[Bob Carriere]

Thanks Cliff and Mike.

First of all I am working on an early (1940) Chev C15 cab 11... and from what I have observed of the frame-power train very little differences with a later (say 1942) Cab 13.

The obvious.... different body mounting points... different front shocks.... added braces on the rear engine frame cross member... but the big stuff is all the same.

Now the darn thing is almost all disassembled... bare frame...still have to remove the front axle.

I measured the spring set up before dis-assembly and it compared favorably with my parts truck... C15 ex-water truck.

My front springs are defenitely flat.... it had a huge..huge snow plow mounted ... it was made from old riveted curved boiler plates. The rear shackle was pushed back about the farthest it could go..... I do know these have to be re-arced. My rear spring shackles had a slight rearward angle but not much. When compared to the water truck frame....which is sitting off the ground on homemade stands... no wheels... the axles is hanging down and the rear shackles are still slightly angled to the rear.

My reason for askinf for specs.... my previouos expereince with springs has been with M 37 Dodge Power wagon.... they were bad for sagging springs.... and the army manual had a spec for the springs at rest.... a measurement from eye to eye in inches.... that is what I have been trying to find to no avail.

Cliff measuring the frame height at this point when the sucker is all apart is meaningless. The spring shop had asked me ti measure the space between the lowest mid part of the spring to the frame.... and tell him how much more it should raised... too late for that now.

Amazingly none of the leaves are broken...... I had too main concerns... one was the re-arcing of the front springs the other was to inspect the condition of the Shackle pins and the bushings inside the eye of the springs..... again to my surprise the pins are hardly scored and at least the rear bushing are still good enough. I may find worst in the front with all the weight of the plow.... in any event if they are going to the spring shop new bushings are going to be installed...... all the pins are being washed .... new zerts grease fitting installed and the grease channels cleaned and blown out. Maybe it second life in a garage gave it more maintenance then usually found elsewhere.

From what you both tell me.... the rear springs are probably not in bad shape... and lets face it....it will never be loaded down again....... all the brackets ..bolts...and tubes for the bolts will be replaced with new hardware..... new bushing.... new center bolt on the spring pack...new U bolts and nuts......should ride reasonably well.......for an old CMP.

I am now building sturdy axle craddle stand with wheels to hold the axles..... them suckers are heavy.... the rear axle is now resting on regular axle stands and far to wobbly to work on safely....... I will build the axle stand high enough for me to sit comfortably on a low stool...... real curious of what I will find inside the axles when I remove the lids...... some oil/grease I hope and maybe some water....???? and so if you wonder...I use an old farm tractor with an hydraulic bucket to do the heavy lifting....see picture taken laft Fall...the frame is now totally bare.

Thanks for your help guys..... it gets lonely at the barn sometimes while pondering which nut to remove next.....

If any one else has any practical experience on the springs or the coming axle nightmare do jump in.....