axles shims or lower rear spring hanger

Ok the PO installed a 2 inch lift , by welding a section of 2 inch square tube under the front shackle hanger , and still uses the stock shackle, It is the stock dana 27

My question is this , the caster is off , so should I ?????

A. use a set of steel shims 8 degree?( this is IMHO cheap and cheesy but welded in would be that bad)

B. put a section of 2 inch square tube under rear spring hanger?( for me this would be the easiest to do ..lots of 2 inch square tubing laying around) pros/cons?

C. cut and rotate spring perch? can do this also but will take allot more work,

D.

E.

F.

ECT.

any other ideas and what would be the best solution, not worried about fabbing stuff can make most anything , and not worried about the cost, but dont want to be stoopid on price either.

 

Remove the tube "spacer" and lift it right. That spacer is/will put a tremendous amount of twisting leverage on a frame already known for cracking around spring mounts....

 

How is the welded section of tube any different then it being welded to the frame like it was from the factory?? , wouldn't it be just like being attached to the original spot just 2 inches lower, the tubing wall is 3/16 inch thick its, stout as hell,

i dont see it twisting much , and its been on there for a long time it looks like, and dosent looked twisted , I am just saying....

wouldn't the tube under the perch with stock length shackle ,be better then longer shackles?

I want to keep my stock spring pack , has the 13 spring pack ,

what would be the best way , without changing leafs, and i dont want to do SOA to the axles

here you can see the driver side section of tubing under the shackle hanger



here you can see the passenger one





here you can see the rear one



???

 

Well Im dumb as a board but here goes...the extra length of the tubing being added equals more leverage on that area which is already iffy...think about this...if you need more leverage on a stuck bolt do you grab a longer or shorter extension/piece of pipe?

 

Exactly.

 

I get the leverage aspect that's a no brainier

but are your, saying, longer shackles would have been better??, then a piece of frame section under the hanger welded 360 degres ?

But they even sell longer rear hangers, on some shackle lifts.

But a welded section of tubing is absolutely no different then the stock hanger itself , it is no different they both become part of the frame , once they are welded .

what you guys are saying is that the actual section of tube will twist( that can be strengthend ) but you are talking, pitch, yaw ,roll,?.... of the section of tubing/frame piece?

if so i am not concerned about that I can see the front as we speak and it is strait as a laser, and I don't plan on rock crawling with 400 hp.

So other then what you guys are saying,

what would be the down side in doing the exact same thing to the rear hanger with thicker wall tubing and gusset the hell out of it???

it will fix my caster, and wont be a shim ,or a death long *** shackle, and the springs will be the same,

and to add the leaf spring hanger will still be the weakest link

 

why ask for suggestions if your just going to argue when someone gives you advice? these frames have cracking problems at the hangers and putting more leverage can only make it worse. you can also box the front frame horns. if a 2" longer shackle gives 1" of lift im guessing the space you have now is giving about 1" of lift. get rid of the spacer and if you want the same hight use 1" shackles. get caster shimes from mcruff if the caster is still off. he makes nice shackles too.

 

thanks for the sugestion

 

I think I am going to just take it all out and go back stock height

 

Just for future search reference, longer shackles will twist the frame more than stock shackles but they have some give due to bushing movement. The spacers have no give and the twisting motion will be translated directly to the frame, in an area that is prone to cracking.
With a lift spring (proper way to lift) much of that twisting motion is absorbed by the bushings, springs, and can be absorbed somewhat by the shackle.


Sent from my iPhone

 

hey nick after i take all the tubes out and put the hangers back to stock.

if i run into fender rubbing, with my fat tires,

what leaf kit would you rec amend

my 13 pack is a kidney beater as is ,

and a add a spring lift would be even stiffer.

what about just re arching my leafs?
and then weld some shims for caster or just do the add a leaf?

 

why dont you just buy you a set of 2 1/2" lift springs, put the shackles back against the frame where they belong and call her good?

 

that is what nick suggested also

and if i have tire rub , after i put the shackle hangers back in stock location

that is what will happen, like nick said that would be the right way to do it

 

BDS are highly regarded. I think there is a set for sale in the classifieds right now. Black Diamond are decent. Might try a search and see what others have been using and their reviews. I'm not a great resource as I've had the same set of Rancho's on my Jeep for 20 plus years.
One set I do recommend is the Holbrooks. Not cheap but work very very well. More body roll but soft ride, great articulation, and about 2 1/2-3" of lift.

 

Ok took all the tubing out and put it all back stock height .

Caster seems better , but still is off , with my archaic angle finder, probably need shims .

And no rubbing , but haven't really tested it on any kind rough terrain ,

It really didn't drop much just a inch and a half

I would disagree with you nick,

I would say you are a good resource with 20 years of trial on yours LOL ..so at least a thumbs up on ranchos!! hehe

 

fyi you dont weld the caster shims on. they bolt onto the leaf springs with the center pin. use new longer pins, they are only a couple bucks at napa.

 

Do they work loose like the old lifting blocks used to?

I have never used shims for caster , my old 74 never needed them it drove good even with the terra tires on it

And I assume, if i need caster shims , I should get the steel ones not aluminium ones?

And do the shims after installed , lower the leafs the same amount as the thick end of the shim?

Or should i just rotate the spring perch ?

OOOoo and hey dose anyone know what the stock caster should be, and , I run wide tires so I should be 3 to 4 degrees more then stock?

What have you guys run your caster at , I know it depends on lift/tire width/ ect.ect.

looking for general figures as starting points

 

The shims really dont wiggle out of place unless the ubolts were not torqued down properly. So I say throw the correct degree of shim that you need and just bolt it back together with some umph and you will be good. And YES! Do get the steel shims not the aluminum ones. Maybe people will disagree but I have personally seen 2 sets of aluminum shims split...stell is the way to go. As for ride height, you probably wont even notice a difference really. Once side of the shim is almost nothing and it just rotates your axle.

 

X2 on aluminium shim, i was having those with my leaf set-up and they get flat as a squirrel that a car pass over...