"Best Way" Spring Hanger Mounting?

[7dee2]

Not sure if this has been covered before but we need to hang our D60 & 14 Bolt DRW axles on my Longhorn 4x conversion project and could use some advice on the best way to do this. We’re replacing all the spring hangers and punching all new holes as none currently line up.

Originally we planned to weld up any holes that partially lined up and then re-drill and bolt them on with 3/8” grade 8 frame bolts. Found that most all the hangers original rivet holes have a little larger opening than that, new plan is to punch everything over to 7/16”.

A friend suggested we just weld um on and forget about it? My question being is welding any of this a good idea or would some flanged frame bolts with self-locking steel flange nuts & Loctite Red be enough? Seems like some hanger to frame weld might help them from egging out the frame holes or is this overkill?

[kwmech]

Using the frame holes as a template I would drill out the bracket than the frame rail. The factory holes are on the edge of 10mm in size. I've always gone to 7/16 fine thread gr. 8 with grade 8 flats and a locking nut such as either a pinch or flange lock, then torqued them down to 70 lbs. I even did an experiment one time with just a regular nut torqued to 70. After 20 years it never came loose

[7dee2]

Modifying the bracket rather than the frame when possible makes good sense.

Was the regular nut used with a lock washer or anything else like a threadlocker?

[junksaver]

You may not be able to redrill the upper holes in your bracket to match the frame. It appears the upper holes in the frame are to high for the bracket. It looks like the bracket is not flat where the upper holes in the frame are.

The nuts you want to use are lock nuts. They do not require a lock washer or thread locker and will not back off on their own.

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

Was the regular nut used with a lock washer or anything else like a threadlocker?

No it wasn't, just a flat washer and my snap-on torque wrench set at 70. These were holding in a dropped front x-member that I fabricated to convert a 2wd frame to 4x. Somebody now owns the truck up in Washington state

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by junksaver

You may not be able to redrill the upper holes in your bracket to match the frame. It appears the upper holes in the frame are to high for the bracket. It looks like the bracket is not flat where the upper holes in the frame are.

The nuts you want to use are lock nuts. They do not require a lock washer or thread locker and will not back off on their own.

You are correct on the fitment of that bracket right now. The right side fits a little better than this one on the left. Going to work this bracket a little and see if we can get it to fit a little better before making any mods.

Originally Posted by kwmech

No it wasn't, just a flat washer and my snap-on torque wrench set at 70. These were holding in a dropped front x-member that I fabricated to convert a 2wd frame to 4x. Somebody now owns the truck up in Washington state

Wow, you would have thought that would have backed off by now if it was going to. I'd think the fine thread helps it to stay put also.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

You are correct on the fitment of that bracket right now. The right side fits a little better than this one on the left. Going to work this bracket a little and see if we can get it to fit a little better before making any mods.

When I went through mine, I was able to get one of the holes to line up on each side close enough that when I punched them over (7/16") it came out in the wash. I welded up all the other holes, bolted the bracket on with the one that lined up, and then punched the new frame holes in the same operation as enlarging the bracket holes.

I used all flange-headed gr.8 bolts with self locking (Keps is the name) nuts. GM actually specs those in the service literature for rivet replacement (I have a reference somewhere), and you'll find them used in the square body frames where cross members and things are bolted in.