Center pin

[cochino12]

I broke the center pin on my front leafs, am I able to just replace the pin or are my springs ruined? I have been told it was caused by either loose u-bolts ( I doubt that, the orig. srpings had a busted pin also) or because of steering probs (frame is cracked by steering box.)

 

[Muddytazz]

When you take your springs out, check over the springs really good to see if you can find any signs of cracks or cracking that might of cause the center pin to break. If you can't see any signs, then yeah, just go ahead and replace the center pins. But I'd look at other things also to see WHY they did break /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[ugly_blazer]

I had a truck that had a 4" lift and had the sway bar hooked up. It always broke the pins because the swaybar to leaf spring to axle movement geometry was not right. Maybe run discos with the bar, or remove it like I did.

 

[supersize75k5]

just replace is if all seems well, call around suspension or rv shops for the pin, you want a 3/8 centering pin 2.5 inches and just cut down to size after installing.


also a 4 inch c clamp really makes life nice if you are doing this with the spring in the truck.

centering pin should cost 4-6 bucks for 2...buy 2 and keep a spare /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Stephen]

What they said. Main problem with a broken center pin is loose ubolts.

 

[Triaged]

I've had a hard time finding center pins at any place other then NAPA.

I have had good luck using "socket head cap screws" of the right size. They are stronger and harder then regular center pins and you can get the right length so the un-threaded portion of the bolt is what goes thru the leaves and not threads...but if you don't have your u-bolts tight anything will break.

 

[70~K5]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had a hard time finding center pins at any place other then NAPA.

I have had good luck using "socket head cap screws" of the right size. They are stronger and harder then regular center pins and you can get the right length so the un-threaded portion of the bolt is what goes thru the leaves and not threads...but if you don't have your u-bolts tight anything will break.

[/ QUOTE ]

Triaged, if I read C Smith right, you don't want the "root" of the thread close to the edge of the piece you're holding with a bolt. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Triaged]

Right...but what you are holding is all the leaves together. I think center pin's have about 1" of un-threaded shank, so the root is right around where the overload and bottom leaf is. On mine the root is in the top leaf. There is only like 1/16" of thread in the leaf pack.