A few months ago I found a leaf spring bushing in the front of the leaf, passengers side to have a broken insert. I replaced the bushing and later (I was having treatment)had a friend replace the front shackles. A short time later a clunk developed but only while turning and from the right side. Later a clunk was also coming from the left side. At speed no sound only at low speed turning and particularly bad when turning either way.

I suspected king pins as with 290K miles is a lot! Later inspection showed king pins to be fine! I grease therm every time I take the Breakaway out.

After this trip with 35 miles of the worst washboard I have ever driven, the clunking was really BAD. Jacking up the front and then moving the axle up and down, I could see slight movement of the bolts/bushings at the rear of the springs where the shackles attached. I called my friend about his installation and he said that he had trouble with the new shackles that came from Spartan!

I removed the shackle on the right side and certainly there was evidence of movement where the legs of the shackle attached to the spring bushing. Further inspection of the shackle revealed the holes were 21mm in both the legs and the bushing in the shackle. The retaining bolts are 3/4" or 19mm. Further the width of the shackle bushing is 3 5/8" but the chassis bracket is 3 1/2". My friend confirmed that he had to spread the chassis bracket and compress the legs of the shackle.

So that is the history!

Called Spartan and they gave me the shackle part number of what was sent to me. I asked them to check if that part was exactly the same as the original shackle. Sure enough, the part was obsoleted and a the replacement part was different.

original part- 0106-ss1
replacement part- 0109-ss1

Hole size and width are different, the original has 3/4" hole size and width of 3 1/2". Replacement part hole size indeed is 21mm and a width of 3 5/8". Spartan confirmed that original part no longer available since 2011.

I have the original part drawing from spartan and will try to find an exact replacement or have one made. I will advise my search and advise. As all Breakaways with leaf springs uses this part both front and rear, I will try to find a source that can fill our future needs.

Since acquiring the Monarch, I have tried to contact Spartan a couple times for info on the coach. The first time I called I gave them the VIN number and requested ANY info they had on the chassis. I was told no electrical diagrams were available. I was sent a pdf for the front axle which is correct. The pdf for the rear axle indicates I have disc brakes on the rear (NOT). Wrong diagram.

More recently I have been chasing radiator hoses and muffler hangar. I emailed Spartan for information. After my second email (a week later) I got a reply. The email from Spartan indicated they have no computer records prior to 2005 and the build sheets were incomplete. They can look up parts manually and gave me a part number for the hose. Unfortunately they don't stock them and there is a 15 day delay to get the part ordered.

I ended up going to my local auto parts store. They let me look at the hoses they had hanging in the back and I found one that will work.

It looks to me that Spartan has begun to distance themselves from our older coaches. If we can find the OEM suppliers that Spartan used, we may be able to find the parts we need directly from the manufacturers.

It appears the air brake and suspension parts are in fact widely available if you know the right sources.

Ed, considering the variation in the parts you got I am again disappointed. An oversize hole for spring bolts is completely unacceptable, should not be considered a proper replacement. (Undersize not so bad, at least we could drill/ream them out to proper fit.)

Considering the number of Breakaways out there I hope we can find a source for proper parts. Good luck.

In my discussion with them, most if not all '90s chassis documentation is now on microfiche and is located in a different location so the parts guys can not look directly for your part! Will slow down the response back.

It also appears that the stock they carry is not going to be correct for our chassis, upgrades are not correct and not be directly interchangeable.

Be careful when ordering, more later

If the shackles on the Breakaway are flat bar with holes for the bolts at the spring and the frame you can choose the dimensions and make replacements in the 41 series of nickel, chromium, moly family and have them heat treated. This sounds more complicated than it should be. The specialty steel is available in various bar dimensions and working it is easily done in a machine shop. It will be at least three times harder and resistant to corrosion than typical steel used in automotive applications and the holes will not elongate over time. Your drawing is all that is needed. We have our laser fabricator make such pieces and we have never had a piece show any deformation.

I wish they were flat stock. The shackles have a formed end with a bushing pressed into it. Two legs extend down and mate up with a bushing in the spring end.

I have found several truck models that use the same shackles just have to find someone that stocks it or can locate a supplier. I have a good truck repair and spring shop near me and will go there today.

Thanks for the suggestion Tom!

Well Ed it seems you are running to the same problems with your Barth as folks run into with these older bodies, new parts are hard to find....