Leaf spring help

Hey guys, I'm trying to get my new R.E 3.5" leaf packs installed and am having one heck of a time. Is it better to unbolt both sides of the stock axle remove the leafs and then install the new leafs and bring the axle up? I have been working on one side tonight with other still connected.So far I have tried bolting up the rear of the spring then trying to get the pin centered on the axle and then pushing it towards the front mount. I also tried it with the front bolted up and tried to center it on the axle.Please help me

I’m not sure if it is correct or not, but this is how I replaced my springs. Completely unbolted originals from frame and axle (both sides). Then put the front eye bolts in the new springs (both sides). Next I bolted one side and then the other to the axle. Last, I jacked up the axle and put in the rear eyebolts. The driver’s side (last one) was a MF. A buddy pried on the spring with a crowbar to line it up so I could put the bolt in. Doing both springs in stages together made it relatively easy for me. Hope that helps.

thanks wiley, i have been searching the net for the past few hours for leaf spring installs. It seems most people attach the leafs then bring the axle up. I just hope i can get the springs to bolt up properly before i jack up the axle to center it on the pins.

A long time ago when I had a 3 inch I was able to leave the leaf pack together and use C-clamps to hold it tight while I took the holding bolt out, and use another C-clamp to draw it together ( with the add a leaf in ) to put the bolt back in place...

I Just did mine and I found it to be easyer to unbolt the axle and remove the front bolt then take the waight off the axle and romove the aft mount where the shackle mounts to the frame then seperate the shackle and spring once out.

and for install I installed the front mount first adjusting upward force of the unbolted axle with the floor jack then used a pry bar to alighn the rear shackle. when the springs where in I then bolted the axle in.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply guys. I'm going otu fro round 2 this morning hopefully it gets better because I got whooped pretty good last night. I will keep you all posted on my progress. Thanks again danny

I have to say I had the exact same problems. This was my second install and it was an AAL also. putting in the AAL was easy enough using c-clamps and the whatnot but when it came time to put the spring back on DANG it was tuff. The second side went in without a hitch after I knew how to do it. What I did was bolt up the shackle side loosely and then I placed a jack under the spring to compress it a bit to make it a little longer I then put a crowbar between the shackle and hitch parts and levered the spring eye to the hole in the frame side mount. With the pressure of the jack underneath the spring stayed in that position until I could get another prybar to locate the eye hole lower to the frame side hole. Hope that made sense. Anyways after the first one its easy. Locating the axle to the pin was also a chalange but nothing a little elbow greese couldnt handle its just a two person job. Part of my problem I am just not two people.

GOODLUCK!@
Alan

cool I got the driver side leaf on and I'm getting ready to do the other. I bolted up the front first then tapped the shackle until it line up with the leaf. I then slowly lifted the axle until it was aligned with the pin. It almost looks like the shackle returned to its original location after I jacked up the axle. I never received any shims with my kit so I had some metal laying around that I was able to cut to fit to go between the leaf and the axle to keep the leaf pin from hitting the axle.Should I wait until both leafs are installed before I snug down all the bolts?

When I installed my 8 inch I bolted the new leaf pack to the axel, and bolt it to the front mount and slowly bring the jeep back down, it it doesnt go in nice then wedge a pipe between the sping and the chasis and it will cause the leaf to flatten enough to bolt up ( you are basically flatinng out the rear leafs by using the weight of the jeep and the pipe is just pintched) Not sure if I making sence, Im recovering from my birthday yesterday....

Tighten them snug first, once the vehicle is back on its feet then torque the bolts to spec. I believe that is what is reccomended. Sounds like you got it going. Have fun. Also post back if you have any vibration issues. I had some pretty bad vibrations at speed. Just curious if you experience the same.

Alan

I also would reccomend LOCKTIGHT! and or lock washers on some of the bolts i.e. the upper rear shock mount bolts. The first time I took it out I lost a rear shock. It was a dumb and easily corrected mistake that could have been alot worse.

Okay the rear is done arty: Now time for the front. I'm cool with the springs as I have done a budget boost on my 95 but I'm doing a few more things with this one. I have a drop pitman arm, Kevins adjustable trackbar with lowered bracket and a steering stabilizer. I'm not real sure about the trackbar once I get it installed, I have read here that if I bounce the front end around it will line up the axle. Does that sound right or is there a better method? Anyways thanks alot guys for your help so far I really like how the rear looks. I had my 6yr old try to jump up in her seat and she did just that jump!

i beleive that the instructions say to move the axle to the drivers side 3/4 of an inch for the 3.5 inch lift. so I guese if you mesure the old one and get the adjustable one about 3/4 shorter it should be close enough untill you can get an elighnment

I left the panhard rod disconnected and had a friend hold pressure on the steering wheel when the tires were even on both sides then I redrilled the hole. Dont know if that was correct. Oh and in between I gave it a couple of days to sit maybe settle a little. It didnt, but I thought it might.

Alan

89 XJer said:

Hey guys, I'm trying to get my new R.E 3.5" leaf packs installed and am having one heck of a time. Is it better to unbolt both sides of the stock axle remove the leafs and then install the new leafs and bring the axle up? I have been working on one side tonight with other still connected.So far I have tried bolting up the rear of the spring then trying to get the pin centered on the axle and then pushing it towards the front mount. I also tried it with the front bolted up and tried to center it on the axle.Please help me

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I found it easyest to remove the axle compleatly from the vehicle the attach the front eye bolt and use the jack to compress the spring against a 2x4 proped between the frame and the spring untill the eye was close enough to the shackle to fit the bolt into it... also a big freeking hammer helps.

I took it for a test drive on the highway to check for vibes before I started on the front. I had it up to 60mph and didn't notice any vibration although i could hear something during accel and decel, not sure if it something I should worry about or not. I do have a t-case drop kit I can install just in case. Thanks for the info on the trackbar, I will try that.