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Leafspring problem?

Jeepster4wd

NAXJA Forum User
Location
socal
Iv been trying to figure out why ony my right side back tire rubs on the flare and the other side doesn't in the rear. I went and measured it and the right side tire is actually an inch or 2 pushed farther back then the other side! whats going on? by the way this is with 3" full rusty pack with 1.5" lift shackles.
 
Did you shim the axle? My guess is maybe the centerpin didnt go all the way into the spring perch, or it slipped out and allowed the axle to slip?
 
yes there are shims. im pretty sure the pins went in though.... i remember checking for that i may have to double check though is it possible that one leaf is long or something? there isnt really another other thing can think of.
 
Also i might had the right side also sits lower??? as soon as i get some people on the right side it gets way lower they must be on differnt spring rates or something. is there a right and wrong side for leafs???
 
The springs aren't side-specific, BUT... you may have one of them flipped around. They have a long side and a short side... the short side of the spring (center pin to eye) goes towards the front of the rig. I've never had this problem so I'm not too sure if it's possible to get everything bolted up that way, but it's something to check.

Also, if the former isn't the case, sometimes the if the spring pads aren't completely solid, you can get the center pin an inch or two forward or back and still bolt everything up, but you'd have problems.

Does the rig go down the road straight or does it pull to one side hard?
 
you know its wierd it doesnt really drift to ither side but i can tell its not going down the road strait. if I look strait down the hood i can tell its not traveling strait. and i just checked and the pins are in the holes
 
I'll bet it really shows to someone traveling behind you. I also think NotMatt picked it up. Measure the front eye to centerbolt and rear eye to center bolt on both sides and compare. I think, and my memory stinks, but when I cut my Dakota springs for my lift there was 4 inches differance front to back. I'd think it would be possible to bolt them up wrong.
 
NotMatt said:
you may have one of them flipped around. They have a long side and a short side... the short side of the spring (center pin to eye) goes towards the front of the rig. I've never had this problem so I'm not too sure if it's possible to get everything bolted up that way, but it's something to check.

This is the first thing I think of.

Daryl
 
oh.... i didnt even know u could flip them around i thought the mounts were differnt size arent they? the frame mounts are alot larger aren't they? il meausre them and see whats up.
 
Jeepster4wd said:
oh.... i didnt even know u could flip them around i thought the mounts were differnt size arent they? the frame mounts are alot larger aren't they? il meausre them and see whats up.
On the stock springs the forward bushing is larger than the rea, but they are the same width and take the same bolt so it is possible to put a spring in backwards. I've never looked closely at a Rusty's spring so I don't know if his use different bushings on each end.

The XJ springs have the pin off-center, so putting a leaf in backwards would account for just about a 2" discrepancy.
 
Eagle said:
On the stock springs the forward bushing is larger than the rea, but they are the same width and take the same bolt so it is possible to put a spring in backwards. I've never looked closely at a Rusty's spring so I don't know if his use different bushings on each end.

The XJ springs have the pin off-center, so putting a leaf in backwards would account for just about a 2" discrepancy.
Sorry,but the rear springs cannot be installed backwards.Get out your tape measure,the front is 3 1/8" and the rear is 2 5/8".
 
What you're seeing when you're looking at the hood is called "Crab walking". Basically it means the rear axle is not square with the body, causing the thrust angle to be off (basically the rear axle is driving straight down the road, but the body isn't).. when you're in the driver's seat, you turn the front wheels slightly to compensate for the angle being off, and there you have it... crab walk.

You need to go back and re-check everything in the rear spring mounts, axle perches, etc. Something is not right. Take it all apart and re-check the lengths of the front and rear portions of each spring, double check your perches and note any extra openings in them and make sure that you get the center pin right in the center hole on the perch when you put it back together. Once it's back together, double and triple check the u-bolts for tightness, and break out the tape measure and take some measurements to see if it's square now. With the front wheels straight, the measurement from front passenger to rear driver tire should be the same as front driver to rear passenger. Distance from passenger front to passenger rear should also be the same, and driver's front to driver's rear.
 
RCP Phx said:
Sorry,but the rear springs cannot be installed backwards.Get out your tape measure,the front is 3 1/8" and the rear is 2 5/8".


SPOBI

Just went out and taped the springs, everything is 2.5 inches wide. If you're talking about the eye diameter at the ends, the front is just over 3 and would very easily fit in the space in the rear. That's where the shackles are. Since a 3+ eye is in the front a 2.5 will fit there also.
 
Grizzley said:
SPOBI

Just went out and taped the springs, everything is 2.5 inches wide. If you're talking about the eye diameter at the ends, the front is just over 3 and would very easily fit in the space in the rear. That's where the shackles are. Since a 3+ eye is in the front a 2.5 will fit there also.
You better check agian!
 
got some pixs...

709my8.jpg


709ox5.jpg
 
hmm im just wondering here but it does look like one shackle bolt is showing alot more thread on one side thought this was kinda odd what do you think?
 
Those are "used" springs,so anything is possible!
 
From seeing that leaf spring sticking out further than the other, you're center pin could be bent to hell or even snapped. I know mine have bent a whole lot without breaking before. That would be the next thing I'd check, and while you're at it, buy some larger 3/8" or 7/16" pins and drill all your leafs for them. You'll never thank yourself for it, but you won't be hitting yourself by sticking with the small ones and snapping them. I've had it and seen it happen too much. _nicko_

ps. the easy way to check this....just drop the axle away from the spring and look at the top of the pin and the part that goes into the spring perch...if they don't look like their in line right on top of each other, there's a problem.
 
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