Talk About Lucky..... (1 Viewer)

[Rocky_LC]

After driving up Mount Lemmon, and driving down the rugged, bumpy road to my mountain retreat, I put my LC into reverse and heard a horrible grinding noise....

It was my driver's front tire dragging on my bumper, because the front axle shifted forward when I went into reverse.... Why?

Because my leaf-spring had parted company with the rear shackle on the driver's side....

Luckily - the vehicle is still in one piece, as I am, and it's in a safe location....

Anyone had any experience with BTB 4" Lift springs? I need something pretty fast, just to get down the hill....


I can imagine it will be an a$$-pain to swap out the springs on a soft dirt surface... No floor jacks, etc., but it could have been much worse.


Thanks -

Rocky

 

[D_Web]

Close call! Shout out if you need a hand with the repair, I’m sure there’s more than a few of us who could assist.

 

[Living in the Past]

Two options, one weld the spring back together. Second good drill bit and a good cordless drill with spare batteries and bolt the spring back together. Either way use it just get back to pavement and have tow truck home. Come-along or ratchet straps could pull it back in place. Visegrip to hold it together while you do one or the other or both. Either way would be very careful getting it back home. Just be thankful it fail and cause a wreck.

Closest I am is Peoria and not there this time of year. Have old school Rancho springs with a couple inch lift. These were on a 69 I parted out many years ago. Springs were brand new. Use them to hold tarps down. In AZ still not rusted. If I was there you could have them.

 

[Rocky_LC]

Thanks, guys - I appreciate the offers of support.

I've got a set of springs on the way, but that's very thoughtful of you both to offer help and parts!

Luckily the vehicle is in a safe spot, and It's not going anywhere (that's for sure!). So I'm not under the gun to get if fixed IMMEDIATELY...

But I appreciate it, and hope the pictures are a little interesting to the club members... Wait till I get going on my "field repair"!

Thanks -

 

[yotadude520]

Thanks, guys - I appreciate the offers of support.

I've got a set of springs on the way, but that's very thoughtful of you both to offer help and parts!

Luckily the vehicle is in a safe spot, and It's not going anywhere (that's for sure!). So I'm not under the gun to get if fixed IMMEDIATELY...

But I appreciate it, and hope the pictures are a little interesting to the club members... Wait till I get going on my "field repair"!

Thanks -

Wow! Very lucky that could’ve gone south fast!

If you need a hand let me know, I just did the front leafs on my 85 F250, not bad at all!

 

[splitshot]

After driving up Mount Lemmon, and driving down the rugged, bumpy road to my mountain retreat, I put my LC into reverse and heard a horrible grinding noise....

It was my driver's front tire dragging on my bumper, because the front axle shifted forward when I went into reverse.... Why?

Because my leaf-spring had parted company with the rear shackle on the driver's side....

Luckily - the vehicle is still in one piece, as I am, and it's in a safe location....

Anyone had any experience with BTB 4" Lift springs? I need something pretty fast, just to get down the hill....


I can imagine it will be an a$$-pain to swap out the springs on a soft dirt surface... No floor jacks, etc., but it could have been much worse.


Thanks -

RockyView attachment 2083780View attachment 2083781

Chuck, I have a set of springs (Ft and RR), think the are Rancho's, might get you moving again. Free if you need them.

 

[Rocky_LC]

Thanks, John -

I've got a set on order, so I should be good to go, but I will certainly keep you offer in mind if things go south.

Appreciate it - all the offers of support. What a great club.

Chuck

 

[splitshot]

Let us know, looks like one of your shackles stuck inverted? I had that happen on a tandem axle boat trailer years ago.

 

[Living in the Past]

Let us know, looks like one of your shackles stuck inverted? I had that happen on a tandem axle boat trailer years ago.

Doesn't look like a shackle reverse just the main spring broke clean less than a foot from the back.

 

[murf]

Daaaaang!

 

[Rocky_LC]

Got a new set of springs / bushings from BTB in Las Vegas. The replacement of the broken one went a lot easier than I thought, even on the soft dirt. It took A high-lift, and a couple bottle jacks, but it all aligned, and went together pretty good.

I didn't do both springs (yet) because of the PIA-factor of working in the dirt, and because I don't have the smaller diameter bushings that go in the upper bushing mount (the one mounted on the frame - I need to make some calls and find a set. They are a different size (smaller) than the bushing that fit the springs.

Anyway - I appreciate everyone's interest and offers to help.

Got some interesting pictures - it's pretty obvious I was driving around on cracked springs for a while based on the corrosion, and then the clean metal. The little rust drips in the first picture are probably from one of the rainstorms up on top, after the spring broke.

You can see the cracks aren't just in a straight line - there are a bunch of them over about a 1" distance near the rear shackle.

Rocky

help.

 

[splitshot]

SOR should have your bushings.