How many leaves in your springs?

Found a spring shop here locally. The least painful solution would be to do as you did...take it in and let them re-spring it...as any spring I order would only be a guess as to how it would work out...

The whole story is that I was able to give general spring the 13 pack, 12 pack, 9 pack and 7 pack OEM numbers, he was able to look up the original specs for those springs, and then he matched the 7 and 9 pack OEM specs to what is currently available. Very helpful but still a little vague as to what would work best...

I've got the D rated light truck radials down to 30 psi and that helps. I'll try 25 and see what that does for me. They are starting to get a little squirmy now, so 25 psi may be trading one bad attribute for another...


Just went through the pictures! Howard, your vise could squash my vise.....it's looking more and more like a job for the professionals...

 

Willys never installed different make springs from one side to the other.
The so called grooved springs are Eaton manufactured.

This should be of interest: http://z4.invisionfree.com/CJ3B_Bulletin_Board/index.php?showtopic=3977

 

Well, I ended up taking three leaves out of each spring pack. The ride is much improved. But, of course, in the process I found a couple very loose U-bolt type shackles, some totally decomposed silent-bloc bushings, and in the last pack that I removed, the right rear, the main leaf was broken. The wrap leaf was OK, and so were all the others. I re-installed the pack and then ordered two replacement 9 leaf rear spring packs from Walcks....along with shackles, bushings and U-bolts. And on the other rear spring pack, the front bushing was so far gone that the bolt and spring had been rubbing in one spot. The bolt was worn about 1/3 of the way through, and the spring was worn at an angle, but nearly all the way through at the contact point on the edge.

I had 3 degree caster shims in the front. Grip-Tite was the brand name, cast in the metal along with the degree value. I ordered a pair of 6 degree shims as replacements. Nearly everyone recommended going to 6 degrees as a result of searches here and on other forums.

Lots of rust, mud,sticks and general debris between leaves in those spring channels....

 

Realize that the front end has some caster, without the shims. The right way to do this is to put together your spring pack and repairs with no shims, and have an alignment at your local tire shop. Tell them you realize they can only adjust the toe-in and center the steering, but that you want the printout from the alignment machine. Make sure your kingpin bearings and preload are ok, otherwise the alignment won't matter.

Just FYI, almost every CJ-5 that has not been owned by an enthusiast needs the front knuckles gone through (king pin bearings, preload and seals). If you have not done it, you might consider it.

Once the front axle is in good shape and you have the measurements, you can add shims to increase the caster, if needed.

 

Thanks Tim,

I thought about that when reading all the posts that recommended 6 degree shims...the assumption is that you are starting at zero...I would have bought 4 or 5 degree shims but they only offered the 6's...
one of the old 3 degree shims was broken when I took it out, hence the shim search. Once the springs are replaced and I'm happy with the basic setup, I'll get it to an alignment shop and see what they say.

Just for fun I set the toe-in using the method in the service manual....using a string to align the front wheels with the rear, and then shortening each tie rod by about a half turn...it worked out really well...tracks as well as it ever has.

I expect the knuckles and bearings etc all need attention. Sounds like a good winter project.....realize that this project started with the idea that one of those preloaded steering box sector arm screws was going to solve all my problems! About 2K later I'm still buying parts...!

 

New springs, shackles and silent-bloc bushings arrived today. Got the rears installed (air tools are a good thing!) and drove it around the block. Very noticeable reduction in road noise and vibration. The old silent-bloc's were steel on steel, and the 9 leave spring packs from Walcks improved the overall ride.

Next is the front. Bushings and shackles only, and maybe the 6 degree caster shims..but not today.

Tim mentioned rebuilding the front knuckles. Found this link....

http://www.vernco.com/FrontAxle/id373.htm

Looks pretty straight forward....gotta buy a fish scale though...

Randy

 

As I started to replace the front spring shackles, I found that I had another broken main leaf in the right front pack. The break is not new as the surfaces all very rusty...guess I chose not to look closely enough the first time. So, two more new packs from Walcks. They arrived last Thursday (this is Sunday) and I installed them that evening. I did not install the 6 degree caster shims. Wanted to see how it drove.

I think it drives better now than at anytime in my memory. The overdrive allows an easy 50 mph and it tracks just fine. no plans to put the caster shims in.

So now I have 10 leaves in the front, and 9 in the back, and it's going to stay that way!

 

Glad you're happy with it.

Dr. Vern's site is a great resource. I'd suggest referring to the TSM too, if you aren't.