What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Sheared leaf pins... Why?

E

elks

1/2 ton status
Joined
Nov 8, 2009
Posts
324
Reaction score
3
Location
NW Colorado
So yesterday I was out under my 72. I got to looking and noticed the bottom leaf on my alcan rear spring pac is shifted about 5" to the back and ready to come out. I am pretty certain the pin is sheared.

I am guessing I have to drop the axle, remove old pin, line it all up and install axle back.

But why did it shear? I was in Moab a few weeks ago, and had one obstical that I started hoping on, was that it? Were my ubolts a little loose? Or do these things just happen.
 
Your u-bolts were loose. The same thing happened to me on the front axle. I check mine every 6 months or so now.
 
Probably loose ubolts, I've had it happen before too. You need to retorque u-bolts, particularly after the 1st couple times you use them when new.
 
Plus don't ever reuse them. Once they're stretched out, they won't ever stay tight again.
 
yes, they do, had mine off a few times for spring "alterations" reused the old u-bolts, still fine, just recheck the torque on them now and then.
 
U-bolts are a constant maintenance item when wheeling.

If you need gas you need to check your u bolts when wheeling! You get gas everyday, you also should check u bolts everyday.

Re using u-bolts is okay in my book but you have to understand that they will require some time to get torqued in and done moving around.
 
U bolts are probably the most forgotten about item on our trucks, they can and do loosen up over time.

If you change your springs or your u bolts then you need to check them often for the first month or so. They will need tightening at least twice if not more.

Although I have had center pins sheer with tight u bolts it is usually something loose that makes em sheer
 
Checking them every time you get gas would get old but I'm sure they would never have a chance to get loose on you! :laugh: Maybe I'll just check mine every oil change or before and after every wheeling trip. After I re-tightened mine that first time, they stayed tight except for the driver's side front. I had to tighten it one more time I think.
 
Every wheelin trip is a good time to check stuff

I am trying to start a pre trip ritual checking for loose stuff, it would have saved me my last 2 breaks so being more diligent hopefully I can break less
 
blazinzuk said:
Every wheelin trip is a good time to check stuff

I am trying to start a pre trip ritual checking for loose stuff, it would have saved me my last 2 breaks so being more diligent hopefully I can break less
Click to expand...
I learned that the hard way.
I now have that ritual on every day I make a trip in my big rig and it has saved me from a few catastrophies. :thumb:
 
I broke the left front center pin wheeling my Suburban when it was still stock. Just out giving it hell and the driver's u-joint and center pin broke. The only reason I knew something was wrong was it steered funny on the way home! I had never messed with the u-bolts before. They may have been loose, or maybe just a hard enough hit. I guess one way or the other if they had been tight enough the axle should not have been able to shift.

X2 on checking u-bolts. It's like strapping a load to a truck. Strap it as tight as you want but once you go down the road and hit a few bumps the load settles and you need to tighten it again.
 
andyblack said:
Checking them every time you get gas would get old but I'm sure they would never have a chance to get loose on you! :laugh: Maybe I'll just check mine every oil change or before and after every wheeling trip. After I re-tightened mine that first time, they stayed tight except for the driver's side front. I had to tighten it one more time I think.
Click to expand...

I'm not talking daily driver type use. I'm talking a weekend in Moab wheeling, they will get loose.

Last year on UA we torqued the u bolts in the shop, after day one, then again a few days later and I think one more time towards the end of the trip. This was three to four times in a 10 day period. There were also a thousand miles put on the truck and some decent wheeling in between.
 
miniwally said:
I'm not talking daily driver type use. I'm talking a weekend in Moab wheeling, they will get loose.

Last year on UA we torqued the u bolts in the shop, after day one, then again a few days later and I think one more time towards the end of the trip. This was three to four times in a 10 day period. There were also a thousand miles put on the truck and some decent wheeling in between.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen the video yet for last year but I saw the pics in the mag and if it was like any of the past years, I can see how something would work its way loose over the week. At least the wheel studs didn't break this time. :haha:I think one day on those trails or those highways would do my poor old truck in for good.
 
andyblack said:
I haven't seen the video yet for last year but I saw the pics in the mag and if it was like any of the past years, I can see how something would work its way loose over the week. At least the wheel studs didn't break this time. :haha:I think one day on those trails or those highways would do my poor old truck in for good.
Click to expand...

Now Now:haha: It wasn't broken wheel studs as much as the Dumb ass kid that was working for them at the time that didn't torque the lugnuts and didn't tell anyone he didn't. Figured when told to put the tires on the truck and get it setting on it's own four feet that they were just temporary.

Strict policy now that if all 8 lugnuts are on a wheel they get torqued, If it's for trial and error needs they get 4 lugnuts snugged up.

Easy to look and see if there are 4 or 8 to tell what condition the lugnuts are in.

Still see that completely ruined TR wheel around as a little reminder laying around the shed.

Dumbass was fired for stealing from the company eventually.:rolleyes:
 
Rust between the spring pack will cause the u-bolts to strech and therefor be loose. Wait till you have a set of u-bolt come loose on a 16000 lb motorhome! Not fun...
 
Interesting. :rolleyes: Thanks for sharing that story. That did seem like an uncharacteristic failure for ORD.

That's a good idea about leaving off a few lug nuts too. I'll have to file that one away in my head.
 
When my front driver's side u-bolt got loose, I started hearing a popping sound when I would turn the steering wheel. I thought it was a bad balljoint or something but I guess it was the center pin breaking. Always pay attention to weird noises, I've learned.
 
I always got crap for being a mall crawler (hey the k20 got a little purdy to beat through the trails)....and I broke my center pins at the mall :doah::doah::doah::doah:

Well to be exact, it was home depot. Pulling out I hadta get on the gas kinda hard and cut it into the near lane, caught the edge of the curb and the next think I knew I was driving home sideways looking out the side window driving straight. :confused::doah::eek1::eek1::doah::confused: Yeh that was......embarrasing. Anyway, I had swapped axles out 1 or 2 weekends before and hadnt checked the ubolts since and with hopping the curb, under power, with loose u-bolts....it was enough to almost get REALLY bad.
 
i broke mine over the weekend trying to see how far i could climb the Sub up a tree in my dads yard :rolleyes: . Sheered the driverside front one off. I also think that having ORDs swaybar disconnects may have something to do with this... I dont believe its the disconnects themselves, more of the fact that since the swaybar is now hooked via shackles to the axle, it lets it twist more vs having it bolted to the Ubolt plates and mounted to the drop blocks like it used to be. Completely my fault of course but i was curious, and my curiousity was rewarded
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom