Quirky steering source found!

[DanTreace]

On the '27 the steering has been a bit quirky at times. Have always checked the obvious pieces of the front end, steering gear, king pins, spindle bearings, air pressure in tires, spring hangers. etc. etc.

But garage time today, jacked up the chassis, and pulled the wheels for tour inspections and grease, and noticed the spring stack would slightly wiggle, as one or two leafs could be displaced. Odd.....

Note the shift between spring leafs.

Well, removed the very tight front spring clip to allow the spring to drop down to inspect

Oh my Now I know the source of odd wiggle squiggle. Odd too, no pieces of those leafs were in the crossmember, must be somewhere on a road...UPDATE. didn't look close, but the busted ones just slide to one side, taking the spring clamp too, funny never noticed the longer leaf on the left side ...on with the fix with a new T-Springs front spring, those old 100 year old leafs can't last forever

[TXGOAT2]

I've found quite a few fragments of T front springs along dirt roads and in pastures where roads once were. Most of them were from the top or second leaf and had broken at the tie bolt.

[John kuehn]

I’ve often wondered if the shorter springs could be made from a good longer spring if you didn’t have one. It could be cut to the needed shorter length and used. I’ve got pieces of springs from the remains of T trailers and thought about trying it. To me it seems like you could since the curve is already there.

[Craig Leach]

Hi John,
Yes you can I made my 8 leaf rear a 13 leaf for my fire truck by adding another second leaf & cutting off the next 4 enough to fit in length. Not correct
for a T but worked. Hard to cut, I used a abrasive cut off saw to cut them off & a grinder round & smooth the edges.
Craig.

[BigBen]

I’ve often wondered if the shorter springs could be made from a good longer spring if you didn’t have one. It could be cut to the needed shorter length and used. I’ve got pieces of springs from the remains of T trailers and thought about trying it. To me it seems like you could since the curve is already there.

We've done this as well. The top two were broken, and at the time nothing was available. My Dad knew an Old Boy that had some parts, he gave us some longer leafs that were cut down to make the shorter ones, been about 35 years now, still going.