Front Spring Shackle Pins/Bushings

It's not to bad, just do one side at a time and don't rush. It sounds like you have the rest figured out, and I would replace the shackles and other hardware at the same time. An alignment wouldn't hurt either.

 

i dont know if that year t800 has the hood that opens with rear fender or if its the newer style that has the fender which you would defintely need to get out of your way if you want to have space, or the front mudflap thats for sure. Something you could do defintely if you are mechanically inclined and have patience.

 

If you have the tooling, are accustomed to doing this type of thing and won't be giving up revenue to the truck during the process then it might be worth it, but if it costs you lost work for the truck, probably not.

As far as alignment goes, new pins and bushings will just restore a little positive caster that was lost due to wear, not a significant reason by itself to align the frontend.

 

I would never do major suspension work to a truck without getting an alignment done. And replacing springs/bushings is major enough for me.

It's cheap insurance to what a set of tires costs and once you get a wear pattern into them, it's hard to get it out.

All the pins and bushings I have replaced in the past have required a press (which I don't have at home) and a torch (something else I don't have at the moment.)

If you are set-up for it with all the tools, go for it. Plan on it taking twice as long as a shop unless you do it on a regular basis.

I have a shop I trust right now do my heavy work for stuff I don't have a place to work on. I do things in my back yard so things like this exhaust manifold gasket go to the shop.

 

To each his own, but a slight change in caster has no way of causing abnormal tire wear and not everyone is hip on wasting money.

 

Don't practice what you preach then.

I probably throw more money at preventive maintenance than most people will see as prudent. I also don't break down on the road either when it would cost me the most money as well.

some view spending money on preventive maintenance as wasting money. Some of us don't.

Not EVERYONE has a shop setup to do jobs like this. And yes, Caster can wear a tire out. Changing bushings can also change the thrust angles enough too to make a difference.

Just because my view doesn't agree with yours doesn't mean it should start a pissing match.

For every owner/op on the road there is a different mix/match of business models. Most of which work and are successful.

 

There won't be any pissing match.
You stated your view and I stated mine which is fine.
I consider your concerns on alignment irrelevant unless you're driving around in parking lots all day.
I agree with good preventative maintenance but maybe with a little tighter target.

 

Tranes Diesel did my shackle pins for me. They pulled both spring packs & hardware, re-stacked the leafs, tightened the center pins, installed new shackle pins, rehung the springs, assembled everything and during their final QA inspection of the job found a broken radiator mount. Labor, materials & tax out the door $340. No alignment and the truck drives straight and the tires show no abnormal wear.

I love that shop! I'll deadhead a thousand miles to get to them. I'm in a motel as we speak, waiting for them to finish my turbo replacement. Instead of $3600 + labor & tax for a new holset VGT I am having mine rebuilt for $2k and it carries the same warranty as the new one.

But yeah, for $340 I'll have my fav shop do the pins while I relax. I watched them get the old pins out and it involved a torch, air hammer, several cuss words and a blood curdling screech when he slipped with the air hammer, and huge jacks, which I don't have anymore.

If you do your own maybe try to get a few images for us to see?

 

Images??? If that's what we can expect, we want VIDEO!