front pinion shims
 

ok i know you are not supposed to use left blocks on the front axle becuase you can hit the brakes and they could pop out and other reasons . i got a really goofy pinion angle on my front diff could i use pinion shims on the front axle to correct this ? i know it will change my caster angle and the center tie rod would be pushed down and the steering arm to steering box linkage could be on a bind . it would only be one shim a 2 deg 4 or 6 the less of a degree i got to use the better .I have ord longer shackels on the front and i know by doing this i casued this issuse . right now my front drive shaft is hitting the crossmeber and the pinon yoke still sits about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches below the drive shaft .

Re: front pinion shims
 

While I would never even think about putting lift blocks on the front, I do have a pair of 2 deg. shims to help with the pinion. I keep an eye on them and make sure the nuts and u bolts are tight. So far @ 10,000 miles and they have not had a problem. You are right about the shackles though, they don't help things out with respect to pinion angle.

Re: front pinion shims
 

Personally, I am not in favor of longer shackles on the front anyway. The front axle gets much more side-load than the rear. The longer shackles can allow for some movement of the axle itself, which is not so good.
If it were me, I would lose the shackles and get a bit more spring lift. This solve both problems at the same time.

Re: front pinion shims
 

I have a 6 inch tuff county ez rides in the front with the shackels they are very thick and only a inch longer then stock . yeah really long shackels with front or rear springs will make you get axle twist when you get it on it had a freinds jeep that would do that crap . I may only have to use a 2 degree or maybe the 4 but no more then that

Re: front pinion shims
 

Use the shims. Back in the day, nobody used lift springs in the front, not around here anyway. Unless they were some rich farmers son, they had blocks. My truck still has 4" blocks that have been there 20 years or so. I know the last 2 PO's. I'm going to change them out for springs, because they are aluminium and starting to come apart. Anyway, my point is, worry yourself to death or put it together and ride. Hope you get that think going. The avatar pic looks mean.

Re: front pinion shims
 

You have more lift than the stock driveshaft can handle. This is a much bigger problem than you think. First of all an inch to inch and a half is quite a bit, especially if you are talking about "at ride height", this would give you no downward travel at all.
Second, it's going to take more than a few degrees to get the pinion up that much, which will give you steering problems from the caster issue it creates.

I first started working on these trucks nearly 30 years ago and have only seen a few with blocks on the front....and those were brought to me to remove. I would not say it was ever common....but it's always dangerous.