Just wandering.

[RealJeep]

Ever since I've owned my CJ5 anytime I hit the least little bump in the road it wants to go all over the place. It's not near as stable as any car or truck I have and I thought the jeep was designed for bad roads. I've replaced the steering gear box. I've also replaced the wheel bearings. Nothing seems to help. I don't know if it's the bigger than normal tires or what. Any ideas?

 

[mriplaybass]

Check the caster angle on the front axle. You can pick up an inexpensive angle gauge at Home Depot, or you can just download an app for your phone. Whatever you use set it against a flat area of the axle like the bolts on the differential cover, or if the driveshaft is out, against the pinion yoke with the yoke in a vertical orientation. The axle should have the pinion pointing down at least 6°. You should notice angled shims between the axle spring pad and the spring. If there are no angle shims (with the thicker end of the shim toward the front) the Jeep will wander. All of this is going on the assumption that the knuckles have not been rotated and rewelded by a previous owner. You can also check by putting your gauge against the flat area on the upper or lower ball joints if space permits.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Get it into an alignment shop and get a printout.
Get back to us with results.
You want to see 6-7* castor, and a total toe-in of 1/8-3/16".

LG

 

[RealJeep]

Check the caster angle on the front axle. You can pick up an inexpensive angle gauge at Home Depot, or you can just download an app for your phone. Whatever you use set it against a flat area of the axle like the bolts on the differential cover, or if the driveshaft is out, against the pinion yoke with the yoke in a vertical orientation. The axle should have the pinion pointing down at least 6°. You should notice angled shims between the axle spring pad and the spring. If there are no angle shims (with the thicker end of the shim toward the front) the Jeep will wander. All of this is going on the assumption that the knuckles have not been rotated and rewelded by a previous owner. You can also check by putting your gauge against the flat area on the upper or lower ball joints if space permits.

OK, that is it. Never knew that before. At present the upper and lower ball joints are perfectly plumb with each other.

The axle is sitting on the leaf springs without any shems at all. I wonder why the axle wasn't made with at least some angle to it.

 

[hole]

The way it came from the factory it didn't need shims, everything was in alignment the way it was designed. When people change to lift springs, it causes the need for shims to bring it back to factory specs

 

[RealJeep]

The way it came from the factory it didn't need shims, everything was in alignment the way it was designed. When people change to lift springs, it causes the need for shims to bring it back to factory specs

I don't understand. I replaced the leaf springs with standard leaf springs and they were the same as what was on there before. It's never had lift springs on it that I know of. I just had one that broke.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I don't understand. I replaced the leaf springs with standard leaf springs and they were the same as what was on there before. It's never had lift springs on it that I know of. I just had one that broke.

Aftermarket springs? China made I'll bet.
You really need to have that alignment checked out by pros so you have a starting point to make corrections.

LG

 

[mriplaybass]

OK, that is it. Never knew that before. At present the upper and lower ball joints are perfectly plumb with each other.

The axle is sitting on the leaf springs without any shems at all. I wonder why the axle wasn't made with at least some angle to it.

When we first got our CJ7 , it had stock springs, but it had 0° of caster. I have no explanation for this. It wandered all over the road until I finally figured out what was wrong. Put in a 6° shim, and it's as stable as can be at any speed.

 

[RealJeep]

When we first got our CJ7, it had stock springs, but it had 0° of caster. I have no explanation for this. It wandered all over the road until I finally figured out what was wrong. Put in a 6° shim, and it's as stable as can be at any speed.

I just have one worry about putting a shem under the axle. The pin on the leaf spring is only about 3/8" high. I wonder if the axle will slip off the spring if I put a thick shem under it. Do you think I should grind some of the metal off the bracket on the back side so it just rotates instead of lifting?

 

[RiverandSand]

I just have one worry about putting a shem under the axle. The pin on the leaf spring is only about 3/8" high. I wonder if the axle will slip off the spring if I put a thick shem under it. Do you think I should grind some of the metal off the bracket on the back side so it just rotates instead of lifting?

I bought my shims from Rustys offroad, they are steel and come with new center bolts.

 

[RealJeep]

I bought my shims from Rustys offroad, they are steel and come with new center bolts.

Thanks for the info, I found the website and bookmarked it. I'll have to look at my leaf springs. Seems like instead of a center bolt it's some kind of rivet. Been too many years since I installed them.

 

[mriplaybass]

The center bolt is a bolt. I think you are looking at the wrap that holds the leafs together as far as the rivet you are talking about. As River said, some places supply you with new bolts. Either way, you need longer bolts. Don't grind anything off! The shim is machined so that the head of the bolt engages the spring seat on the axle the same way that it does now. The switch is easy. Lift the Jeep from the frame until the tires are off the ground and support it. Remove the shocks (assuming they are attached to the U bolt plate) and remove the U bolts from the axle. Use 2 clamps to clamp the spring packs together as close to the center bolt as you can get without interfering with the shim installation. Jack the axle up far enough off the spring to remove the center bolt and insert the shim. (Do not remove the bolt without clamping the springs together, the spring pack will come apart) Assemble in reverse order. Unless the U bolts have recently been replaced, I would use new ones.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

You can't really see the axle's center-bolt in the spring pack.
It is directly under the axle tube where the axle pad meets the leaf spring.
LG

 

[RealJeep]

I managed to get under it and looked and there is a bolt going through the leaf spring. Just been too long since I've seen it. I put those leaf springs on in 1998.

The reason I was thinking of grinding on the axle is I hadn't seen the shems yet and was picturing in my mind something a lot smaller where it would put space between the spring and axle. I was just trying to think of a way to keep it on that center bolt. Now having seen the shems I have no plans to grind on the axle.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

You may well need new axle u-bolts along with the spring center bolt.
Until you get the printout from a shop. You won't know if you have other issues like tow-in.
Also, you need the print out so you know what degree shims to get.
You want 6-7* total.
LG