dropped axle u bolts

[Jbm1956]

Hey guys. I ran into a problem with my u bolts. My u bolts are too short to bolt the spring and shock bracket. Because of the 2 nuts used. Has anyone ran into this problem with their front axle and springs. Did you buy longer if so where from. Thanks guys any ideas

[Highsider]

Originally Posted by Jbm1956

Hey guys. I ran into a problem with my u bolts. My u bolts are too short to bolt the spring and shock bracket. Because of the 2 nuts used. Has anyone ran into this problem with their front axle and springs. Did you buy longer if so where from. Thanks guys any ideas

I think one of the members got the set-up from their local trailer supply house.
They should show up soon and see this.

[Old Crow]

Got our drop axle setup from Patrick's. Instructions I was given were to remove a couple of the shorter leaves from the springs. The bolts fit then.
New center bolts for the springs are available through the local parts stores. Much easier to cut the old center bolts out than to fight with rust.

[OrrieG]

Bakersfield should have a good spring suspension shop that will have them in stock or can custom fabricate them. I would get them threaded long and check the ride with the full spring pack, you can always remove the leaves and shorten the threads (keep 3 full turns exposed). I am surprised with the double nut, my Rancho off road u bolt just use single lock nuts and I did not have any problems in 15 years and 80K miles.

[Jbm1956]

The only reason for the double nut is the first nut goes on to tighten the u bolt to the spring pack and then you put the shock bracket on and use the other nut to tighten that up. But the extra springs made my u bolts to short. The previous owner only had 2 leafs in the front lol so they were really dearched. Thanks for the advice guys I found some at my local tractor supply. Hopefully they work there not fine thread not sure if that matters

[_Ogre]

you might try to eliminate the double nut
without a pic it's hard to guess what you have
but here's what i did with a stock shock bracket

the u-bolt was too short if i just bolted the plate and bracket on
i reformed the u by tightening the rear nut until i had enough thread showing
and then tightened the front nuts

[Jbm1956]

Im referring to the u bol for the dropped axle and springs for the front not the rear. Thats how mine is in the rear

[Jbm1956]

Of course I ran into another problem. I was putting the new u bolts in and I have a small gap between the axle and spring due to the leqf spring bolt head being to big. I did not put the caster shim in. Will putting the caster shim in fix this problem. Thanks guys. fyi Im running 3 inch drop axle and 3 inch drop springs

[Old Crow]

I used new center bolts on the front springs. Available locally, not all that expensive and allows you to really clean up the springs.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...uck&vi=1487761

The heads are just round pins with a screwdriver slot in them. I had to use the bench grinder to thin them down a bit to fit the axle.
The heads were long enough that they went through the castor shims into the axle. I think you want to make sure they go into the axle to keep it from sliding back on the spring.

[_Ogre]

[Jbm1956]

Sorry ogre prob would help wont it lol.

[Jbm1956]

The first one you can see the small gap but the question I have is the caster shims have a open hole so there wont be anything going into the hole of the axle plate. Just the bolt head from the spring into the caster shim will that be enough when everything is bolted up

[Old Crow]

I've got a set of 2 degree shims here. They're around 5/32" thick where the hole is. Surely the head of the center bolt is taller than that. The ones on the '54 I'm doing are around 7/16" tall. That should allow the head to go through the shim and into the axle.
As long as the u-bolts are tight, even 1/8" should keep the axle from moving on the spring.

[Jbm1956]

http://www.4wheelparts.com/search.as...Shim%7e12.2100

[Jbm1956]

Thats what I ordered but I dont see that bolt head going thru that spacer and the axle. Am I on the right track or any suggestions. Thanks guys

[dubie]

I used a 6 degree axle shim and the bolt head stick through just enough to hook into the alignment hole in the center of your axle pad. I use an allen head bolt because it extended just far enough to line everything up I bought the shims from Performance Online and they come with new center bolts

[Russell Ashley]

When I put caster shims in my truck I bought new spring bolts and put the bolts through the shims and the spring leaves so that the shims were bolted to the spring. This left the entire head of the bolt out to engage the axle.

[Jbm1956]

Ill give that a try. I get my shims tomorrow and ill see if the head is long enough to go thru both if not ill have to get a longer bolt or take a spring out

[Jbm1956]

Ok little update I ordered the procomp shims and they came I. 2 1/2 by 6 degree. Of course I need 2 inch wide. So now I ordered diff ones but the new ones came with the new supplied axle bolt. But if I bolt the spacer to the spring pack that leaves the head of the bolt on the bottom which goes into the axle plate. But the bolt head is too long and still leaves a gap. Please help

[Old Crow]

As was stated before. Use the new bolt in the springs, head down, stack the shim on the axle and place so the head of the center bolt protrudes through the shim into the axle and then bolt the whole thing together with the U bolts.
I took a cutoff wheel and trimmed down the width on the shims I was sent.

This is a Jeep site, but there's a diagram of how it should look when you're done. http://www.rocky-road.com/axle-shims.html

[Jbm1956]

Sorry old crow I edited my post but for some reason it didn't add to my question. The head of the bolt that came with the spacer is to big to fit into the axle plate. Also if I set the spacer on the axle and then set the spring on to bolt everything up. The bolt head doesn't go thru the spacer into the pack

[Jbm1956]

Any help guys? Any pics of what you guys have done to solve this issue

[OrrieG]

How about a pic of your issue, got me confused!

[Jbm1956]

Ok here is a pic of the new caster shims and the bolt that came with it. I need to add the shim to my front springs to adjust the caster. The head of the bolt is to big to go into the axle plate so I need to get a diff alen head bolt. But the issue im having is when I get that new bolt the head of the bolt wont go thru the springs thru spacer and into the axle plate like it needs to be. If I bolt the shim to the pack like some mentioned then tue heqd of the bolt will be too deep and leaves a gap like the pic above. Dont know what to do.

[OrrieG]

thanks for the photo, it is totally different that I had in my brain. I am still confused. The bottom spring plate is tight on the side so the gap in the center is not an issue, assuming the center bolt head is tight against the bottom of the spring back. I assume the space at the top is for the shim and it looks like the bolt goes thru the upper bracket? Or is it to short? If you want the bolt to compress the shim to the upper spring, just make the hole in the upper bracket larger to accomodate the nut.