Springs in Backwards? (1 Viewer)

[broth9640]

It also looks like your steering stablizer is attached to your axle instead of the frame.

Yeah what's going on with the steering setup ? That bracket that's on your axle for the stabilizer looks dicey. On the bright side the bump stops look longer than stock to avoid stuffing the front drive shaft. Don't cut and turn your axle! Just spend the time and money to get this back to an OEM setup. It's like a domino effect. Next thing ya know you will have another problem from the cut and turn and shackle reversal combo. Don't keep modifying to fix a bad mod! Take it to a reputable shop that knows cruisers to reweld the frame mount for the springs and shackles. Then buy a reputable set of springs and shackles and be done with it. Oh and get the stabilizer set up right.

 

[vfrer]

That is standard setup for aftermarket steering stabilizer, been running one like that for years. It is fine.

 

[broth9640]

That is standard setup for aftermarket steering stabilizer, been running one like that for years. It is fine.

Good to know. Did that year not come stock with a stabilizer?

 

[vfrer]

Believe they all came stock. I can't tell... does the rig have power steering? If you do a power steering mod that removes the center arm (saginaw or scout or FJ60) then there is no place to mount the stock stabilizer other than like you have it.

 

[Supra88]

Yes, it has saginaw PS.

 

[DaveWest5150]

that is the bracket that come with a stabilizer when you buy it from ranch or some other after market setup. it is fine.... if you like the lift do what you need to do to make it right... just because it was done well 35 years ago... does not mean it is whats best for you... mind you if you want a stock fj40 with 29 inch tires go back to stock.. otherwise if you make it bigger... you must make some parts stronger.

 

[Supra88]

Speaking of stronger - is this irreversible or will it correct itself once I correct the pinion angle?

 

[DSRTRDR]

That is standard setup for aftermarket steering stabilizer, been running one like that for years. It is fine.

I had one like that for years, too - no issues; until the mounting bracket on the axle broke into two

 

[Fast Eddy]

The drive shaft is likely too short. It may come apart when the front is articulated with the left side high and the right side low.

 

[Supra88]

My axle correction will be 13 degrees up towards the drive shaft, so I'm hopeful it fixes this.

 

[mwalls54]

that is fine, the drive shaft is designed to move in and out. once you get your pinion angle right it will go back in. From the looks of it i would take out those shims and get a dial protractor to measure how much of a shim you need and then install them with the thick part towards the rear of the truck. I would get steel shims and not the aluminum ones.

 

[Supra88]

that is fine, the drive shaft is designed to move in and out. once you get your pinion angle right it will go back in. From the looks of it i would take out those shims and get a dial protractor to measure how much of a shim you need and then install them with the thick part towards the rear of the truck. I would get steel shims and not the aluminum ones.

I just picked up some 6 degree steel shims that will, in fact, go the other direction. I should be at about 1.5-2 degrees caster after this based on my angle measurements.

 

[Fast Eddy]

My axle correction will be 13 degrees up towards the drive shaft, so I'm hopeful it fixes this.

You will have driveshaft vibrations. It won't be noticeable off road, but at the end of the trail you'll have to unlock the hubs before you run on the street. If done right you can lock the hubs in Dec and unlock in the spring. With u-joints the pinions should be parallel.

Rigs with the pinion pointing up use CV joints at the transmission end.

The good news is that it will likely fix your slip joint issue.

 

[Supra88]

The 13 degree rotation should bring them back close to parallel. I'll snap some pics once they're installed.

Edit: 6 degree steel springs are in and it cruises strait down the road! Very happy.

 

[DaveWest5150]

I (personally) dont think shims are the answer to your problem. and no they do NOT fix the driveshaft issue.
If you intend to leave the springs and the shackle reversal in place, do it right and cut the spring perches off the axle and rotate the pinion up towards the transfer case. and weld new pads in place. then cut and turn the knuckles to the proper caster. then you can tend to the driveshaft issue which should have an long travel spline built into it, due to the nature of the shackle reversal the drive shaft will want to separate when the suspension droops. If you're not going to do it get rid of the shackle reversal and put the spring in it proper orientation. this is what happens when people start adding lift kits together and skip the steps needed to do it right.