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What to do when center pin heads are too big

andyblack

andyblack

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Okay dumb question here, but I won't to ask it before I proceed. I'm getting ready to install some ORD zero rates, but the heads on the center pins they gave me are slightly too big around to go in the holes in the spring perches. Should I get a die grinder and wallow out the holes in the perches or try to grind down the heads on the center pins so they fit in the holes?
 
Thanks man. That's what I was about to do. Have you had any issues after you did that?
 
most of the time its rust / dirt / junk build up in the center pin hole on the axle / spring perch .

I would take a die grinder and lightly clean up the hole and I bet the junk goes flying and the pin will go right in .
 
Well I just ground one of them down and it goes in there but it's not a very tight fit at all. How snug does it need to be?
 
sweetk30 said:
most of the time its rust / dirt / junk build up in the center pin hole on the axle / spring perch .

I would take a die grinder and lightly clean up the hole and I bet the junk goes flying and the pin will go right in .
Click to expand...

X2

I didn't want to mess with the pin so I cleaned up the perch holes.
 
I cleaned them up good but the pins still wouldn't fit. Guess I'll move ahead with grinding the other one down now. Hope it's okay. I mean it's not too loose. Maybe like .010 if that.
 
andyblack said:
Well I just ground one of them down and it goes in there but it's not a very tight fit at all. How snug does it need to be?
Click to expand...

andyblack said:
I cleaned them up good but the pins still wouldn't fit. Guess I'll move ahead with grinding the other one down now. Hope it's okay. I mean it's not too loose. Maybe like .010 if that.
Click to expand...

Which one is it? :dunno:
 
That was pretty ambiguous. Forgive me. I meant to say it's now going in the hole but with .010 of play. Is that okay or does it need to be really snug? If so I need to get new pins. Frown.
 
I have had good luck just cleaning the rust from the holes.

Martin
 
Too late!!! What's done is done. So I don't think there's anymore play in there than when it had the old center pins. I don't think it will be a big deal once the u-bolts are torqued down fully.
 
When I went to put my zero rates on the old spring pin was rusted in half and just floating around in the hole and I never had any problems.
 
andyblack said:
Too late!!! What's done is done. So I don't think there's anymore play in there than when it had the old center pins. I don't think it will be a big deal once the u-bolts are torqued down fully.
Click to expand...

i agree, the pin should have very little load on it. I think you will be fine. :thumb:
 
I know it's probably not the 100% correct way. But I've taken grade 8 bolts and ground the heads round so they fit the perch. Done it on a number of springs, usually after the factory pin breaks. Or when I moved a set of zero rates to a thicker pack. Once the u-bolts are tightened down, the pin sees little stress.
 
toomany said:
I know it's probably not the 100% correct way. But I've taken grade 8 bolts and ground the heads round so they fit the perch. Done it on a number of springs, usually after the factory pin breaks. Or when I moved a set of zero rates to a thicker pack. Once the u-bolts are tightened down, the pin sees little stress.
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nothing wrong with this at all . :thumb:

lot of times faster to do this than go find center pins.

can use grd 5 if you wish as center pins are less than this .

also allen drive socket head bolts work good to .

and the pin is to hold leafs together and center it to the springs . and once ubolts are on its just fine then .
 
I've done just what you both said--use regular grade 5 or 8 bolts and if needed,round the heads off some on a grinder until they will fit in the recess in the spring seat..I've never had one break yet...the last pair I did was on my 82 K2500,when the u-bolt plates litteraly rotted away and broke in half!..both rear center bolts had no nut sticking out under the spring plates,and the bolts were doing basically nothing..

I could have used allen head bolts too,and I did have some on hand,but forgot,so I just used grade 5's..
 
My ORD spring center pin wouldn't go in the cast hole in the D60. The hole on the casting side was noticeably smaller than the hole on the welded on perch on the driver's side. Took a bit of grinding to open up the hole enough. Seemed like more than just rust and crud, but who knows.

Now that I'm shimming, I wonder if I'll have the issue again since the head of the center pin will be at an angle to the hole. Only 4 degrees, but it was a snug fit before.
 
Mastiff said:
My ORD spring center pin wouldn't go in the cast hole in the D60. The hole on the casting side was noticeably smaller than the hole on the welded on perch on the driver's side. Took a bit of grinding to open up the hole enough. Seemed like more than just rust and crud, but who knows.

Now that I'm shimming, I wonder if I'll have the issue again since the head of the center pin will be at an angle to the hole. Only 4 degrees, but it was a snug fit before.
Click to expand...

It'll probably be alright, but I'd grind it out some more just to be sure.
It doesn't need to be a very tight fit.
Don't forget to mill out the spring plates btw.
I've made some calculations on how much the upper end of the center pin moves, when using angle shims:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256348&page=2#post2711679
 
Fred_M1010 said:
It'll probably be alright, but I'd grind it out some more just to be sure.
It doesn't need to be a very tight fit.
Don't forget to mill out the spring plates btw.
I've made some calculations on how much the upper end of the center pin moves, when using angle shims:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256348&page=2#post2711679
Click to expand...

It dropped right in. I guess 4* isn't much. I have 8* going in in the back, but the holes in the plates seem plenty large.

I didn't know about the spring plate problem until I set it down on the studs, at which point it was obvious. Shouldn't take a lot to open it up. But my tools are limited to an air die grinder or a dremel if I get desperate. :rolleyes:
 
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