NT 5x8 axle flip

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NT 5x8 axle flip

Postby sned » Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:11 pm

would like to lower my NT 5x8 by putting the axle on top of the springs.

I don't want to flip my axle upside down so my thought is to run some all thread through the leaf springs with a nut on each side of the leaf springs to clamp the springs together and then run the all thread through the axle with a nut for alignment.

Am I over thinking this and all I need to do is flip the axle over?
sned
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Re: NT 5x8 axle flip

Postby KCStudly » Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:27 pm

Wow. In fact you are seriously under thinking this.

The hole in the spring is strictly intended to be an alignment pin to keep the axle from shifting off of the perch. The perch plays a critical roll of spreading the suspended load over a larger portion of the spring. The u-bolts play a critical roll of clamping a relatively large portion of the spring down to the perch. Without this relationship the spring would flex at the alignment hole and would quickly crack thru due to the hole being a stress riser (a place for a failure to start).

Drilling a hole thru the axle at the critical reaction load point of the spring is ill advised.

Using generic all thread for any critical suspension fastener is seriously ill advised.

Do it right. Protect yourself and those around you.

Have new perches welded on to the other side of your axle; if necessary, rebuild your spring packs with the alignment pin reversed; and use new u-bolts at reassembly.
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Re: NT 5x8 axle flip

Postby Redneck Teepee » Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:59 pm

KCStudly wrote:Wow. In fact you are seriously under thinking this.

The hole in the spring is strictly intended to be an alignment pin to keep the axle from shifting off of the perch. The perch plays a critical roll of spreading the suspended load over a larger portion of the spring. The u-bolts play a critical roll of clamping a relatively large portion of the spring down to the perch. Without this relationship the spring would flex at the alignment hole and would quickly crack thru due to the hole being a stress riser (a place for a failure to start).

Drilling a hole thru the axle at the critical reaction load point of the spring is ill advised.

Using generic all thread for any critical suspension fastener is seriously ill advised.

Do it right. Protect yourself and those around you.

Have new perches welded on to the other side of your axle; if necessary, rebuild your spring packs with the alignment pin reversed; and use new u-bolts at reassembly.

This is very good advice given by K.C. 100% accurate in my opinion ..........we must always remember that it has to be safe, safe for all, including John Q. Public out on the road. :frightened:
I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction, the world will have a generation of idiot's.
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Re: NT 5x8 axle flip

Postby sned » Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:51 pm

For some reason I thought the alignment hole went through the axle, now that I'm home that's not the case. No way I'm I going to drill through an axle.

Didn't explain myself very well, will be using U-bolts and perches no way all thread will hold suspension together. After taking a look at the axle my thought wouldn't work anyways.

There's no crown in the axle I could flip it over just don't like the idea of having the c-chanel facing up and not sure if having the c-chanel facing up would be weaker.
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