Leaf Spring Pin Larger than Mount Hole NEED QUICK ANSWER

[T-7ToNewOldB]

Purchased the ford 9” rear housing from Wild Horses.
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/produ...-Large-Bearing-Large-Bolt/Bronco_Rear_Housing

Along with their leaf spring and heavy duty axle bolt kit.

The pin on the leaf springs is larger diameter than the hole in leaf spring support welded to the axle. I assume I should just drill out the hole to the right size?

A little annoying as they sold me both parts and I incorrectly assumed they would fit together. . .


ID Spring Support 0.5115
OD Pin 0.6320
Thanks. Don’t want to drill if I should do something else.

 

[bronconut73]

This is normal. The wild horses Leaf pack has an oversized pin in it it's heavy duty it's strong it's a good thing. And yes you simply drill out that hole in your axle until you get a good fit.

In fact I drilled an additional hole forward of the factory hole and then additional hole forward of the original hole in the wild horses leaf spring plate. This allowed me to move my axle back about an inch and a half. However far you offset that hole is how far you can move your axle back. Only went back about an inch and a half as any further looked like I might hit the gas tank with the back of the differential

 

[cs_88]

Had to drill mine out to 5/8" if I remember correctly.

 

[T-7ToNewOldB]

This is normal. The wild horses Leaf pack has an oversized pin in it it's heavy duty it's strong it's a good thing. And yes you simply drill out that hole in your axle until you get a good fit.

In fact I drilled an additional hole forward of the factory hole and then additional hole forward of the original hole in the wild horses leaf spring plate. This allowed me to move my axle back about an inch and a half. However far you offset that hole is how far you can move your axle back. Only went back about an inch and a half as any further looked like I might hit the gas tank with the back of the differential

Thanks to both posters. This is going on a Krawlers edge frame with a 1” built-in lift. I’m using the 1.5” suspension lift from Wild Horses on this as well. I’m planning to just drill out the existing hole further. Any issues with that vs putting in another hole?

This is a mostly street build with just light off-road planned in regard to intended use.

 

[DirtDonk]

I'm glad you posted this up T-7. Since it's our housing, I thought our spring perches were indeed set up for our springs. So I'll look into it and see if a change was made on purpose, or unbeknownst to us.

It could be due to customers wanting the smaller size hole because not all were going to be using our springs. In that case it's easier to drill it out to the larger size than to fill it in to fit other brand springs. But I was not aware we'd gone that way with it.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

I should add that some people still prefer to grind off a bit of the head so it fits in the smaller hole. If you don't want to drill, that's an option.

If the springs are new they would normally have a decal on them, and paperwork with them, that states you need to drill when installing them on stock spring perches.
But you're right to think that if we supply the axle housing as well, that it could be sized for our larger pins.
Waiting to hear back about the logic of using the smaller holes. Perhaps it's what I said above though, so that those not using our springs are not using a larger hole with the smaller bolt.

Paul

 

[Pokey71]

Youre going to have to drill the perches out.

Nothing wrong with that

 

[onpier55]

Had to drill mine out. I bought the bit from Home Depot. 5/8” I think. Wh directions tell you what size, if I remember right. Read a few instructions since then.

 

[T-7ToNewOldB]

I think with a 1/10th inch difference drilling seems to make more sense. Should have both sides wrapped up tomorrow. Thanks for the input.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Drill baby drill

 

[T-7ToNewOldB]

Drilled out with 5/8”. Super easy, got it all put together reasonably quickly, some wrestling with the leaf springs but only about 30 minutes total for the two sides. (Wrestling that is.).

So Wild Horses 10 spring 1.5lift springs, super shackles on a Krawlers Edge frame.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[T-7ToNewOldB]

Installed.

 

[DirtDonk]

That's a great looking setup you've got there!

I did confirm that the holes have always been the stock size, so that anyone with any Bronco, whether stock springs or most of the other brands of aftermarket springs can safely use our housing. With our springs, as you found out, the customer is asked to drill out to the larger size just as they would need to do with the stock housing.

Speaking of "stock" though, the one change worth noting is that the perches are welded on at what should be the correct angle for most lifts to keep the pinion angle correct without the need for corrective tapered shims that most of us end up using with a suspension lift.

Can't wait to see more progress pics.

Paul