Bastard-pack installation question

My hd leaf pring packs are on the way and I'm mentally going through the installation of my bastard packs which will consist of my existing mains wedded to the new HD packs. I'll reference the rockliz write-up as well as the showthread write-up on this website. One thing I'm really stuck on, and it probably reveals my reading comprehension problem/overall greenness, has to do with dropping the axle. As I understand the ubolt pairs from both passenger and driver sides along with the ubolt plates are removed prior to installation of the new packs.

Specifically, what I'm having a hard time understanding is what prevents the axle from just rolling forward off the floor jack(s) on to the floor, snapping the brake lines in the process? Also, when the time comes to raising the axle back up, isn't it problematic positioning the axle just right to reattach it to the vehicle?

If you don't have it balanced just right on the jack, it can roll forward. Best to do one side at a time so it won't fall on you. You can also put the bottle jack under the pinion to help line everything back up.

XJ5 said:

If you don't have it balanced just right on the jack, it can roll forward. Best to do one side at a time so it won't fall on you. You can also put the bottle jack under the pinion to help line everything back up.

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So, by "doing one side at a time", do you mean leaving the side you are not working on at the time connected to the vehicle. IOW, do you leave the ubolts on on the other side? Doesn't that create a heck of a bind?

You're thinking too hard, focus on pre-lubing. It'll be fine to leave u-bolts on one side, you may need longer leaf center pins and spring clips. That was one of the reasons I swapped out the whole leaf for the new.

Which ones did you decide on, .12?

I did mine with a pair of Jack (axle) stand. For the alignement issue, there is a center hole in the spring perch on the axle for the center pin. You can do one at the time, but it could be hard to put it back together. Get an extra pair of hands, Thats the best advise I can give you.

Ho, when you pick up the axle, there no real confortable position to do it, so try to use a floor jack. Dont hurt you back. :gee:

Harlee&Tahoe said:

You're thinking too hard, focus on pre-lubing. It'll be fine to leave u-bolts on one side, you may need longer leaf center pins and spring clips. That was one of the reasons I swapped out the whole leaf for the new.

Which ones did you decide on, .12?

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I ended up ordering the .10's going off the fact that I'd been told the .12's were standard duty and using as much info as I could come up with on the "net, including the Crown Automotive site. When I got my order confirmation email from QT, it listed a Crown auto part # rather than the 56010 #, which I found odd. In addition, going off the Crown # I realized I didn't order quite what I thought I had, but I'm just going to have to make it work. I'll have plenty of leaves between my two sets to mix and match. It is frustrating not being able to get all the info you should be entitled to when you open up your wallet.

you didn't open it wide enough
I meant .11's but sorry

They don't call it a bastard without good reason.

Support your diff with a floor jack which will give you some play ability when working with the springs. Get both tires off but leave one side connected. Jack stand your frame so you have no risk of death/dismemberment.

Pre drill the leaves with the appropriate size for your centering pin. Make very sure that your center pin will set down in the perch hole and grind if necessary. Buy a couple extra pins (or fabricate from grade 8 bolts) for the possibility you may damage the threads in the process of aligning the leaves. I did.

Use your clamps, liners and common sense. Your first install is the hardest and then the next one, when you add or remove a leaf, is tons easier. Watch out for your brake line as you flex the axle to gain room. The centering pin puts the axle where it needs to be and your u bolts keep things snug. You will need to grind/cut off the end of the center pin and it will be obvious why. Re-tighten the u bolts every fifty miles or so until you can't and watch your slip yoke for any movement issues. You may/probably will need to shim your rear which you could do when putting on your bastard pak or wait and see what happens, and do it soon after, going through the entire lift, support and unbolt process again but doing it a lot quicker each time. That's the bastard part. You could end up needing a 2 or 3 degree shim which is slipped between the pak and the perch as it has a hole in its center. Remember that with leaf over axle systems, the fat end of the shim is toward the back.

I am totally happy with my s10 pak and it rides fine with the weight that I always carry. It helped that I took out the short overload leaf but did not seem to affect the three inches of lift I got.

