More Leaf Spring /AAL Install Questions

[Seemer]

OK - to recap, I bought the Rusty's 2" Add-a-Leaf kit and installed the rears a week or so ago. Before starting the fronts (yesterday), I measured both sides from front wheel center to back wheel center and I am off ~1/2 inch. I'm thinking the rear passenger side is the problem as I had a hell of a time getting the center pin aligned on this side. In fact the center pin, while seated in the perch, is still slanted frontward quite a bit. So, I have to go back and fix that.

Here are some questions regarding the reinstall process of the spring pack and making it easy to align the center pin (asking again and being more specific this time). Each case below assumes the AAL has been installed in the spring pack with center pin tightened down.

Best approach to re-installing spring pack and aligning center pin is.......

1. Do I bolt in both ends of the spring pack at the eyelets first and then try to align the axel perch to the center pin? Then put U Bolts on? Because of the arch in the spring pack, I have found that this approach would require jacking up the spring pack and axel to the point where alignment is acheived.....a game of jacking and levering.

Or...

2. Do I bolt in one end of spring pack (if so which end?), then align the axel to the center pin and put on U Bolts? Then jack / block the whole thing to flatten the spring pack out so I can get the other end of the spring pack bolted in?

Or..

3. Do I align the axel to the center pin (spring pack ends unbolted and out of frame/shackles) and put U Bolts on.....then secure one end of the Spring pack (easy) and then jack /block the whole thing to get the other end in?

Please pick one of the above with tips or other suggestions. I'm sure everyone has different tricks, but perhaps one of the above is to be avoided. I used #2 when doing the back end (didn't want to drop gas tank to get to inner bolt)....maybe the problem?

Also, in a prior post someone suggested greasing the leafs to help with the re-install. If so, do I grease the entire length of each leaf or just the ends? I have bearing grease handy....can I use that? Finally, should I re-use the square pads (plastic I think) that were at the end of each leaf as part of the stock spring pack?.....many were busted up though. Do they help springs move on eachother?

Anything else?

I'm sure I am making this harder than it should be but those springs can be quite tough to work with......if you don't have the right approach

Thanks a lot.

[Seemer]

AAL

ttt - need help for today...

[Skeeter74]

When I put blocks in the rear of mine, the pins did not want to realign. After much fighting and a few choice words, I got it put back together. That is when I noticed that I was fighting the e-brake cables and the brake line to the rear axle. You might get away with loosening the cables and giving yourself a little extra wiggle room.

[86cj7]

hey andy, did you try the threaded rod trick like we talked about ? i would jack up the jeep drop the axle out of the way , disassemble the spring pack but leave the main leaf where it is,get some threaded rod about a foot long and put a nut and washer on the top, start adding leafs then put a nut and a washer on the bottom and start tightening. they will all come together and use a couple of welding clamps or c-clamps to hold everything together, remove threaded rod install center pin. if you are still having trouble i can probably help you after the holidays are over
rich

[hennikerjd]

hey andy, did you try the threaded rod trick like we talked about ? i would jack up the jeep drop the axle out of the way , disassemble the spring pack but leave the main leaf where it is,get some threaded rod about a foot long and put a nut and washer on the top, start adding leafs then put a nut and a washer on the bottom and start tightening. they will all come together and use a couple of welding clamps or c-clamps to hold everything together, remove threaded rod install center pin. if you are still having trouble i can probably help you after the holidays are over
rich

Sounds like a good tip to me. I'm going to be doing the AAL install on my rig shortly and I will definitely utilize this little trick.

[jaber]

I used method 2 but instead of the bottle jack, I used a come-a-long and pulled the axle towards the back hanger.

HTH...

[Seemer]

Thanks

Thanks guys.

Hey Rich - I don't have any problem getting the spring pack back together and installing the new center pin. I did use your suggestion for that and it does work nicely. The problem is realigning the "nub" of the center pin (once installed in the pack) with the hole in the perch. Once the AAL is back in there and the spring pack is re-arched and not under any weight it takes a new shape and therefore the "nub" of the pin doesn't line up. So, its a game of jacking and blocking to raise and flatten the spring pack so that the "nub" of the pin moves closer toward the hole in the perch. I was doing this with the shackle end of the spring (top spring) removed. I will try to align the "nub" of the pin with the perch hole with both ends in and see if that helps. Of course on the front passenger side you also have the added hassle of the steering stabilizer plate.....which also has to put in just the right place. I'm a one man show so that probably explains most of my problems. Will get the neighbor this time around too.

Thanks for offering to help, but I better have this done by the time Santa starts to fly!!!

[jaber]

AAAHHHH, I see now.
If you can get both eyes attached (thought this was the problem) then a small necked bottle jack under the u-bolt plate and lift until it seats. You might have to wiggle the axle front to rear to get it to sit down.