rear axle shimming for sye..

ok, im doing my 3.5" RE lift this week on my 99 XJ... about halfway done.. i am hoping not to have vibe issues but i know better.. i am expecting to do a hack n tap sye.. how hard is it going to be to cut the output shaft really?? i will be using a 90 degree diegrinder with a cut-off wheel to do it... i'm doing the AAL kit so i may need to use my longer shackles to level even it out with the front... is there a basic rule of thumb for playing with shims? i dont want to piss away $50 on misc shims, or is that the name of the game? i'm looking for it to point 1 to 2 degres BELOW the output shaft right? i have a set of 2 deg shims.. i guess i'll get a set of 4 and 6's ... i dont imagine i'll need 8's with only 3" or so.. any helpfull hints?
mike

Just remember that with a SYE kit that you get about 1.5* of net change for every 1* of shim change!

A magnetic degree finder is a must.Gonna set you back about $7!

so i should start with the small shim and work up? whats a good way to check my pinion alignment without a degree guage/indicator? i dont think using a peice of string extended frm the pinion will be very acurate.. but it woul dbe better than the "eyeball-it" method..
mike

couple thoughts on the hack and tap: get cutting oil though and do it with a slow drill: quite a few people told me (old machinists) that with a faster drill you will have a higher probability of braking the drill bit... also drill a pilot hole and then use at least one intermediary bit size..... don't use the drill bit they give you ... I think I got the carbide bits which were perfect....... do it slow, get the shavings out, dip in cutting oil and go back in....

Now for the RE springs... I got the 3.5" (full spring packs ) and I netted about 6" Mine is a 98XJ with still a tcase drop (rusty crossmember and I didn't finish building my other one yet) and I am running 3 degree shims.... that are just about right......

When you put the AAL on.... jump up and down the rear.... drive it around the block... and let it settle a bit... then do your measuremements..

Kejtar

I have an 8 inch lift and the re hack and tap With the shackles that came with my kit it angled my pinon enough to where it it was perfect for the sye so I have no shims and no vibes.

Mike,

The cutting part is easy, just be patient (we actually use a metal cutting blade on a circular saw...although we've been hearing about folks putting the beast in reverese and idling while they hold a hacksaw on it....never done it though it sounds interesting)

I'm running the 3.5" rear packs with a tera shackle and have settled at 5.5" of lift.

sidriptide said:

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i dont think using a peice of string extended frm the pinion will be very acurate


Hey man, something wrong with my method???

I still need to hunt up some 4.5* to 5* shims for mine to get rid of the vibes.

Mike

I have a 99 XJ with the RE1463 spring packs that I believe are what comes with the 3.5" kit. However, mine gave me 5 1/2" of lift, with stock shackles, which turns out to be just perfect. I also have the RE hack and tap, and a 4 degree shim worked perfectly. I have exactly 1 degree less angle on the pinion than the driveshaft.

i'm hoping the AAL gives me as close to advertised as possible... dont want to go too high in the rear and have to go higher in the front.. anything over 3" or so it wont look right with the 30's on it... i had an interesting arguement with a guy at the local jeep shop about shims..... it seems the CJ/YJ guys dont believe shims below 8* exist!!! "thats all we have" "they dont make them smaller" talk about SWB tunnel-vision!!! a local shop i wanted to give some business... he was an ass so i guess i will continue to go RE direct.... i hope to be tackling the shim issues by the end of the weekend.... i'll have more questions i'm sure..
mike