Using Clamps on Leaf Springs (Steer Axle)

So I recently had my leaf springs replaced on my 2013 Freightliner Cascadia, and I am now noticing that my leaf spring “plates” have shifted a bit sideways (about 1/8 inch or 0.5 cm). Is it a good idea to install clamps to keep the plates as straight as possible? Why don’t leaf springs come with clamps? I see newer Freightliner now have one thick plate on each leaf spring instead of two plates on each leaf spring.

 

By "plates" doe you mean the spacers underneath the leaf spring?
The "U" bolts that are holding the spring to the axle should be retorqued after driving for a while.
This may be why your "plates" shifted.

 

I do not mean the spacers. I’m not sure what they are called. Maybe leaves? My leaf spring has two “leaves.” The leaves are moving away from each other by very little (0.5 cm). I will have my u-bolts torqued. Maybe that is what is causing the shift. I guess now the leaves need some hammering to keep them close together.

 

I think he’s talking about the bands that wrap around both leafs that always fall apart when old. I’ve thought about solid brackets but believe they are supposed to be able to give if needed. I wonder if they replaced u bolts should be new reusing old stretched will come loose

 

They did also replace the u-bolts. I wish they had told me to retorque the u-bolts. I am reading online that it is recommended that it be retorqued after some 100 miles of driving. I watched a video where the recommendation was 350 ft lbs of torque. I don’t have a torque wrench with that strength. I will need to take it to a shop.

 

I always thought 500 ft lb +. Why were they replaced?

 

I m thinking of Drive u bolts I just watched a guy torque w/ a tire torque wrench

 

The leaf spring on one side was flatter making the truck lean more to one side. I had it like that for two years. I think it explains why my steer tires had some funny wear, but not excessive.

 

Yeah, I think the u-bolts on the drives are bigger. There is a chart online where they give torque recommendations based on the size of the u-bolt.

 

Tighten them with your wheel wrench? I never used a torque wrench when installing springs, just tightened them with a 2' 3/4" drive bar although a torque wrench would be preferred.