Leaf Spring Reassembly to Chassis.

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Johnny_Regis

Active Member
Posts
103
Hello,

Waiting for a new leaf spring dowel (old one rust welded to the axle) has given me some time to think about reassembly of the complete spring to the vehicle!

The manual talks about either running a chain under a trolley jack and over the chassis, makes sense, but their second option of lowering the vehicle on it's wheels and "loading the vehicle" seems preferable assuming loading the vehicle is simple allowing the vehicle to support it's own weight?

Thing is, I can't see how the second option would deflect the spring enough to bring it close to the axle? Without something under the spring to act against the mass of the chassis?

Basically and tips and tricks on this would be appreciated, first time I've messed with the springs, needed to renew a bush for the MOT.

Thank you.
 
and dont tighten any bolts going through bushes till normal running weight is applied ,fit axle to spring before spring to rear shackle
 
Thanks chaps.


and dont tighten any bolts going through bushes till normal running weight is applied ,fit axle to spring before spring to rear shackle

Aha OK, I knew about leaving everything loose initially, I was envisaging assembling all shackle pins loose, 'loading' the vehicle, perhaps having to jack the spring up to the axle and then fastening the U bolts.

Mentally I am wondering about alignment of the rear shackle if I assemble the spring to the axle first. I guess I'll see when I get my new dowel.
 
Last edited:
I put my front axle and springs on yesterday, so I could shift it today and didnt have to mess about, I just positioned the axle on some blocks of wood, well higher than it would be on the springs, then lifted the spring up bolted onto the front dumbers then put the shackle on the spring and lifted it up to the rear spring mount chassis bush.
And after that lowered the axle down with a jack and fitted the U bolts, apart from thrutching about with the axle wasnt that hard.
And the rear axle I remember was very similar.
 
Thanks again chaps.

I refitted today. Surprisingly painless, 20 mins to get the leaf spring back on.

I followed the sequence advised, front pin, U-bolts then rear shackle.

I'll flesh it out with some detail in case another leaf spring novice like me is Googling and flapping one wet Sunday!

++Fitted new polybush to offside spring as it was an MOT failure, need the vehicle back on the road ASAP. Planning to change axle set of springs in the err Spring.++

1. Refitted wheel, now supporting the axle, still one axle stand on the offside supporting the chassis behind the rear shackle.

2. Attached the front end of the leaf spring, new shackle bolt and nyloc nut. Not tightened at this stage.

3. Used a trolley jack under the spring to deflect it towards the axle. Positioning it foward of the axle so there's room to fix the U bolt plate.

4. The axle was not perfectly aligned to the dowel protrusion from the leaf spring. With the wheel in the ground I was able to move the axle by pulling the wheel forward, "click" nice flush fitting and wave of relief! The jack was applying enough pressure to push the dowel home, but not too much that I couldn't turn the wheel.

5. Fitted new U-bolts and nylocks through the base plate.

6. Removed trolley jack from under the spring and positioned it under the chassis cross member in front of the gear box (low enough to the road). Jacked the chassis up further, and adjusted the stand supporting the chassis for the new height. I was trying to get the rear shackle aligned as close as possible, hole centres within 30mm was achieved this way.

7. I levered the rear shackle end of the spring (used a large wrench as it was handy) away from the chassis and adjusted the plates using the new pin as a finger, i.e. not a real finger!! Few hammer taps to send it home not forgetting the inner plate is threaded.

8. Landy back supporting its own weight again, tightened up shackle pins.
 
Sorted, I use a big shifter to twist the leaf a bit to get the bolts through.

Just be glad the mot man didnt want you to renew the chassis bushes, I took the ones on the front out on mine, it was the worsest job I did on mine and I did a lot of work on it.
 
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