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Leaf springs

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
What companies make 5.5" leaf springs that have built in shims. I just traded springs with another member and I'm trying to figure out the brand. They have 11 leafs per spring
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
I also looked at duff, wildhorses, toms, deaver, etc and none of them show them in the pics or in the descriptions
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,851
I've never seen shims included on any I've bought..and that is probably most of them at one time or another.

That said..I've almost always had to install the wedges, or move the spring perches. You sure the PO didn't add the wedges you have on yours?
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
Maybe this will help...

100_6572.jpg
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
The previous owner thought they were wildhorses. It's not a real big deal, I was just trying to look them up.
 

bmc69

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Messages
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The previous owner thought they were wildhorses. It's not a real big deal, I was just trying to look them up.

They do look exactly like the WH springs I have on a couple different EBs, including the wedges..but I added wedges after figuring out what angle I needed; they didn't come with any.;)

Interesting.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,344
Ours do not come automatically with the shims craigaria. But like bmc said, the shims are intended to be bolted to the spring pack before installation. That's why there is a new, longer center pin bolt included with the shim kit.
I did think that at one time WH offered spring packs with the shims included, but I asked that exact question just a few weeks ago and was informed, in no uncertain terms, that we've never "officially" sold spring packs with them pre-mounted. Not that some might not have been shipped that way anyway, but it was never an official part.

And the fact that they're painted the same black as the springs (looks like all new paint) tells me that they were freshened up a bit too.
Did you do that? Or did the PO sell them to you that way?

I could be wrong on the paint of course, but the shim sets I've seen were not painted black. I don't look at every set that goes out the door however, and things seem to change every time I'm not looking, so we could very well be selling shiny black shims these days!

If you're not sure about what to do though, I would definitely leave them installed for now. Only take them off if your setup doesn't need them for some reason.
I'm thinking that, if these are indeed 5.5" springs, you're going to want to use the shims.

Hope that helps.

Paul
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
Ours do not come automatically with the shims craigaria. But like bmc said, the shims are intended to be bolted to the spring pack before installation. That's why there is a new, longer center pin bolt included with the shim kit.
I did think that at one time WH offered spring packs with the shims included, but I asked that exact question just a few weeks ago and was informed, in no uncertain terms, that we've never "officially" sold spring packs with them pre-mounted. Not that some might not have been shipped that way anyway, but it was never an official part.

And the fact that they're painted the same black as the springs (looks like all new paint) tells me that they were freshened up a bit too.
Did you do that? Or did the PO sell them to you that way?

I could be wrong on the paint of course, but the shim sets I've seen were not painted black. I don't look at every set that goes out the door however, and things seem to change every time I'm not looking, so we could very well be selling shiny black shims these days!

If you're not sure about what to do though, I would definitely leave them installed for now. Only take them off if your setup doesn't need them for some reason.
I'm thinking that, if these are indeed 5.5" springs, you're going to want to use the shims.

Hope that helps.

Paul

Thanks for the info! I have not received the springs yet, they should be here tomorrow. The PO bought a project bronco and these were already installed on it. He is under the impression that they are new, and they look pretty good to me also.

Other than the shims, do they look like wildhorses springs? Like I said before, it is not that important but I just wanted to see what brand they were.

Thanks again!
 

DirtDonk

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They do look similar to ours, but if they are, they're an older batch.
It's very hard to tell for sure these days without seeing the part number that's stenciled on the top of the main leaf.

To me, the reason they look like they could be someone else's, or at least an older model of ours, is there are fewer keepers and the main double-wrap leaf doesn't appear to come around the eye as far as our current models do.
And even the center bolt does not look like the one we use. It does look like it could be the same 7/16" diameter, but the head (part that slips into the spring perch) appears to be smaller. Again, hard to tell.
Ours have been 7/16" as long as I can remember, but I don't know if they've always had the same size head.

I could be wrong on that of course, as even ours have changed over the years and I don't can't remember just how long our current features have been in production.
So while I hate to say one way or the other, at least it looks as if someone has put together a nice package for you. Can't see too many tweaks between the leaves. Cleaned, painted, new (or still new) bushings, good (or new) slider pads. And no apparent twisting/tweakage of the leaves.

Used springs can be a crapshoot at any time of course. But at least the 11-pack types don't tend to sag as quickly or as far as the old 5 and 6-leaf packs did. Nothing obviously wrong with these. They may very well be brand new and just needed a coat of paint from sitting around for too long.

Good luck. Are you going to pick them up, or are they out of the area and have to be shipped?

Paul
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
They have been shipped and should be here today. Can't wait to get them on my bronco. I just hope the shim is correct. We will see.

Thanks!
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,344
Easy enough to take out if it's not. If you need something in an in-between size, try to find a steel one as opposed to an aluminum shim. Aluminum works of course, but enough people have had them crack under use to make it worth looking for steel.

If the springs are still close to 5.5" though, those shims look like they'll be in the ballpark at least.

Paul
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,851
If the springs are still close to 5.5" though, those shims look like they'll be in the ballpark at least.

Paul

I agree with that; just by eyeballing 'em, I'd bet they are close.
 
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craigaria

craigaria

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
848
Loc.
Monroe, GA
Springs just got here and appear to be new. It looks like the shims are painted with the same paint as the leafs. I don't see any part #'s stamped anywhere. They look almost identical to the toms springs I traded but no markings. I am very happy with the deal!
 
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