". And I add, it's a damm good thing! The guy that built that frame had to have had a good laugh as he was welding, thinking some poor soul was going to need to access the bolts in 60 years. Yes, the frame was built likely by a vendor before they built the body. John Palmer
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newin62
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1962 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by newin62 on Mar 27, 2024 16:11:04 GMT -8
I suspect I'll have to grind/cut off the existing bolts and replace them by putting in bolts of exactly the right length from the outboard side to inboard side, thus having the bolt head on the outside and the nut on the inside. Too long and the end of the bolt will scrape on the bracket, too short and it won't have good thread engagement. if you remove the bolts from the other end of the spring first and then pull the spring forward, the shackle will pivot from vertical to horizontal and you may then be able to reach the bolt heads with a small angle grinder from below.
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Mar 27, 2024 16:41:59 GMT -8
if you remove the bolts from the other end of the spring first and then pull the spring forward, the shackle will pivot from vertical to horizontal and you may then be able to reach the bolt heads with a small angle grinder from below. This is the easy end that's pictured. If he can get the rusted nuts to break loose, then the side plate of the shackle can be removed, and the rear spring eyelet will come off. The front end of the spring (the stationary end) is going to be the hard end to get off. If this trailer is headed for a full teardown, then the best route is to wait until the walls and fender wells are removed and access your best options at that time. It seems like the best way for service access would have been for them to build the mounts with the bolt heads on the outside and the nuts on the inside. But maybe the room against the frame is just too tight? John Palmer
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mocamino
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Post by mocamino on Mar 27, 2024 17:38:42 GMT -8
if you remove the bolts from the other end of the spring first and then pull the spring forward, the shackle will pivot from vertical to horizontal and you may then be able to reach the bolt heads with a small angle grinder from below. This is the easy end that's pictured. If he can get the rusted nuts to break loose, then the side plate of the shackle can be removed, and the rear spring eyelet will come off. The front end of the spring (the stationary end) is going to be the hard end to get off. If this trailer is headed for a full teardown, then the best route is to wait until the walls and fender wells are removed and access your best options at that time. It seems like the best way for service access would have been for them to build the mounts with the bolt heads on the outside and the nuts on the inside. But maybe the room against the frame is just too tight? John Palmer Yep, that's how it will end up if there is room!
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ruderunner
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Post by ruderunner on Mar 29, 2024 4:38:40 GMT -8
One thing to keep in mind, leaf spring eye to eye dimensions vary depending on how much load is on the spring. You really can't measure this in a straight line.
Use a seamstress tape along the arch of the spring for an accurate dimension.
One thing I would definitely do is measure the distance between the front eye and where the shackles will bottom out against their brackets. Do this in a straight line to account the the spring going flat (no arch) as it goes through it's travel. It almost looks like the existing springs might be too long.
That said, other than surface rust, those springs look fine. Removing, disassembling, sandblasting and inspection may be all that's needed. Cracks typically form near the center bolts and eyes so pay particular attention there. One could do much worse than having a local shop duplicate what's there now. But, as noted, modern spring steel isn't as good as older stuff.
As for Removing the bolts, you will need access to a variety of implements of destruction. Grinder, Sawzall, impact gun, air chisel and even oxygen acetylene will be handy. Especially on the shackles.
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