Crooked axle?

I finished some front end work on the CJ yesterday and took it down to the local garage to get the alignment checked. Turns out the front is OK but the rear axle out about a 1/4 of an inch. He told me I need to move the right side forward and an eighth of an inch or the left back an eighth. Is there an easy way to measure this to make sure I get it correct?

The tech also told me I could possibly have a rear spring reversed. Is that possible? They looked identical to me when I installed them two years ago.

 

has the axle housing moved on top of the spring ?
broken spring center bolt ?
maybe you missed the hole in the housing when you installed the springs ?

 

I'll check all of that to be sure but I think the spring center bolt is good and in the hole. Better double check though.

I don't remember, is the hole large enough for the axle to slip? it does have a couple of OE shims that ride between the axle housing and the spring. Could that be a problem?

 

Jeep ever been wrecked? Possible bent frame if everything Jim mentioned is alright...

 

Wonder if that last hill on Windrock #16 has anything to do with this? R) Didn't you say you had some U-bolts that were bent? Wonder if things may have gotten shifted when the bolts were bent.

 

Could be that last hill on 16. I did bounce over that little ledge at the top. I guess I'll just try to find a good point from which to get a measurement, loosen it up and see how much I can move it.

Already replace the bent U bolts.

 

if the added shims are the same height as the center bolt head, then yes, the axle will move.
if you look at the suspect side, do you see evidence of the axle moving on the spring ?
wear mark or scraped paint ?

 

Check the spring bolts and spring pads.

The hole in the spring pad on my right rear was wallowed out. I had it welded shut then drilled a new hole. Worked fine.

As far as I can tell the springs are the same.

Your message says the tech said the rear was out 1/4 inch but then goes on to say move one side back an 1/8 or the other side forward an 1/8? If it's out by 1/4 don't both sides need to move an 1/8? Or, one side move a 1/4? Just checking.

 

If you move one side 1/8" the other side will move the other way 1/8".
Measure both springs from the hanger to the pin.

 

How's the condition of the spring eye bushings? These are a common wear item, and a bad one would let the springs (and axle) move forward-backward wrt the frame.