Jeep CJ5 Caster Correction: Leaf Spring Shims Installed
Dolamite
Jeeper
- Posts
- 180
- Media
- 9
- Thanks
- 0
- Location
- Michigan's Upper Peninsula
- Vehicle(s)
- 1980 Jeep CJ5
258 I6
3.54 gears
AMC 20 Rear Diff (1 piece Axles w/Lokka)
Dana 30 Front Diff w/Lokka
Tremec T-176 4 speed Trans
Dana 300 transfer Case w/Twinstick
Background:
When I purchased my 1980 Jeep CJ5 it had a 3" shackle lift and I could barely drive the thing down the road. It was all over the place. I'm sure it didn't help that the rear shocks were missing and the rear leaf spring mounts weren't in the same spot from side to side.
The first improvements I made were some frame repair, new rear spring mounts, new rear shock mounts, and a 4" RC suspension lift. After this, the Jeep handled much better than when I bought it, but it still wanted to wander a little bit.
The posts on this site helped me identify the caster problems very quickly (thanks to all of the experienced Jeepers out there!) and the website below helped me understand why/how caster works:
http://mysite.verizon.net/res108eps...ilderfiles/Steering-and-suspension-basics.pdf
I diagnosed the caster on my CJ to be between 0 and +1 from side to side, so I purchased some 4 degree shims from Warrior Products.
Results:
This was a very simple upgrade that did not take very much time and has made a world of difference. Prior to the install, if I had the Jeep going 45 mph I had to be on a completely flat road. I barely used 4th gear. After the install, I find myself in 4th gear all of the time and have no problem driving 55 mph. I am very pleased that I no longer have to white knuckle it.
Procedure:
1) Jack up front Driver (or Passenger) side of vehicle, support frame, and remove tire.
2) Support axle with jack.
3) Disconnect sway bar and front shock.
4) Remove U-bolts.
5) Lift axle off of springs with jack.
6) Clamp leaf springs together.
7) Remove bolt that holds the springs together and aligns the springs to the spring perch.
8) Attach leaf spring shim to the leaf springs (may require a longer bolt*). Make sure that the "fat" end of the shim is pointed toward the front of the vehicle.
9) After the bolt that attaches the shim to the leaf spring is tightened, remove the clamps.
10) Lower the axle back onto the leaf springs. Make sure the center hole of the spring perch aligns with the head of the leaf spring bolt. (I had to put a jack on the back side of the front leaf springs and lift them up a little bit to compress the springs in order for the hole to line up.)
11) Re-attach U-bolts to axle.
12) Re-connect sway bar and shock.
13) Repeat procedure for opposite side.
* The leaf spring bolt from my springs had a rounded head (no flats). A regular hex-head bolt would not fit into the center alignment hole of the spring perch. A socket head cap screw would work great, but I didn't have one available. I ended up just using a bench grinder to round off the flats of a hex head bolt until it would fit.
Disclaimer:
I can't advocate doing this to your Jeep because I've read posts saying that shims are not safe, but for the type of driving I do with my Jeep this modification works for me. A better, more safe modification would probably be to alter the angle of the spring perches.
When I purchased my 1980 Jeep CJ5 it had a 3" shackle lift and I could barely drive the thing down the road. It was all over the place. I'm sure it didn't help that the rear shocks were missing and the rear leaf spring mounts weren't in the same spot from side to side.
The first improvements I made were some frame repair, new rear spring mounts, new rear shock mounts, and a 4" RC suspension lift. After this, the Jeep handled much better than when I bought it, but it still wanted to wander a little bit.
The posts on this site helped me identify the caster problems very quickly (thanks to all of the experienced Jeepers out there!) and the website below helped me understand why/how caster works:
http://mysite.verizon.net/res108eps...ilderfiles/Steering-and-suspension-basics.pdf
I diagnosed the caster on my CJ to be between 0 and +1 from side to side, so I purchased some 4 degree shims from Warrior Products.
Results:
This was a very simple upgrade that did not take very much time and has made a world of difference. Prior to the install, if I had the Jeep going 45 mph I had to be on a completely flat road. I barely used 4th gear. After the install, I find myself in 4th gear all of the time and have no problem driving 55 mph. I am very pleased that I no longer have to white knuckle it.
Procedure:
1) Jack up front Driver (or Passenger) side of vehicle, support frame, and remove tire.
2) Support axle with jack.
3) Disconnect sway bar and front shock.
4) Remove U-bolts.
5) Lift axle off of springs with jack.
6) Clamp leaf springs together.
7) Remove bolt that holds the springs together and aligns the springs to the spring perch.
8) Attach leaf spring shim to the leaf springs (may require a longer bolt*). Make sure that the "fat" end of the shim is pointed toward the front of the vehicle.
9) After the bolt that attaches the shim to the leaf spring is tightened, remove the clamps.
10) Lower the axle back onto the leaf springs. Make sure the center hole of the spring perch aligns with the head of the leaf spring bolt. (I had to put a jack on the back side of the front leaf springs and lift them up a little bit to compress the springs in order for the hole to line up.)
11) Re-attach U-bolts to axle.
12) Re-connect sway bar and shock.
13) Repeat procedure for opposite side.
* The leaf spring bolt from my springs had a rounded head (no flats). A regular hex-head bolt would not fit into the center alignment hole of the spring perch. A socket head cap screw would work great, but I didn't have one available. I ended up just using a bench grinder to round off the flats of a hex head bolt until it would fit.
Disclaimer:
I can't advocate doing this to your Jeep because I've read posts saying that shims are not safe, but for the type of driving I do with my Jeep this modification works for me. A better, more safe modification would probably be to alter the angle of the spring perches.
