2 Types front spring bracket? K10

[mavtricks71]

On K10 4x4 ...did they use 2 types of front brackets that the spring attaches too? I swore the front of my springs have shackles!!....the picture of this K10 just has a bracket that houses the spring. I can't look at my truck right now as I'm in the hospital.

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[chengny]

First, good luck. I'm sure everyone here wishes you all the best. I had to look up CF - seems like a pretty sucky thing to deal with.

On your question as to how the fwd end of the front leaf springs are suspended from the frame. I know the K 2/3's don't use a shackle but I've never had a K1 so I checked it out. There is no shackle used on that series either.

From the 86 Service Manual - note that it just states "K Series" Front Suspension, no 1/2/3 designation:

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Parts dwg and part number list (this is for 87 -91 model years but see below):

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From the full master parts list. Note that the applicable part numbers are identical and were used across all years and weight ratings. The only difference I can see is, for some reason they changed the name of the "reinforcement" to "hanger" but the P/N remained the same:

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[bucket]

They all had shackles at the rear of the spring.

 

[mavtricks71]

Looking around on internet most trucks I see do have just a front bracket and rear shackle for FRONT leaf spring. My truck has Front shackles here's the bracket my truck uses. https://m.ebay.com/itm/Front-Leaf-S...602426?hash=item3f9306497a:g:Sy0AAOSwQiFacko~

 

[bucket]

Looking around on internet most trucks I see do have just a front bracket and rear shackle for FRONT leaf spring. My truck has Front shackles here's the bracket my truck uses. https://m.ebay.com/itm/Front-Leaf-S...602426?hash=item3f9306497a:g:Sy0AAOSwQiFacko~

That bracket mounts the rear of the front spring.

 

[CSFJ]

The only thing I can think of with a shackle on the front of the spring are the older jeeps. Even then, a lot of guys flip them so the shackle is at the rear of the spring for better handling.

 

[chengny]

I don't know. Maybe someone, at some point, decided that they really needed shackles at both ends. So they drilled the frame, and mounted those brackets/shackles on the forward ends - and then they had shackles fore & aft.

That is not a good idea. It might be necessary for some extreme terrain vehicles like the Mars Rover. But for vehicles - that travel on normal roads - the leaf springs should be hung from a shackle only one end and be fixed on the other.

Sometimes, an important function of leaf springs is overlooked. While they do support the frame/body, they also locate the axle.

Fixed point (main eye):

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To axle:

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To shackle eye:

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When you go over a bump, the spring pack deflects upward and elongates. The main eye end can't accommodate any longitudinal motion because it's main job is keeping the axle in place.

But since the spring has gained that effective length, something has to give. That is what the shackle does - allows the spring to lengthen while the main eye keeps the axle in place.

So, if there were shackles at both ends - while it probably wouldn't be the end of the world - the axle would tend to drift around each time the springs flattened out.

 

[mavtricks71]

That bracket mounts the rear of the front spring.

This was in my phone....a pic of how my Front spring mounts on the rear. I don't see the bracket.

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[CSFJ]

Are you serious?

This is the pic from the ad you posted earlier

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The short side of the bushing is what you see poking through the frame on your picture above. The longer side is on the inside of the frame rail. Just to clarify further, the flange on the mount is fastened to the inside of the frame rail.

 

[chengny]

This was in my phone....a pic of how my Front spring mounts on the rear. I don't see the bracket.

Well, in that photo you wouldn't see it (unless you had x-ray vision ) because it mounts inside the frame rail. If you look closely at the parts dwgs I provided above - they're kind of hidden but they are there. Here are a couple of real life photos of my trucks showing their actual locations:

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[mavtricks71]

Are you serious?

This is the pic from the ad you posted earlier

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The short side of the bushing is what you see poking through the frame on your picture above. The longer side is on the inside of the frame rail. Just to clarify further, the flange on the mount is fastened to the inside of the frame rail.

Ohhhh ok thanks!!

 

[mavtricks71]

This was in my phone....a pic of how my Front spring mounts on the rear. I don't see the bracket.

Well, in that photo you wouldn't see it (unless you had x-ray vision ) because it mounts inside the frame rail. If you look closely at the parts dwgs I provided above - they're kind of hidden but they are there. Here are a couple of real life photos of my trucks showing their actual locations:

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You guys are helpful I really appreciate it!!