Leaf spring saddles on front of springs

[rs74]

Those little saddles as I call them on the front of the leaf spring. The bolts and whats left of what looks like a sleeve is rusted on both sides on mine. Where can I get the replacement sleeves and bolts. Also are these supposed to be on the back of the spring as well or just the front.

[rs74]

Can you buy the sleeve and bolt anywhere. I looked in my LMC catalog and didn't see anything but it is an 09 edition. Still not sure how many it is supposed to have on there also.

[74 stepside]

Best bet is to get new polyurethane bushings. Press out the old sleeves and replace with the new bushings. They will give you a nice ride.

[morcey2]

And they're only supposed to be on one end of the spring. If they were on both ends, the spring wouldn't have any solid connection to the frame. The result would be that the weight of the truck would flop the saddles forward or backward and take the axle with it.

Kind of like an empty cardboard box on its side.

Matt

[83GMCK2500]

I think ya'll are on a different page than the original poster. The "saddles he is referring to are not the mounts, not the end bushings, perches... About 4"-6" end from each front spring end is what I think he refers to.



To my knowledge they are there to keep the leaves from separating too far when the suspension droops out.

[morcey2]

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

I think ya'll are on a different page than the original poster. The "saddles he is referring to are not the mounts, not the end bushings, perches... About 4"-6" end from each front spring end is what I think he refers to.



To my knowledge they are there to keep the leaves from separating too far when the suspension droops out.

You could very well be right. I just weld my springs together to keep them from spreading.

Matt

[guitarfreak235]

Originally Posted by morcey2

You could very well be right. I just weld my springs together to keep them from spreading.

Matt

... are you serious? like i really cant tell. they are supposed to be able to slide against each other. if it didnt matter manufacturers would just put one large leaf on there. i bet it rides rough.

[Tx Firefighter]

If you have the bracket itself, it should be an easy matter to get a new bolt, nut and spacer. Just make the spacer out of steel tubing. Get a piece of 3/8 hard fuel line from the parts store and cut it to length to make your spacers. The bolts and nuts are just generic hardware from the store.

[rs74]

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

I think ya'll are on a different page than the original poster. The "saddles he is referring to are not the mounts, not the end bushings, perches... About 4"-6" end from each front spring end is what I think he refers to.



To my knowledge they are there to keep the leaves from separating too far when the suspension droops out.

Yes this is exactly what I am talking about. Can you buy the bolts and sleeves anywhere. I could make them like mentioned above and will if I have to but would like to buy them if possible. Also the photo shows them on both sides of the axle where mine is just on one side. So I would need the other part as well for both sides. I would rather put new on than go scavenge the junk yard for this part. Somthing else and that might be a different story.

[morcey2]

Guitarfreak235, You've never heard of a monoleaf?

Yes, I'm joking, although I have welded the suspension of an old beater gran torino in the fully extended position (a la demolition derby) and drove it through the sagebrush until it died. It was still where it died a couple of years ago. At least what was left of it. The engine was gone(351M), but the tranny was the part that died.

I think the brackets that the OP is talking about (the ones pointed out by 83gmck2500) aren't for keeping the leafs together vertically, but for keeping them from rotating out of alignment horizontally. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's the case. I've fixed more than one stack without them back in the day.

(I'm only 41, I shouldn't be using "back-in-the-day" yet)

Matt

[rs74]

I know nice art work huh? My first time. But yes these are what I was talking about.

[83GMCK2500]

Very nice artwork. I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your initial question, I just had a feeling I knew what you were talking about and wanted to help clarify... I do NOT know where to get those, I've seen and researched some pretty obscure stuff, but I have never seen those. Wrecking Yards are a definite maybe otherwise, like Tx Firefighter suggested, rebuild them with off the shelf stuff.

[navysnipe]

I believe they are called rebound clips, and yes they keep the springs from separating and making a racket when you go over bumps. you can buy them online or make one. I had one missing and I made a new one from a piece of steel I got from tractor supply and attatched it with a rosette weld and used a bolt and a piece of tubing. It was not too hard once I got the idea.

Navysnipe

[rs74]

Thanks. I don't mind the junk yard, just thought if I could buy new then I would go that route. So I guess the hunt is on.

[83GMCK2500]

With Navysnipes correct identification I did some googling, found an awesome spring article:

Main Article
Rebound Clips or Spring Clips

[navysnipe]

Sometimes the biggest problem with finding a part is getting the actual name or nomenclature (military term) of the part. Once you get that then finding the part is actually cake. I stopped at a spring repair shop and they told me the part name.

glad I could help

now if any one could tell me the name of the little clips that hold the seat belt on the edge of the seats of my 05 express van and 01 silverato....that would be nice.

Navysnipe

[guitarfreak235]

Originally Posted by morcey2

Guitarfreak235, You've never heard of a monoleaf?

Yes, I'm joking, although I have welded the suspension of an old beater gran torino in the fully extended position (a la demolition derby) and drove it through the sagebrush until it died. It was still where it died a couple of years ago. At least what was left of it. The engine was gone(351M), but the tranny was the part that died.

I think the brackets that the OP is talking about (the ones pointed out by 83gmck2500) aren't for keeping the leafs together vertically, but for keeping them from rotating out of alignment horizontally. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's the case. I've fixed more than one stack without them back in the day.

(I'm only 41, I shouldn't be using "back-in-the-day" yet)

Matt

atleast not on a passenger vehicle! haha but they do keep the springs in line horizontally while some springs do need to be held to the pack vertically also. my add a leaves are W shaped if you do not bend the little brackets over them to hold them flush with the pack. i know this is a slightly different case but you know what i mean. the ones the op is talking about do hold things together at full droop (whether or not it is necessary). i should have taken some pics when i was flexing my suspension. the axle would have pretty much have been resting with the shock fully extended. maybe they are to help relieve some stress from the shocks at full droop??

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by navysnipe

now if any one could tell me the name of the little clips that hold the seat belt on the edge of the seats of my 05 express van and 01 silverato....that would be nice.

Navysnipe

Shoot me a PM with the Van and the Silverado's specs/config and I can look up what GM calls them in the parts catalog, maybe even get a part number if they're not part of the assembly.