quick spring question

[rejeep]

so Im swapping out my stockers for paras..
noticed the front driver side spring has some rubbing on top of it form where it has come into contact with the frame..
Went to put the paras in and they just fit.. prob cant put a sheet of paper in between the military wrap and the frame..
is this normal?
cant get intouch with rocky mt as of yet..

[jac04]

I had the same problem when I installed the RM paras on my 63. Since the ends were not consistent, I had to keep moving the springs around to find a position for each spring where they fit the best. I also remember having to take a sharp file to the outer wrap to give them some more clearance. Definitely not normal or good to have them rub.

[I Leak Oil]

So the originals rubbed and now the parabolics are close to rubbing too? Sounds like it could be a frame bushing or shackle that is worn out.

[rejeep]

well there was a slight wear pattern on the top of the spring.. (front right frame mount) I will try and grab a picture when I can..
the new Paras went in very tight..
I didnt want to file/grind down either the frame or the spring before getting the whole truck done and sitting on the ground..
the rear went in fine.. found I have a bit of rust/rot above the left front frame mount... only found that out when i took a pry bar to release the old spring..
looks like it might be on an outrigger?

[rejeep]

Ok here are some pics with what I am facing..

This is the driver front stock spring.. notice the abrasion from where it was contacting the frame..



This is the passenger side para installed.. I haven’t measured, but I would need a feeler gauge to even begin to get a measurements



This is the driver side.. military wrap portion and frame are in contact...

[I Leak Oil]

Oh it's the front spring hanger. Well it's certainly not a chassis bushing then...bad on me..
How do the holes in the horn look? Are they nice and round or egg shaped? Are the bolts a tight fit or are they sloppy in the hole? There isn't much clearance up there anyway and if the spring eye is too big that will do it.

[rejeep]

hangers look fine, holes look perfect...

I guess im stuck.. I have two options in my opinion.. well three perhaps...
1. cut the military wrap
2. grind down the frame
3. grind down the spring
or a combination of 2/3

Rocky MT says that this does, can, and will happen... the military wrap is just that, it doesnt serve any load function of the spring, rather a redundant feature for limp home if something were to break..

suggestions or comments?

[disco2hse]

Can't say that I have seen it before, but have you got the springs on the correct side? They are handed and there is often confusion about which side gets what since they are originally RHD. Normally springs are identified near-side and off-side where near-side is that which is near to the kerb and off-side is not. On the RHD vehicle that places near-side on the left of the driver's position and off-side to the driver's right. In LHD that switches around the other way so that near-side is on the driver's right, and so on.

I have heard conflicting evidence about which side gets what springs for LHD vehicles but I would assume that the near-side, off-side thing still applies. In other words, they are different for LHD to RHD.

[rejeep]

I have a RHD and I asked RM about that.. they said no matter..

[disco2hse]

I have a RHD and I asked RM about that.. they said no matter..

Did some homework on their site and yes, they make the springs the same for each side. The only other thing I can think of is that your chassis is bent or twisted. Have you ever had a wheel alignment done? This will normally identify those kind of problems. Otherwise is it out with a plumb bob, ruler, and calculator.

[rejeep]

I had the same problem when I installed the RM paras on my 63. Since the ends were not consistent, I had to keep moving the springs around to find a position for each spring where they fit the best. I also remember having to take a sharp file to the outer wrap to give them some more clearance. Definitely not normal or good to have them rub.

I think here is my answer...
dont see how the frame is a factor.. its clearance between the top of the aftermarket spring and the horn mount..
since the bolt holes are the constant its just the relationship between them and the top of the frame...

Alignment is dead on...

[yorker]

hangers look fine, holes look perfect...

I guess im stuck.. I have two options in my opinion.. well three perhaps...
1. cut the military wrap
2. grind down the frame
3. grind down the spring
or a combination of 2/3

Rocky MT says that this does, can, and will happen... the military wrap is just that, it doesnt serve any load function of the spring, rather a redundant feature for limp home if something were to break..

suggestions or comments?

It would seem that that would be pretty important considering how few leaves there are.

[NRutterbush]

Have you considered option 4: Weld new plates on the spring hangers and re-drill the holes about 3/8" lower?

As far as diagnosing something from 3000 miles goes, I would suggest that maybe the old springs were making contact because old springs have old bushings, and the new springs are making contact because they have thicker leaves, and/or teflon spacers between leaves that give some space at the military wrap.

I wouldn't be too worried about letting them "wear" into their own place, as long as you have them bolted in. The spring does not really move up and down at that front mount. One the shackle end needs to move anywhere other than pivoting around the bolt.

Anyway, grinding a bit of the frame there is insignificant, as the load from the spring transfers into the frame through the weld of the spring hanger on the sides of the frame, not the bottom. The only issue is that the frame is really thin.

Again... thinking about it, there is not any reason those two parts can't rub together. I bet you can't hear that squeak over all of the other noises anyway.

[rejeep]

The noise and vibration it transmits is significant..... Much more than I would have expected....

I'm going to remove a bit of matirial for some clearance and see where that takes me.