Leaf spring shackle pin bolts and a lathe

[65 wonton]

When removing the rear end, I somehow misplaced one of the bolts that hold the shackle pins in place for the rear leaf springs. Six are needed and I came up with 5. So, I broke out my trusty LMC catalog and found that they could be ordered for about $6 and shipped for another $8. Or there-abouts. I could drive down and pick them up but I didn't need to go to that area for any other reason and its about a 2 hour drive.



But I do have a lathe and a 1/2" bolt I cut the head off of for some reason or other. First I checked to make sure this bolt wasn't hardened. Nope, a file cuts it easily.



I'm not a machinist but here is how I did it. I miked (I could have used calipers, but a micrometer feels more machinistismo) the original and turned the bolt down to the larger diameter.



I then miked the threaded section and turned it down.



The threads are 5/16-24. So, I set up the gears for 24 tpi (cutting edge lathe don't need no quick change gearbox) and cut the threads so that the nut threaded on smoothly. I took a file (don't know if it was a bastard or not 'cause I never met its mother or father) and cut the flat so that it closely assumed the shape of the original.




$1,800 - $14 = $1,786

I'll have this lathe paid off in no time flat.


Dave, slowly starting to work on the Big Red Dog.