So does it really matter of the spring is the same width as the spring? Like if the perch is a lil wider than the spring and the plate matches the perch will it really make a difference as long as the hardware is properly and evenly tightened? I've always tried to match everything but thereve been times on junkyard builds where they didn't and everything was fine. Just curious if it's as critical as people make it out to be
You’re gonna have to be way more specific. I’m assuming because I know what you’re building that your talking about the saddle/perches on a parallel leaf set up ( front or rear) axle and the width is the width of the actual spring/ spring pack. Not eye to eye width.
For parallel leaf spring packs I like to keep the U bolts fairly close beside the springs, but with a centering pin I doubt if a half inch clearance per side hurts.
See that's exactly what I was asking. The current temporary setup is a 2.5" perch on a 1.75" spring. Once I get the springs and rear end swapped it'll get perfectly matching parts. But I had nothiced on various rods on YouTube including a 54 Chevy i watched a video on swapping springs they all had similar gaps to mine
You can always add a spacer each side of the spring if it concerns you. The gap being about 3/8" so slightly thinner spacer . A suitable section of u channel or u bent steel or aluminum won't fall out. A sleeve of tubing turned to the right diameter on each leg of the u bolts or even a split half sleeve. Or just rely on the center pin but don't drive it hard. Center pins doo shear off, the spacing from bolt to spring provides added security
These saddles fit 1.75 springs https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Suspension-Parts/TruRyde/TRSS300.html .
I actually have a set of proper sized perches for the rear end that will be going in. Just have no desire to put any extra work into the s10 rear end that's currently in it lol. Only reason it's in there is it's a 3.42 posi and I got it free about the time I was beginning to focus on the open drive conversion
I've seen guys tack a piece of plate vertically to the spring plate to take up the gap between U bolts and spring packs. An easy solution that still allows disassembly. I saw one car the owner welded a spacer to the U bolts, which I thought was silly to not be able to remove the U bolts from the axle tube.
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