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Front Leaf Eye shifts side to side

matchrocket

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Utah
The front eye on my rear leafs likes to slide side to side, causing my rear axle to rotate slightly and push the jeep to the right or left depending on which direction they move. They will clunk side to side sometimes to when I get really flexed out.

Both leafs do this, and currently they are pushed to the passenger side. I have to pull the leafs off and press the bushing back in to correct it.

What I don't understand is WHY they are doing this. I am properly bump stopped, my centering pin(s) are in good shape and my U-Bolts are torqued to about 60ft-lbs. (Frequently checked.)

Nothing in the forums I could find matched my issue. Thinking maybe I need to tack weld the metal on the bushing to the leaf... But that seems a bit excessive.

IMG_7214_small.jpg
 
Are you running aftermarket springs?
The bushings should be a tight fit, usually requiring being pressed in.
Maybe the wrong bushings were used or the eyes are opening due to improper manufacturing.
Whatever, do not ever weld anything to a tempered spring or anything else that is tempered (assuming you want to keep it tempered and intact)

For a temporary fix you could make up some large washers, out of sheet metal or plastic, that had an I.D. the same as the outside O.D. of the bushings. Place one on each side of the bushing so that they help center the bushing and keep it from moving sideways.
 
every set of re springs i had did this. never bothered me enough to do anything about it though. jeep always tracked straight

i have heard of people tack welding the sleeve to the leaf pack
 
Yes, they are aftermarket springs, the manufacturer of them is unknown to me as they were on the rig when I bought it years back. My Buddies 4.5 inch leafs from Rusty's do the same thing and he was thinking of going the washer route.

His started on this first trip out, along with blowing up the rear bushings (with extended shackles) and losing all his anti-friction pads.

Just doesn't seem right that I'd need to make modifications to keep my bushings in place.
 
Just doesn't seem right that I'd need to make modifications to keep my bushings in place.

It isn't right. All the motion should be in the rubber, not between the bushing and the spring eye. It just going to become increasingly loose.

I have replace a few spring eye bushings over the years and they usually are difficult to break loose and punch out.
 
My OME springs did this. Basically the eye in the spring opened up just a hair so the bushing was no longer tight in there. Even did it with brand new bushings.

I got tired of it and eventually replaced that top leaf with ones from the junkyard and made a bastard pack out of it. The new bushings fit super tight in the stock leaf eye and I haven't had a problem with the issue since.
 
I got tired of it and eventually replaced that top leaf with ones from the junkyard and made a bastard pack out of it. The new bushings fit super tight in the stock leaf eye and I haven't had a problem with the issue since.

I like this idea. These are 5 leaf packs and they are starting to show the dreaded 'S', was thinking of adding an extra leaf before they get bad, and gain back some my lift that was lost with the rear bumper and tire.

Maybe I'll try swapping out the eye leaf from an OEM pack along with another one to add a little more spring rate.
 
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