How I do it. Hi lift left rear bumper, remove ubolts, remove main eye, then shackle bolt, no particular order. pull leaf out. Wheels stay on. It will be harder/ tigther to do on stock.

You worked under your Jeep long enough to install springs with nothing but a Hi Lift holding it up? Wow.

:gee: :wstupid: :lecture: :doh:
JK

with 8" of lift, it's quite simple.

Should have rephrased. Loosen ubolts. Jack up slightly to remove tension off of eye bolts, remove them with the ubolts. Jack, jack, jack, watch your brake lines. remove leaf. If i have to pull an axle off, I will roll it off on the wheels. Makes it easy.

Harlee&Tahoe said:

:gee: :wstupid: :lecture: :doh:
JK

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Mayn, I chauk the tires with centerblocks!

cinder block ARE good for more than a coffee table and tv stand?
I'm playing, sorry

Mayn, I chauk the tires with centerblocks!

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I figured as much. Just pokin ya in the ribs

Good Luck ROD KNEE
Let us know how it goes

RyanM said:

How I do it. Hi lift left rear bumper, remove ubolts, remove main eye, then shackle bolt, no particular order. pull leaf out. Wheels stay on. It will be harder/ tigther to do on stock.

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I used a forklift and had the wheels off, lowered the body to the axle.:wstupid:

Hudson Bend said:

. You may/probably will need to shim your rear which you could do when putting on your bastard pak or wait and see what happens, and do it soon after, going through the entire lift, support and unbolt process again but doing it a lot quicker each time. That's the bastard part. You could end up needing a 2 or 3 degree shim which is slipped between the pak and the perch as it has a hole in its center. Remember that with leaf over axle systems, the fat end of the shim is toward the back.

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I'm just shooting for about 1.5 to 2 inches lift for now. I had assumed that correcting DL angles wouldn't be an issue, but of course, I could be wrong.

Harlee&Tahoe said:

Good Luck ROD KNEE
Let us know how it goes

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After reading that thread about the guy with the gap between his old XJ main and donor pack, I'm starting to rethink this thing, granted his donor leaves were from a chevy truck. I may just fight the shackle/eye bolts and the bushing installation on my new HD's and use my old XJ main leaves as AAL's. Then again, maybe I'm thinking too hard again.:greensmok

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

Harlee&Tahoe said:

Good Luck ROD KNEE
Let us know how it goes

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UPDATE

Well my Qtec 56010.11's finally arrived Friday of last week and I've done most of the install, which for the most part has gone well. Finished the driver's side bastard pack consisting of the new qtec HD's and my pre-existing main. Put the tires back on and measured just a hair over 19 inches from hub to flair, they had sagged to 16 inches using that reference. So I have a 2 inch lift expecting a little settling, maybe down to 1.75 inches, my target height. The other side is almost done but I have to order new U-bolts since I couldn't get the nuts back on after cutting. For anyone else with limited mechanical experience I can offer a few observations.

1. I used my angle grinder alot more than I had thought I would. Keep plenty of cutting wheels on hand. If you need one to finish the job and live in a small town like I do and its late on Saturday, you may not be able to find one. I tried to do as much cutting of bolts as I could on my workbench rather than under the vehicle because I was concerned about fire/explosion hazard, justifiably or not. In retrospect the job would be done now had I just cut the ubolts on the passenger side after installation (they have to be cut to enable torqueing them).

2. The further you drop your axle on the side you're working the easier the job. I discontected the brake line from the springs that held it up above the cat converter yeilding suprising additional slack when putting the HD leaves in on the passenger side. I used a bottle jack to raise the side I was not working on which assisted in lowering the side I was working on.

3. On the first side I did (driver's side) I cut the center pin down to 2.75 inches from base of head (threadward side). That length of threaded part of the pin was just a bit more than I really needed, so I cut the pin for the other side to a length of 2.5 inches from base of head. That worked out about right. Put the nut on the thread between the head and where you are cutting or you may not be able to get it on. Just after cutting screw the nut down to the cut and work back and forth while the metal is still warm and relatively malleable.

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Any thoughts on the hazards or precations to take using an angle grinder under the vehicle?:eyes: