Spacer between the crossmember and frame

Hello jeep people, I've been following a few threads on here about transfer cases and transmissions. I've noticed in some of the pictures that there is what looks like to be a spacer like the one In the picture. When I got the jeep, it had a spring lift on it so I just assumed that the PO also put the spacers in it to drop the transmission to help with the angle of the driveshaft. So when I removed the lift and put stock springs back on it, I removed the spacers.
Should I put them back? Does it make a big deference? Does this present an issue?





Thanks

 

the T14 had 3 spacers on each side ( 1/4" each ) . like the one in picture on jeep

 

Typically a stock jeep of your vintage will have about 3/4" blocking each side between the frame and the cross-member. This gives you about a 4 degree drop at the transfer case output to give good alignment of the drive shaft to rear diff.

 

>>>>what Walt said<<<<<
The original blocks from factory were "Oak", I used pressure treated on my cj.

 

Ok so I kept the originals, actually the 1st picture is one of them.

so should I put them back? And if so, should I have to loosen up any bolts on the bell housing or transmission when putting them back to avoid any unnecessary binding?

Thanks

 

The motor mounts should have enough give to allow movement. You don't want any movement between the engine and transmission. Those should be a solid unit. If those spacers were in the originally and nothing else is changed, then they should be put back.

 

your second picture is the spacers . no you don't need to loosen bolts on bell housing or anything else . just the four bolts holding cross member . place a floor jack
under cross member to hold the weight .
picture of spacers I removed

 

Whether or not the spacers are needed is premised entirely on the rear driveshaft angle which in turn, is determined on the springs used and if there are extended shackles. With the Jeep loaded with a typical loading-whatever you expect-there should be about an equal 2 degree angle at both the pinion yoke and the transfercase companion flange if using regular u-joints. Use the cross member spacers and the axle/spring pad tapered shims to get this as close as you can. If you have a double cardan joint at the transfer case, the pinion should be aimed straight at it and the the angle at the transfercase is less important but should still be minimized. If you need the tapered shims between the axle brackets and springs to make this happen, you will want the STEEL versions. McRuff (Mike) on here manufactures a very nice version of those type shims if you can't find them local.

As for spacer material, I would not use wood. That's just asking for it to loosen up. Not only relatively soft, it will expand and contract with changes in moisture. Steel is fine but aluminum is lighter and works just as well. On my 3B, the cross member has been at several spacings over the years as components changed. Currently it has 1/2" aluminum spacers made from 2" wide bar stock.

 

Thank you for the information duffer, I went back with all original shackles and springs so no lifts here that would mess with the driveshaft angles.

As all ways I appreciate your input and post Twin2. When I took the jeep apart, the squared spacer was on one side and the other spacers ( which are like the ones you posted ) were stacked on the other side. Which is why I thought it was put on there to accommodate the spring lift the PO put on. Not sure if it would come from the factory with mismatched spacers, but then again you never know. So when I went back to stock I just used one spacer on each side to help out with the driveshaft angle.
judging from the post I will put it back like it was when I got the jeep. It will be about 3/4 inch difference.

thanks
RJ

 

My factory setup before i disassembled for restoration. 4 on each side.

 

So I was able to make some spacers out of aluminum. I have three on each side measuring 3/4 inch.



next step is to replace the "z" transfer case mount with a new one I got from KieserWillys.

thanks.

 

Just throwing this out there, my stock '67 with the original T86AA had four steel spacers, the '69 donor I got my T14 from had only 1 spacer per side, I believe it to be original as well but who knows.

 

Yeah, not sure of the rhyme or reason seven4eight, but just went with the 3/4 inch measurement. Then I lined up my back driveshaft and it looked as if the t-case was leaning down on too much of an angle so I decided to take one of the spacers out on each side leaving 1/2 inch between the crossmember and the frame.

 

Man I remember when I removed the cross member off my jeep...some yahoo used the one 1/4 inch space on one side and on the other made up the difference with flat washers.

 

whats the typical space between the cross member on a 62 or 66 cj

 

I've seen no spacers, two spacers on each side, and 3 on each side from the factory. I've never seen just one on each side or more than 3 but anything is possible.

 

So there's no real set spacer? I have a 2.5" lift and afraid my driveshafts may fall out as the front has while installing leafs.

 

No, especially with a modified vehicle. Usually people space the crossmember down for drivetrain clearance issues or for u-joint angle issues. If you're afraid the driveshaft may come apart, remove it, put it at the center of travel, then compare that measurement to the transfer case output yoke to differential input yoke distance. They should be darn close to the same. To check for travel measure the driveshaft collapsed and extended and compare those measurements with the vehicle on jackstands on the frame so the axles/suspension is hanging and measure like I said above between diff yoke and transfer case yoke and compare. If driveshaft does not extend far enough you need to have it lengthened.

 

On my 2a I used the short slip yoke from the front of a comanche pickup. It had the same u-joint and splines but slightly longer it works great

 

Ive had them with 1,2 and 3, metal and a solid 2" Oak piece. Guess whatever was on hand that day