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I overloaded the carrying capacity

mikeny59

NAXJA Member #300
Location
NY and/or Fl.
of my '98 with cement and 4x4's, w/4.5" National Springs. After removing the stuff, the rear was noticably lower, maybe an inch.

I bought a pair of one inch blocks to compensate for the sag, but I'm not sure if I should install them beneath the 6* shims or above them.

There are no new vibes, all's smooth, but I'm really confused where to put them. Don't want to do them twice, compressor or not.

TIA

Mike #300
 
i would have to say to install the blocks below the shims. arent the shims supposed to stay on the springs?
 
If you install the blocks below the shims you'll effectively have a 1" think shim which will push the whole axle forward slightly and will probably not be real stable as the u bolts will not be puching directly up through the block when you tighten them down (hope that makes sense).

I'd say install the block between the shim and the spring. Will the leaf pin pass through the leaves, block and shim? If the block is the RE type with an indent in the top and a pin at the bottom the pin may not be long enough to pass through the shim and locate in the housing, just something else to check.

Cheers
Steve
 
It doesn't sound like a safe combination to me either way. Don't they make blocks with the shim built in?
 
id say buy a 1 inch block and get it machined down to have a 6 degree side, or if your real good you could do it yourself. that way you wont have to worry about any seperation or a really long center bolt to deal with.
 
Cut off the spring pads and weld them back on in the proper location avoiding the issues attendant to shims altogether.
done and done
 
Use the vehicle for a few days empty and see if they come back or jack it up for a few days and see if that helps. I would not shim it, block it or anything else, you're doing a band aid. Maybe sell them here as 3.5" and put a new set in....
Either way, next time rent a trailer or go buy one of those cheap ones from home depot...they cost about as much as a set of new springs...
 
yeah, i killed my rear springs doing the same thing

i picked up 850 lbs of cement from home depot, and put it in my 500lb rated hitch mount basket....

it sort of bent the 2" boxed steel where it exits the the receiver, and i think it killed my rear springs....

but it worked in a pinch.....its also giving me the excuse to get that new RE lift kit ive had my eye on. . .
 
I was too lazy to remove a section of stockade to get the trailer, what a moron.

I'm running a 3" shackle, this happened two summers ago, I forgot about it until I came across the shims while cleaning out the garage.

It sounds like there's a multitude of ways to maybe fix this problem, I'm going to have to mull over this for awhile.

I appreciate all the differing views, thanks for the help.

Mike #300
 
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