Found out that Leaf Springs on different trucks may not have same number of Leaves. Broke a spring on my M35a2 last week, found a used spring to make the repair. The spring I found had 12 leaves, the spring that came off my truck had 10 leaves. We have several trucks took a look at the other trucks. One M35a2 had 10 leaves the other had 12 leaves, a M109A3 had 9 leaves and a M35A2C had 12 leaves.
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
M35, 2.5 Ton Front Springs
- Thread starter SSG Rock
- Start date
gimpyrobb
dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
- 27,786
- 757
- 113
- Location
- Cincy Ohio
Whats that saying about the lowest bidder wins the contract...
welldigger
Active member
- 2,602
- 16
- 38
- Location
- Benton LA
A fun activity might be to measure how thick each leaf is. Just because there are different numbers of leaves doesn't mean the spring ratings aren't the same. Or at least similar.
Jeepsinker
Well-known member
- 5,399
- 457
- 83
- Location
- Dry Creek, Louisiana
Just build the spring to match you needs. Add or remove leaves as needed. Don't forget new U-bolts.
Jeepsinker, Thats what I did. My U-bolts were not long enough for 12 leaf springs. Took both 12 and 10 leaf springs apart. The top 2 leaves for my 10 leaf springs were broken, I replaced them with the top 2 leaves from 12 leaf springs. Used spring bolt from 12 leaf spring to reasemble 10 leaf spring. Have installed repaired spring on truck.
Jeepsinker
Well-known member
- 5,399
- 457
- 83
- Location
- Dry Creek, Louisiana
Sweet. Did you clean and repaint all the leaves while you had them apart? Not necessary, just good practice.
- 3,022
- 223
- 63
- Location
- eldersburg maryland
i thought i remember that when a winch was installed, 3 extra leaves were added.
Jeepsinker
Well-known member
- 5,399
- 457
- 83
- Location
- Dry Creek, Louisiana
That makes sense. Why didn't I think of that?...
- 9,580
- 218
- 63
- Location
- Dickson,TN
Gringeltaube researched this issue awhile back. Best I remember there was no rhyme or reason for the different springs (winch or not). Maybe he'll chime in.
mdmorgan
AM3 U.S. Navy
- 1,085
- 103
- 63
- Location
- Forsyth, Ga.
Glad you got your truck back together.
Merc1973
Active member
- 308
- 38
- 28
- Location
- Sykesville, MD
Side topic, Has anyone replaced there leaf springs? These trucks are 40+ years old, I'm sure they've seen better days.
olly69
Member
- 78
- 1
- 8
- Location
- Cuba, New York
I just noticed I have a couple of broken rear leaf springs. i was hoping to get it on the road, thru inspection here in NY. Will it pass or do I have to have them replaced? if so, where do I get the leafs from?j Thanks!
wreckerman893
Possum Connoisseur
- 15,629
- 2,054
- 113
- Location
- Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
I have three sets of deuce front springs and one set of 5 ton front springs. 200 bucks a set. Freight is up to you.
G-Force
Member
- 622
- 8
- 18
- Location
- allendale nj
Find a spring place up by you that does over the road truck springs. They can take yours and make new springs or replace the leaves that are broken.
rustystud
Well-known member
- 9,298
- 3,072
- 113
- Location
- Woodinville, Washington
They will dead line your truck if it has any broken springs. It becomes a safety issue.
olly69
Member
- 78
- 1
- 8
- Location
- Cuba, New York
Thanks for the heads up... I was afraid of that....
rustystud
Well-known member
- 9,298
- 3,072
- 113
- Location
- Woodinville, Washington
The broken springs can start to swing out from the pack and hit other parts of the truck like air hoses and brake lines and tires. I have repaired a truck that had 3 broken rear leafs that had pivoted out so far that one was actually sticking out past the vehicle ! Looked like a chariot wheel from Ben-Hur with the swords sticking out from the hub !
Another Ahab
Well-known member
- 18,007
- 4,579
- 113
- Location
- Alexandria, VA
Heard a story about a guy adding extra springs to one side of a truck, because of a compressor mounted on that side that was weighing down the frame.
Does that approach add its own kind of problems?
Does that approach add its own kind of problems?
olly69
Member
- 78
- 1
- 8
- Location
- Cuba, New York
Broken rear spring leafs
Where do I start, do I replace the whole spring pack, or cut the u-bolts and just replace the broken leafs? (of course, I have to wait tilll the snow melts around here in NY) Do I just get some springs from a local junk yard off a dump truck, or do they need to come from another Deuce? Thanks.