Rear Axle Centering

[Tatortot]

Well....it got my lift kit installed....looks great, .. but my rear axle is not centered in the wheel well, too far back. Hmmmm springs must be backwards right? No, cuz when reversed the drive shaft will not slide far enough to get both locating pins to mate up between springs and axle. Yep, removed zerk pushed all grease out. It physically will not compress enough. The other way the drive shaft has the cardigan(sp? showing (grooved part) with the beast up on jack stands. Very concerned that it could pop out/not engaged enough to keep drive shaft lined up firmly. Am I doing something basic wrong? Have tried twice to line up in closer position. (got a cramp in fingers when I picked up a nut from swapping things around last time) Pin seems to be offset like an inch. Not naming names as I haven't talked to supplier yet. Are normal spring symetrical? Need a little help here before It take it apart (again) I was shooting for a 3" lift so springs are rated for 2.5 and shackles making up the rest. Looks great sitting there. But.....

 

[Mace]

second leaf should have one end that wraps aroud the first leaf. That is the frame end.

Did you by change get the front and rear packs confused?

Also, the center pin is not symmetrical. It is off by more than 3" IIRC.

 

[Tatortot]

Only two leaf springs, both wrap around, rears much longer than fronts.

 

[brian]

Not naming names as I haven't talked to supplier yet.

my money is on pinnical(SP).......

 

[Tatortot]

I guess I should ask, are fronts longer than rears? If that is the case then I royally F'd it up cuz I have the long ones on the rear., ... no not pinnical

 

[zuluzeugma]

do you have a picture? how bad is it?

 

[Tatortot]

I'll post up some pics tonight. T/W supplier,....."well we've had problems like that in shop, "did you take the zerk out?" yeah, dropped drive shaft took apart slid it in metal to metal, re-installed, still too close,,,,, "should have been able to get it together." "some people like having axle setting back" So right now I can put in a drive shaft spacer, and leave it the way it is or put the springs in the right way and have drive shaft cut. Or wait longer to see if springs compress from high arch but feel that would only make problem worse as axle will be CLOSER to transmission. [right?] Or buy a center pin relocating kit to put springs right and relocate axle 1" back.......doesn't seem like enough.

Feeling kinda po'd right now as I stayed with SU & only 3" lift to avoid problems like this.
It was reported that others have had this problem also. Anybody out there with solution or insight.

 

[bkfj40]

it sure doesn't seem right to put a lift on and have to cut your driveshaft....

You never really said, but I assume if you're looking for a 3" lift with 2.5" lift springs, your shackle is 1" longer than stock?

how does the front look?

a picture sure would be worth about 1000 words right now...


bk

 

[lehiguy]

The front springs have the pin centered, the rear springs have it closer to the front. On mine, I could not remove the driveline from the T-case, as it had studds, without removing the bolts from the rear flange first. It was a pain, but that's how tight they are from the factory, you have about 1/2" tops. BTW, what springs are you using?

 

[Tatortot]

Springing

Not going to say about supplier, sufice to say it's some one that sell a lot of stuff to the LC world. Had suggestions but I'm too dull a tool to be able to use them. Maybe I'm confused, one suggestion was to disconnect drive shaft, set axle into springs/pins, (with springs in the right way) then let weight down on axle/springs, then connect drive shaft. When spring are compressed, does the axle move "away" from xfer case???
I'm getting good enough to change these durn things pretty fast but don't want to drive in to it in the middle of week. Sux working at night as mosquito bait. If it doesn't work then have to put it back. Spent 3-1/2 hrs doing/undoing this Monday. REALLY don't care to try again. Without some chance of success.

 

[IH8Wood]

I had the same problem. Called ARB, read them the numbers off the springs. They confirmed I had the correct springs and the springs were installed correctly. I ended up shortening the drive shaft.

 

[Tatortot]

stop gap

Well as a stop gap I've ordered a center pin off set that will allow me to move axle forward 1". That will get me to a warmer, fuzzier spot re the drive shaft. Then in 2 weeks when I have another weekend off I will swap the springs (again) and drop weight on the axle with the drive shaft out. If it still doesn't work then can use the off sets to move axle back and still have long section spring to rear. Hopefully this will end this saga.

 

[Aseif007]

You shortened the shaft for a Dakkar lift? I just installed a medium Dakkar kit on my FJ-60 and did not have to shorten any of the shafts.

I had the same problem. Called ARB, read them the numbers off the springs. They confirmed I had the correct springs and the springs were installed correctly. I ended up shortening the drive shaft.

 

[Tatortot]

Pics From The Scene Of The Crime

Here are some shots that tell the tale. The bailing wire is holding a magnet for the cruiser control. You can see the bracket for the pick up which shows how far the shaft has moved out. Side shot shows how far back in the wheel well its setting.

 

[lehiguy]

Looked at the pics...

I think your springs are in backwards. The SHORT end goes towards the front, the long towards the rear. If the spring pin is centered, then they are not the right springs, or they are the front springs.

 

[Tatortot]

yeppers

Had to put them in backwards, with springs hanging from shackles, drive shaft was too long. Have since found out that I could have dropped drive shaft, bolted everything up, dropped truck on to springs and axle would then have been flexed back away from xfer case allowing drive shaft to be connected. (have doubts but can learn new tricks) Even then I have would been concerned that if springs bounce to full extension, drive shaft could have jammed into xfer case. Maybe an un due worry......but have 1" ofsets on way to get me into a fuzzier spot. Then I will be more confident that "bad" things won't happen.

 

[lehiguy]

Had to put them in backwards, with springs hanging from shackles, drive shaft was too long. Have since found out that I could have dropped drive shaft, bolted everything up, dropped truck on to springs and axle would then have been flexed back away from xfer case allowing drive shaft to be connected. (have doubts but can learn new tricks) Even then I have would been concerned that if springs bounce to full extension, drive shaft could have jammed into xfer case. Maybe an un due worry......but have 1" ofsets on way to get me into a fuzzier spot. Then I will be more confident that "bad" things won't happen.

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a thing. My stock setup had less than 1/2" of movement in the slipyoke, but it did fit. Wierd.