WTF Happend to my LEAF PACK (Picture)

Okie Terry said:
Quick note:
If you're running shims on the leaf pack over the axle, the head of the center pin doesn't always go deep enough into the spring perch to hold on. If your ubolts were a little loose it could have jumped from the perch and this is what you ended up with.

If you don't have shims, it's probably a broken center pin.


Good point, and even if you were not using shims the ubolts not being tight enough would make it easy for the center pin to shear off.

This is why after installing a lift you should re-torque everything after you drive it for a while ;)
 
Go to ACE, Lowes, Home Depot, where ever get a 4" 5/16 gr5 or 8 bolt and nut, if you don't have a grinder to round the head use a file, hell even the filr on my leatherman worked out on the trail.....and your good to go, might cost $2 and 30 minutes of your time
 
jfiscus said:
The leaf spring center pin on an XJ is 5/16".
If you're going to use a non-autoparts store bolt (like hardware store grade-a), make sure the threads go down the bolt far enough to get the leaves tightly clamped together.
But are these RE leaf packs? Doesn't RE use larger, 3/8" center pins in their springs? 5/16" is correct for stock springs, but not for all after-market springs.
 
The questions on this thread should read something more along this lines of this:

Who put the RE spring on?
When were they put on?
When were they last retorqued?
What were they torqued to?

If you can not sort out how to fix this situation, I personally would recommend you have someone do this that knows what they are doing.

It is not fair putting other peoples lives in jepardy because this is not fixed properly.

Just my .02

Michael
 
2xtreme said:
The questions on this thread should read something more along this lines of this:

Who put the RE spring on?
When were they put on?
When were they last retorqued?
What were they torqued to?

If you can not sort out how to fix this situation, I personally would recommend you have someone do this that knows what they are doing.

It is not fair putting other peoples lives in jepardy because this is not fixed properly.

Just my .02

Michael

LoL no ones lives are going to be in jeopardy, dude. I just have not had time to look at it yet and actually i have never installed leaf springs before but im sure they are not hard. I work 13 hours a day and that hardly leaves ANY time for working on the Jeep. I have another source of transportation that i use for work the the Jeep is broken. I have installed multiple suspension systems on a variety of vehicles... Just never leaf springs. Grand Cherokees mostly (all coils)

I looked at my Cherokee for a second last night and i think that the U-bolts came loose and the coils slid forward a little bit. I can fix that on my next day off.
 
fdsa487 said:
LoL no ones lives are going to be in jeopardy, dude. I just have not had time to look at it yet and actually i have never installed leaf springs before but im sure they are not hard. I work 13 hours a day and that hardly leaves ANY time for working on the Jeep. I have another source of transportation that i use for work the the Jeep is broken. I have installed multiple suspension systems on a variety of vehicles... Just never leaf springs. Grand Cherokees mostly (all coils)

I looked at my Cherokee for a second last night and i think that the U-bolts came loose and the coils slid forward a little bit. I can fix that on my next day off.

If you're so experienced, why is something as simple as replacing a leaf spring center pin so difficult for you? Step by step instructions? My gawd, just figure it out. Do you wear velcro sneakers too?
 
2xtreme said:
The questions on this thread should read something more along this lines of this:

Who put the RE spring on?
When were they put on?
When were they last retorqued?
What were they torqued to?

If you can not sort out how to fix this situation, I personally would recommend you have someone do this that knows what they are doing.

It is not fair putting other peoples lives in jepardy because this is not fixed properly.

Just my .02

Michael

I'll add two bits to that pair of pennies.
 
fdsa487 said:
LoL no ones lives are going to be in jeopardy, dude. I just have not had time to look at it yet and actually i have never installed leaf springs before but im sure they are not hard. I work 13 hours a day and that hardly leaves ANY time for working on the Jeep. I have another source of transportation that i use for work the the Jeep is broken. I have installed multiple suspension systems on a variety of vehicles... Just never leaf springs. Grand Cherokees mostly (all coils)

I looked at my Cherokee for a second last night and i think that the U-bolts came loose and the coils slid forward a little bit. I can fix that on my next day off.


I am not trying to be a jerk or question or ability!!

From the information in the thread and the questions you have asked I am only recommending that this be fixed properly.

Any time new leaves are put in they should be torqued to the correct spec. Then they should be retorqued afterwards at least 2 times (if the second time they are not still at the correct torque continue untill they are).

Since you have not installed leaves before, one other rule of thumb. Do not ever re-use u-bolts.

Get new u-bolts and center pins and put it back together properly.


Michael

PS. We all work 13 hour days!!
 
2xtreme said:
From the information in the thread and the questions you have asked I am only recommending that this be fixed properly.

Any time new leaves are put in they should be torqued to the correct spec.
Michael

Thanks Michael, good info... do you happen to know off hand what the correct torque spec is on the leafs?
 
fdsa487 said:
Thanks Michael, good info... do you happen to know off hand what the correct torque spec is on the leafs?

It depends on the u-bolt that is used. You should ask RE or better yet who ever you got the pack from. RE's technical support is pathetic. I am not sure they know what a leaf spring is:)

Also, make sure you torque them in sequence (an x pattern) so that they are torqued evenly and the same amount of thread is showing on each end of the u-bolt.

Michael
 
fdsa487 said:
Yes they are RE leafs =) so is it 3/8's or 5/16's? It has a Crysler 8.26" 29 spline rear.

buy both and throw the other one on your bench to be used for some other project...
 
So, who put them on? I'd be going to see them with a serious attitude if it was done professionally.

Whoever installed them should have told you to re-torque them or to return so they could do it for you. That's basic stuff that everyone who does suspension work should know and what happened to you is what happens when it is ignored.

Leaf springs are quite simple to understand and to install, but as with any suspension or steering work simple guidelines must be followed to insure everyone's safety. Shortcuts are inexcuseable.

You're pretty fortunate it didn't get real ugly.
 
RE center pins are 3/8" - stock ones are 5/16" ...and the rear axle type doesn't matter although you may have to grind the head of the center pin or enlarge the hole in the spring perch so they fit correctly.

A step-by-step for replacing the center pin? Mmmkay....
1- Get the axle out of the way. This means removing the u-bolts, etc and letting the axle out of the way...no matter how you do it do it safely so that your next of kin doesn't come yelling at me.
2- Put a c-clamp on either side of the center pin to hold the springpack in place. Not too close or you'll never be able to turn the ratchet, but not too far away either because you need to hold the springpack together in the middle.
3- Remove the center pin.
4- Replace the center pin and tighten the nut. DO NOT use the center pin to pull the springpack together though but that's not a problem because you've got c-clamps doing the job for you.
5- Remove the c-clamps.
6- Reposition the axle onto the center pin.
7- Tighten the u-bolts
8- Drive
9- Tighten the u-bolts again.
 
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