Leaf Spring, securing leafs

On my1990 XJ I have Rubicon Express 4.5 lift leaf springs, and two additional small leafs added. These sit on a Ford Currie 9 inch axle.

The two additional small leafs were not secured by any clamp, and had thus rotated, i.e. no longer parallel with the other springs leafs.

I got it all apart now to replace the bushings, and plastic interleaf discs, and add proper angle wedges to the mounting.

Anyway, do you all use the stamped sheet metal style spring stack clamps to secure add on spring leafs? With this be enough to stop them from rotating out of alignment with the other leafs?

Some thing like these....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003EP2PIS/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A3SHAVQQRX8HLR&psc=1

Wont these slide around seeing as there is no rivet to secure the clamp to the lowermost spring, or is that not a problem? The clamp for the rest of the srings, i.e. the one that came with the Rubicon Express springs is secured to its lower spring with a rivet.

Thanks!

PS them bushings are a bear to remove!
6

If the small leafs moved like you say, you need new center pins....as when they get old and stretch, they can let the leafs move like that, especially if the u-bolts aren't good & tight.

Not sure a clamp that close to the center would stay put

Proper u-bolt torque should fix that. The centering pin is too small to have enough torque to clamp the leaves.

Thanks for info I kind of figured the little clamps may not be enough. I will make sue the U bolt clamps are tightened correctly. The U clamps were over six inches too long! Eight fine pitch nuts, nylocs no less to back off 1/4 a turn at a time for several inches just to get the nuts close nough to the end to reach the deep socket to ratchet them the rest of the way off with.
I will be cutting the U Bolts down in length! I cant believe the way some of my jeep was assembled by some "professionals" under prior ownership. Heck, They did not even add angle wedge spring mount plates to correct the axle nose up attitude and the resulting poor driveline angle. I am getti g that squared away also.

Oh, one more question for the spring bolt/pin.......
Is an allen head cap screw of suitable dimensions ok to use for the bolt/pin, or should only a specifically made for bolt/pin hardware be used?

I use grade 8 Allen bolts for my personal center pins... I haven't had a problem yet but your results may very...

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From what I understand, you should replace the U-bolts.

You can re-torque them after the initial install, but they are not supposed to be loosened and then tightened again.

Anak said:

From what I understand, you should replace the U-bolts.

You can re-torque them after the initial install, but they are not supposed to be loosened and then tightened again.

Click to expand...

This ^^^ those u-bolts are junk at this point.

When I changed my leafs this is my set up....
My lowest leaf is not retained by a band, I have SHCS as center pins, 3/8" thick top plates (loose the oem thin plates, they bend and your torque tension goes with it) and new u-bolts, torqued properly and checked / re-torqued after 100 miles.

The non-retained bottom leaf on both sides has rotated slightly on both packs. I know things are secure so no sleep lost over it in my case.

Final comment, that single center bolt will never keep leafs from wanting to rotate without being kept inline either by banding / guides or having zero clearance between the u-bolts and the leafs being captured in place, unless you never twist the crap out of you pile.

Oh, so the U bolts are one use items! Good to know, I guess I need order them now. Mine are about half inch dia, fine thread.

dktool said:

Final comment, that single center bolt will never keep leafs from wanting to rotate without being kept inline either by banding / guides or having zero clearance between the u-bolts and the leafs being captured in place, unless you never twist the crap out of you pile.

Click to expand...

This is the key, if you flex your Jeep the springs or something has to fan out. Depending on which side is up or down the axle has to "yaw" because of the fixed front leaf mount. For that reason I run 9/16" u-bolts(of the exact correct width) to hold things together enough so the leaves can't rub on the tires.

Black1990jeep said:

Oh, so the U bolts are one use items! Good to know, I guess I need order them now. Mine are about half inch dia, fine thread.

Click to expand...

Yes. 1/2-20. Same as the lug nuts. I have mine double-nutted with lug nuts, cones up. If in a pinch I know where I can scrounge for spare lug nuts.

Tim_MN said:

Proper u-bolt torque should fix that. The centering pin is too small to have enough torque to clamp the leaves.

Click to expand...

What do you think clamps the leaves when the springs are sitting on the shelf ??


Yes, the pin itself is not sufficient to stop them from spinning, that's why I said especially if the u-bolts are loose.

If the center pin is tight as it should be, you should HAVE to try to shift the leaves.....I've never seen the leaves shift unless done intentionally....

If the ubolts are loose, well, chances are so is a lot of other stuff

If, when installed on the vehicle, the individual spring leaves are shifting, it would be logical to suspect that the u-bolts are loose, not that the centering pin is loose. When in service, the centering pin cannot provide enough clamping force to be much use in retaining the alignment of the leaves.

YMMV.

dktool said:

This ^^^ those u-bolts are junk at this point.

When I changed my leafs this is my set up....
My lowest leaf is not retained by a band, I have SHCS as center pins, 3/8" thick top plates (loose the oem thin plates, they bend and your torque tension goes with it) and new u-bolts, torqued properly and checked / re-torqued after 100 miles.

The non-retained bottom leaf on both sides has rotated slightly on both packs. I know things are secure so no sleep lost over it in my case.

Final comment, that single center bolt will never keep leafs from wanting to rotate without being kept inline either by banding / guides or having zero clearance between the u-bolts and the leafs being captured in place, unless you never twist the crap out of you pile.

Click to expand...

ok, I have my spring packs togther with an added clamp,for the to lower added leafs that previously had no clamp and fanned out. also bought 5/8 inch diameter U bolts. Ad Ford 9 inch rear end.

Now for the spring plate.... Mine is an aftermarket plate, 1/4 inch steel plate with two bent up edges on front and rear, one inch long at 45 degree bend Seem fairly stiff with the bent edges. It has no bump stop provision, just a spring plate

So I see that some folks make plates of 3/8 inch plate. Both Dirt Bound Offroad, and DPG Offroad offer this, with a built in bump stop.

https://dpgoffroad.com/product/dpg-adjustable-bump-stop-plates-xj/

https://dirtboundoffroad.com/products/rear-u-bolt-spring-plate-and-bump-stop-mount-jeep-cherokee-xj

Dirt Bound shows a flat plate in there web site photograph for the installed on jeep picture, but their description and stand alone picture of their plate stes or shows bent up edges, much as like on my existing thinner plate. DPG shows also a flat plate o their website, but adds in the description that a welded gusset has now been added, resumed b me for improved stiffness.

I got questions in to both companies about accommodating my 5/8 inch dia U bolt.

What are some other vendors that make these?

I think I prefer to have a bump stop mount integrated into the spring plate, I have a 5.5 inch lift, 33 inch tires so stock bump stops dont work for me

So who else makes good plates with bump stop provision?



Stiffer is better for keeping the U bolt tight, so gusetts or bends are desired. 3/8 plate preferred, although a 1/4 plate might be ok with proper stiffening bends, is that a correct assumption?

Thanks