I am so done with greasable spring pins

[Tools R Us]

Almost look like machined & plated cast parts versus machined forged. Anyway of knowing whether this product is forged vs. cast?

The plates appears to be punched from plate steel. The bolt appears to be a typical rolled thread fastener of good quality, unmarked, unknown grade. None of it is cast.

What isn't being mentioned is this isn't an isolated incident for us, but is the only ones on a '40. One of them was a marked/grade 8 bolt, it broke in the same place/way. My guess is the hole weakens the bolt and makes a stress riser where it cracks/fails with repeated stress. So far all have been on the frame side, none at the shackle. My guess is there is more stress on that end, the shackle end has more flex, less stress, due to two sets of bushings?

 

[jagota]

Wow! I thought these were cool when they first came out, but I didn't want to buy any, so I made my own. So I guess I can't blame anyone but myself if one breaks. Maybe I'll just change them back before one does.

 

[bsmith123]

Bolt Fail

My guess is the hole weakens the bolt and makes a stress riser where it cracks/fails with repeated stress.

Look across the face of it----is part of it rounded and smoothed compared to the rest?

Is it jagged and sharp all the way across with sharp angles

if it breaks a little at a time then vibration etc can smooth the surface===also typical to have beach marks

if you know what a stress riser is then you prolly already know

 

[burnttoastburgos]

Looks cast to me.......if this was machined from CR steel, would'nt have happened. Send me the old broken one and i'll whip it up for you.

 

[KY Longhunter]

I recently ordered new Toyota Rear Spring Pin Hanger Kit and it came with non-greasable pins.



However I have some extra Old Man Emu greasable pins that came with my lift.

Should I take the time to replace the pins with the OME pins, or just go with non-greasable pins?

 

[65swb45]

I recently ordered new Toyota Rear Spring Pin Hanger Kit and it came with non-greasable pins.

However I have some extra Old Man Emu greasable pins that came with my lift.

Should I take the time to replace the pins with the OME pins, or just go with non-greasable pins?

Well...........if yours are of the 2/80 and newer variety, they are much larger at 18mm, and I have not heard yet of one of THOSE greasable pins failing, only the earlier ones. So if you don't mind being a guinea pig....



Best

Mark A.

 

[KY Longhunter]

My 40 is a Jan 81 so yes it is of the larger variety. But I probably wont punish them the way some of you guys do...

I will let you know a couple of years from now...

 

[primer7]

This discussion is very helpful as I will be replacing my suspension and at face value the greasable pins seem to be a good idea...not so much anymore.

 

[DSRTRDR]

This discussion is very helpful as I will be replacing my suspension and at face value the greasable pins seem to be a good idea...not so much anymore.

get the non-greasable pins from Kurt, much beefier

 

[65swb45]

This discussion is very helpful as I will be replacing my suspension and at face value the greasable pins seem to be a good idea...not so much anymore.

Keith, if you need pins, I stock them too.

 

[amaurer]

Keith, if you need pins, I stock them too.

Will you be near the computer or the phone from Sept. 19th through the 26th?? Its unclear.

 

[lcwizard]

sorry to hear that Claudia. I was building pins and shackles for a lot of years using a material developed by Lockeed. It had a higher tensile strength than heat treated Chromoly, however after the economy fell
so did pricey shackle sales. I stopped building shackle pins a year and a half ago due to fallen sales. India and Malaysia can provide the pins with nuts and washers for less than half the price of one pin that I used to build so that's where everyone goes now. Just carry spares

 

[65swb45]

Maybe you ought to re-test the market Dave.

It's almost lore that if LC wizard builds something, most likely you will NEVER need to replace it.

That's why I trusted your judgement on the bumpstop materials for my new extensions. I should be rolling them out in a few weeks now.

Best

Mark A.

 

[DSRTRDR]

sorry to hear that Claudia. I was building pins and shackles for a lot of years using a material developed by Lockeed. It had a higher tensile strength than heat treated Chromoly, however after the economy fell
so did pricey shackle sales. I stopped building shackle pins a year and a half ago due to fallen sales. India and Malaysia can provide the pins with nuts and washers for less than half the price of one pin that I used to build so that's where everyone goes now. Just carry spares

they weren't yours

I fully understand the economics (although price was not my driving motive at the time of purchase, it was the idea of grease around them ) - plus, after all, the pins did last for 5 years - much of the time the truck saw during that time was wheeling

I really can't complain - I just think that the design has proven to have inherent weaknesses - at least on my truck

 

[DSRTRDR]

It's almost lore that if LCwizard builds something, most likely you will NEVER need to replace it..

X2, none of my 4+ stuff has ever broken

hell, my husband lurked the truck into a cinderblock wall the other day upon trying to park it (seat/steering wheel geometry is not favorable to his legs) and took out a 2 inch piece of the wall - 4+ bumper and paint completely unscratched

 

[mwalls54]

I had this happen on my 74 a couple of times. I just welded a grade 8, 3/4" fender washer on and now i run a 3/4" grade 8 bolt for a shackle pin and its worked great for years.

 

[65swb45]

I had this happen on my 74 a couple of times. I just welded a grade 8, 3/4" fender washer on and now i run a 3/4" grade 8 bolt for a shackle pin and its worked great for years.

I will inspect said fender washer modification myself next week.

 

[Chop Shop]

Bolts should never have holes in them.

 

[bsevans]

Bolts should never have holes in them.

Spoken by someone who apparently has no experience with industrial vacuum systems.

 

[lostmarbles]

.......hell, my husband lurked the truck into a cinderblock wall the other day upon trying to park it

Don't let him drive it ever again Claudia

This is the only time my ever drove mine ..... (around 1981 I think)




And the grawnching sounds (of repeated unsuccessful gear changes) still haunt me to this day!