Bent Springs Pads on D35

[JEONLYEP]

Some how I let the nuts work loose on my U-bolts that hold the axle to the springs. Now I have curved spring pads on my D35. Any way I am looking to upgrade my rear axle soon, just not this soon. Does anyone see a problem with making some type of shim, or maybe hardfacing the spring pads to have them fit the springs again? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Daryl

 

[Eagle]

I don't think I'd mess around with them. Somewhere recently I saw spring plates for sale. I don't see them in my paper Quadratec XJ catalog, so it might have been their Jeep catalog or might have been Summit Racing. Or you should be able to score a pair at a junk yard for next to nothing.

[Edit] Did I misunderstand? What bent -- the spring perch that's welded to the axle, or the rectangular plate that fits on the opposite side of the spring from the axle?

 

[JEONLYEP]

It's the pads on the axle that are bent. I might just have to cut off the orginals and build something to replace them.

 

[Eagle]

Mopar sells those in the performance catalog, Rubicon Express sells them, and either M.O.R.E. or O.R.G.S. has them (I think).

 

[small pederson]

lol nice! how'd those nuts come loose?!?!

 

[JEONLYEP]

After a really hard wheelin' weekend I thought that I was having drive shaft vibes. I tightened the nuts on the u-bolts and it got much better. At that time I thought that the pads weren't setting flush with the lift blocks. (2 inch) Now after some dd and a few easy trails it seems to be getting some vibes again. I think there is too much pressure being placed on the u-bolts tiring to hold the axle form rocking on the blocks when it driven now.

Now what?

Thanks Daryl

 

[JEONLYEP]

lol nice! how'd those nuts come loose?!?!

I am not sure, they are nylocks and have been on for over a year without me noticing any trouble. Not that I ever checked them, but never saw any thing while doing inspection. Which I do from time to time. I lay under me Jeep and look for trouble.

My thought is that the nuts never came loose, it's that the spring pads bent out from underneath them. Making it look like they were loose.

 

[Jeepin Jason]

the factory spring perches on the D35 are crap. they bent on both my axle and a friend's. I'm actually surprised we don't hear about it more often. The aftermarket perches from RE, MORE, etc, are much heavier duty steel.

Also of interesting note: the perches on the XJ D44 are cast pieces welded to the housing, not a stamped steel part like the ones on the D35.

 

[JEONLYEP]

the factory spring perches on the D35 are crap. they bent on both my axle and a friend's. I'm actually surprised we don't hear about it more often. The aftermarket perches from RE, MORE, etc, are much heavier duty steel.

Also of interesting note: the perches on the XJ D44 are cast pieces welded to the housing, not a stamped steel part like the ones on the D35.

Well nice to know I'm not the only one that's done this. I am now looking for a D44 from a XJ or will be ordering a pair of pads from someone.

I did see a guy who took some 2 inch square tubing and cut out a notch for the axle and used that for pads. Any thoughts about that?

thanks again. Daryl

 

[Jeepin Jason]

that oughta work too, I think the leafs are 2.5" wide though? I don't know that you'd want to use a narrower spring perch?

 

[JEONLYEP]

True, Might have to look around for a better fit if I'm building my own.