spring top plates

[mudhog]

ok in my old age im being forgetful so be nice to me here lol is there a difference in the top plates for a 14ff and half ton. im a dumbass and when i sold the lift of my old blazer i gave the rear springs ubolts and top plates with it instead of just the blocks. now its time to put the 14ff in the new blazer to replace the 12 bolt thats in it now. so do i need to get 14ff top plates or will the ones in it now work?

 

[big reaper]

I know that they are different for 10 bolt and 14 bolt but I'm not sure about a 12 bolt

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

10 bolt and 12 bolt rear axles have 3" tubes, both SF and FF 14 bolts use 3-3/8" tubes. Definitely different top plates.

 

[mudhog]

damn thats what i was afraid of lol guess its wrecking yard time again

10 bolt and 12 bolt rear axles have 3" tubes, both SF and FF 14 bolts use 3-3/8" tubes. Definitely different top plates.

 

[chevysmithz71]

Hell I'm sure many of us have a few pares laying around our junk piles if the yards want too much.

 

[diesel4me]

They sell aftermarket ones from various sources,including a few vendors here --I was in need of a pair for the rear of my 82 k2500 and a member here on the other end of MA from me,was kind enough to send them to me ...a local spring shop had some "generic" ones available,they said I could slot the 1/2 ton ones I had and use them too with thick washers,but I didn't feel that was a good idea...

You could make them yourself fairly easy if you have some 1/4" or thicker steel plate and a drill press,buy you'd need a used one to use as a template probably...mine were so rotted they actually separated in the middle and only one of the four u-bolt studs was actually holding the axle to the spring (barely )--was lucky it didn't come apart and get me in deep trouble!...the factory ones are pretty thin metal even when new,maybe 3/16" thick if that..my center bolt on the spring with the most rotted plate was sheared too,and the head rotted off the bolt!..so I had to replace that while it was apart...I used C clamps to hold the leafs together while replacing the bolt..