OME Lift Install -Crooked U-Bolts (1 Viewer)

[mattiek]

Installing my OME lift on my ‘88 in my driveway today and finishing up the rear but the u-bolts on the passenger side are a little crooked. They’re tightened to the proper torque. I tried like hell to get the axle pulled forward a little to get them straight but no dice. Is this okay and will it “straighten” itself out? I’ll take it for a test drive and go over everything after to see if anything came loose or settled l but just want to get second opinions. Had to do a bunch of spring jacking, ratchet strapping, axle jacking, to get things to line up nice as it is. Thanks for any help!

 

[klinetime574]

As long as the spring is centered (using the centering spacer) and the nuts for the u-bolts are threaded on equally before final torque everything should settle in nicely. Hard to tell from that angle but is the spring perch centered on the spring? I can't recall if the spacer is used when retaining the factory isolators. Most (including me) ditched them when installing lift springs.

 

[lacalvette]

I hammered it a bit with a plastic bloc when the u bolt was comming under tension. I did that on the front...rear is comming...
Is the outer u bolt too tight preventing the inner to stick to the leaf pack?

 

[mattiek]

As long as the spring is centered (using the centering spacer) and the nuts for the u-bolts are threaded on equally before final torque everything should settle in nicely. Hard to tell from that angle but is the spring perch centered on the spring? I can't recall if the spacer is used when retaining the factory isolators. Most (including me) ditched them when installing lift springs.

The threads aren’t equal because the axle is a little bit forward so the back bolts are longer than the front bolts. I tried to get the axle to come forward like hell but it wouldn’t budge. Maybe I’ll have to bring it over to the shop this week and just have them straighten it out best they can since I don’t get home til late and planned to go camping this coming weekend to test the new kit out a little bit.

 

[OSS]

Remove the grease zerk in the driveshaft slip joint to let the axle move more easily .

 

[klinetime574]

The threads aren’t equal because the axle is a little bit forward so the back bolts are longer than the front bolts. I tried to get the axle to come forward like hell but it wouldn’t budge. Maybe I’ll have to bring it over to the shop this week and just have them straighten it out best they can since I don’t get home til late and planned to go camping this coming weekend to test the new kit out a little bit.

Remove the grease zerk in the driveshaft slip joint to let the axle move more easily .

Do as OSS says. Remove the zerk, put a tray under it then compress the shaft. Install u-bolts, get the threads even. Torque. Then cut excess with cutoff wheel. Touch up bare metal with some paint.