• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Broken springs?

Mos68x

Active member
827
36
28
Location
Seligman,AZ
I know simp has broken a few (4 I think), but how many of y'all had the rear (or front) spring leafs break? After reading simp's OTR 30k and 60k updates I'm seriously thinking about this possible issue for myself since I'll be looking at 30-40k# full time, not including any trailer weight. If there are quite a few people who've had this issue, regardless of the reason, I may consider changing the rear suspension to a bagged design if I can.

edit: changed text size for those people who are vision challenged or age challenged (or both lol), don't know why it posted small to start with.
 
Last edited:

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,384
113
Location
Mason, TN
Wrecker springs are 7 of the large bottom leaves on your current spring pack with a solid steel beam on top of that then another beam to stop the weight pressing down if it becomes too much. Ive never heard of anyone busting those.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,661
2,194
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Wrecker springs are 7 of the large bottom leaves on your current spring pack with a solid steel beam on top of that then another beam to stop the weight pressing down if it becomes too much. Ive never heard of anyone busting those.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
Any chance you might have a picture of that setup?
 

Mos68x

Active member
827
36
28
Location
Seligman,AZ
Simp, Red, do or would those ride harsher than the springs I have? If they do then I may wait until after I get done building the RV part and have it mounted to the truck, at least to weigh it. Then I can get a better idea of my spring needs. Thanks for the info on the wrecker springs, that would certainly be easier than trying to design a new setup for the truck.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,246
1,179
113
Location
NY
Yes they ride harsh, very harsh.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,384
113
Location
Mason, TN
Harsh ride if your empty. Add 30,000lbs to them they do ok. Its a 5ton. Not a caddy.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 

someoldmoose

New member
583
2
0
Location
Lancaster, PA
68xray, Age jokes? Up yours Jo boo! Hahahahahahaha I'm older than most of the trucks on here anymore. That's why I chose another 50 yr. old. We'll understand each other.
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
27,786
755
113
Location
Cincy Ohio
The wrecker beams are designed like that for when they are lift towing. Much less suspension travel than on other trucks.
 

red

Active member
1,988
25
38
Location
Eagle Mountain/Utah
Simp, Red, do or would those ride harsher than the springs I have? If they do then I may wait until after I get done building the RV part and have it mounted to the truck, at least to weigh it. Then I can get a better idea of my spring needs. Thanks for the info on the wrecker springs, that would certainly be easier than trying to design a new setup for the truck.
No clue about their ride quality on a lighter truck (remember wreckers are 38,000 without any tools/equipment) but with all the weight on the wrecker it rides smooth offroad and similar to 5 ton cargo trucks onroad.

There is no flex with that beam.
 

Mos68x

Active member
827
36
28
Location
Seligman,AZ
Yes they ride harsh, very harsh.
Harsh ride if your empty. Add 30,000lbs to them they do ok. Its a 5ton. Not a caddy.
That is perfectly fine, I can wait until the very end of the build to "tune the suspension" to the truck. No need to break my back until everything else is done.

68xray, Age jokes? Up yours Jo boo! Hahahahahahaha I'm older than most of the trucks on here anymore. That's why I chose another 50 yr. old. We'll understand each other.
LMAO It was small text even for me and I'm only about 10yrs younger than you lol

The wrecker beams are designed like that for when they are lift towing. Much less suspension travel than on other trucks.
That is fine, that would actually be desirable since I'm thinking that I probably won't get the ISO container to articulate independant of the truck chassis like I had originally wanted it to.

No clue about their ride quality on a lighter truck (remember wreckers are 38,000 without any tools/equipment) but with all the weight on the wrecker it rides smooth offroad and similar to 5 ton cargo trucks onroad.
There is no flex with that beam.
Let me make sure I under this correctly... 38k# dry weight for the wrecker? How much extra weight is it with the tools and whatnot? How do they ride off road dry? I suppose I could remove a single spring leaf on the bogey if I had to, assuming that all the spring leafs are identical in dimensions.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,384
113
Location
Mason, TN
That is perfectly fine, I can wait until the very end of the build to "tune the suspension" to the truck. No need to break my back until everything else is done.


LMAO It was small text even for me and I'm only about 10yrs younger than you lol


That is fine, that would actually be desirable since I'm thinking that I probably won't get the ISO container to articulate independant of the truck chassis like I had originally wanted it to.


Let me make sure I under this correctly... 38k# dry weight for the wrecker? How much extra weight is it with the tools and whatnot? How do they ride off road dry? I suppose I could remove a single spring leaf on the bogey if I had to, assuming that all the spring leafs are identical in dimensions.
M816 and 936s are 38000 to 44500

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 

red

Active member
1,988
25
38
Location
Eagle Mountain/Utah
Let me make sure I under this correctly... 38k# dry weight for the wrecker? How much extra weight is it with the tools and whatnot? How do they ride off road dry? I suppose I could remove a single spring leaf on the bogey if I had to, assuming that all the spring leafs are identical in dimensions.
Yep, 38k dry weight. Add in all the wrecker equipment (ground spades, complete medium towbar set, heavy towbar set, whiffle tree, multiple snatch blocks, crane support legs, etc) it's a few thousand pounds extra. Then figure in lift towing another vehicle with that weight sitting on the rear suspension.

Offroad it rides smooth and handles itself well, just avoid mud like the plague.

2 videos of mine playing around at an area near where I live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl1kEIg3cno


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99jQOldO8oY
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,384
113
Location
Mason, TN
Will go ahead and add useful info to this thread. If you are replacing springs or saddles or any torque rod bracket.

Saddles and torque rod brackets are socket size 1-5/16 for the bolt and nut. Bolts are 7/8" thread x 9" length.

U bolts are 1-1/2" socket size.

Leaf spring clamp bolts are 1-7/8" socket.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Top