Ode to FGT; a refresh story

Nice. I remember that job. I had pulled engines and transmissions, years ago. But after 10+ years of only doing oil changes, CVs, starters, radiators etc., doing the leaf springs was a big job. Have the whole rear axle just dangling...

Pretty satisfying when it's all back together though. Like pulling a transmission, it's not that it's complicated, it's just big, heavy, dirty, and a very major part of the truck. A similar pack to what you bought is somewhere in my future.

 

Some more bits. Maybe springs tomorrow. Hoping for an inch or two of lift.

 

Let the sketch begin

 

Following as my rear is sagging a bit with all the truck things we do.

Curious about the alignment method in regard to the axle and leaf packs; haven't looked into it yet...

 

There’s a center pin on the leaf packs that aligns the axle to the leaf’s. Zero magic involved.

 

All done. It’s hot so it was a sweat fest, but overall not too bad. Leafs are heavy and awkward, but still a one man job if necessary. gained one inch of lift over the factory ones that may have been wore out, so not much really.

 

Before and after

 

That was fast.

 

Almost dead-nuts 1". Huh. Makes me wonder if those are actually the same as ATS springs. Where'd they ship from, out of curiousity, or do you not have the label anymore?

 

Zero sag with the 16’ trailer now. Yay.

 

Minneapolis

 

Hmmm. ATS is in PA. Let me see where the extra they sent me shipped from....

EDIT: Nope, mine shipped from 1069 S. County Line Road in Souderton, PA.

 

The cliffs notes write up for the spring swap:

lift the truck and support the frame and rear axle with jack stands
Remove the wheels

Remove the nuts from the front axle hanger bolt and the rear lower shackle hanger bolt
Remove the nuts from the U bolts holding the axle to leafs with the axle plate

remove the lower shock bolt to give the axle enough down travel for removal
Remove the bolts from the leaf spring hangers freeing the leaf spring. May have to hammer the leaf a bit to loosen the center pin
Lay it out next to the new one and get the orientation correct. swap the shackle over to the new one

Installation is pretty much reverse of removal. I put the rear shackle hanger bolt in first and then installed the U bolts and axle plate after centering the pin. Then lowered the truck until the front eye lined up to install the front spring hanger bolt.
Everything snugged but not torqued yet.

used this opportunity to fix my shock boots with new lower zip ties.
Reinstalled the wheels and put er back on the ground
Then I torqued all of the connections to spec

the new U bolts are 9/16” and required 131ft/lbs per the provided labeling.
will retorque after 500 miles or so.

 

You didn't need to pop off the lower shock mount? Granted, I did mine one side at a time, so diagonal travel was an issue. But I also didn't want to overextend the shock, or blow out the upper bushings.

 

I did, it’s in the write up

 

Ah, missed it under the photo.

 

I did one side at a time as well. Took about 1.5 hours total for both. Not much to it.

 

I was about to say what I meant, but I'd need to dig back in this thread to remember how I did mine. I know I jacked up at the diff, and supported the frame, and used the jack to lift/drop the diff for sliding springs in/out, and use the bottle jack to help lift up either side of the axle to help with finagling, but I can't remember if I took off both wheels and worked on one side at a time, or if I took off one wheel at a time and worked on that side.

Your way looks a lot better than what I remember. I don't have two floor jacks.

 

Unless you put them in backwards like me and Casey.

 

A little touch up work. Tired of the peeling drivers window trim and missing Yota emblem. Both getting addressed. Gonna dip ‘em. Window trim may get replaced at a later date. Emblem will get painted red like before the accident.

 

Prep



done. Better, but not great. At least it’s all black now. Will refinish later or replace.



Just needs to dry / cure

 

PM me. I'll send you a new OEM emblem.
I'll even cover shipping or you can come hang out next time you're in town.

Edit: you already got an emblem NVM

 

appreciate it

 

Emblem turned out, well, red. May need to get a slightly darker hue than the cherry I had on hand. Works for now though.

 

All red accessories fade to pink in my experience anyways. Enjoy the cherry crisp redness and it'll eventually get to the shade you intended

 

My last one held up well for many years

 

I dipped my window trim too. So far it’s holding up well. No noticeable fading after a year and a half of being parked outside.

 

Nice, my truck has been parked outside for 19 years. Hope it holds up.

 

This is a heavy ass commercial mower. It usually puts a hurting on the rear suspension with the old leafs. New ones don’t seem to care. Mission accomplished.

 

I have a hustler like that too



Yours is bigger though.