Rear Axle Relocation

[JR74CJ5]

OK guys, here's some pictures...

Now I'll say first, it does appear these springs do have a difference of 1" approximately between center bolt to spring eyes... and I have it mounted the wrong way. According to my rough parking lot measurements here, I can move the axle back 1" by switching orientation of the springs.

From there though, here are the photos:

On the ground level:

Shackle angle(s)



photo of sitting level rear wheel-well:



Flexing the front passenger tire:



Rear tire stuff:







Flexing the rear passenger tire:







There are more (out of order) on my photo-bucket account - here's the link:

Jeep Flex March 2014 Photos by JR74CJ5 | Photobucket

Check them out and let me know what you all think... I know the first fix I will try is the spring orientation swap in the rear. That should gain me an extra 1" difference.


~ Jr

 

[Old Dog]

Jr. I can't find a pic of the rear shackle (side view) to see what it's doing
but in your one pic the rear spring doesn't appear to be going neg. arch.
If the OME springs are military wrap the rear appear to be on right.

 

[JR74CJ5]

I don't think it's militarty wrapped.

Heres a shot of the spring hanger on the rear:



I think that is the end that is supposed to go towards the shackle (rear) instead.

Side view of shackles at ride rest (rear):





compressed:



Drooped:

 

[Posi]

The shackles appear to be working as they should. If the springs are offset swap them around 1" will make a difference.

 

[Old Dog]

The shackles appear to be working as they should. If the springs are offset swap them around 1" will make a difference.

^^what he said^^

 

[IOPort51]

This is my 2 1/2" +1" lift with 33" swampers, I don't think you got all the lift you paid for.





If you swap the spring it will move the wheel back 2" from where it is now not 1".

 

[JR74CJ5]

This is my 2 1/2" +1" lift with 33" swampers, I don't think you got all the lift you paid for.





If you swap the spring it will move the wheel back 2" from where it is now not 1".

I don't either... have a email into them... they say OME (ARB) does not make stock height springs for the YJ so would have to be the 2-1/2" springs and their kit provides the extra 1/2" to 1" of lift in mounting configuration...

Waiting for them to respond to the photos I sent.

As for the 1" = 2" ... really? how is that? Not that I would mind... but I don't understand how...

 

[IOPort51]

As for the 1" = 2" ... really? how is that? Not that I would mind... but I don't understand how...

Think about it. It is 1" forward now and if you move that 1" to the rear of the axle it will be 2" from where it is now. The important phrase is "from where it is now."
​

 

[tarry99]

I don't either... have a email into them... they say OME (ARB) does not make stock height springs for the YJ so would have to be the 2-1/2" springs and their kit provides the extra 1/2" to 1" of lift in mounting configuration...

Waiting for them to respond to the photos I sent.

As for the 1" = 2" ... really? how is that? Not that I would mind... but I don't understand how...

JR, The stock YJ springs are supposed to be center pinned at 22 11/16" each side......the stock CJ springs are 5/8" shorter per side.......Not a big deal in either case........according to your info these springs are offset 1 inch for whatever reasons ............but again not uncommon as these guys when they build them and build lift / arch into them they sometimes offset the pin to better correct the pinion angle be it front or rear.........If there backwards by all means change them out..........you have a pretty wide tire on there, I think you said they were 33's or 35's?by what 12.5"? In either case I think on the rear you will have to trim the fender well towards the rear to keep them from hitting and on the front.......as well as the rear, you'll need to get your bump stops adjusted height wise to stay out of the sheet metal.........

Lets face it these stock CJ's have very little compression room inside the fender wells for tires without either having wider axles while still doing some trimming or using a narrower tire like a 10.50........Most folks look towards making the suspension work better on the droop side and controlling the compression with the bump stops......

 

[JR74CJ5]

That's all true Tarry.

I have 33 x 12-1/2 tires... Where I really messed up too was the backspacing. I increased it on my new (2 years ago) rims thinking that would put the tire further out, when it's actually the opposite. I needed to "decrease" it instead.

To compensate, I have wheel spacers on the front, but have not done them on the rear. Ultimate plan will be new rims and tires, probably 10.5" wide instead of the 12.5". I love the look of 12.5", but 10.5 will ultimately serve me better...
And correcting the back spacing on the new rims.

Height will be determined by what I do from now til then. These 33's are still in great condition, so no plans to replace them yet.

The spring measurements I have (rough) were 22-1/2" from center of eye bolt to center of axle (center pin location) and 23-1/2" on the other side. Obviously these are not exact measurements, and I am not 100% positive it's the springs fault and not my perch. I won't know until I take it off and check it out with it all in front of me.

We'll see how the weather looks coming up this weekend.


~ Jr

 

[tarry99]

That's all true Tarry.

I have 33 x 12-1/2 tires... Where I really messed up too was the backspacing. I increased it on my new (2 years ago) rims thinking that would put the tire further out, when it's actually the opposite. I needed to "decrease" it instead.

To compensate, I have wheel spacers on the front, but have not done them on the rear. Ultimate plan will be new rims and tires, probably 10.5" wide instead of the 12.5". I love the look of 12.5", but 10.5 will ultimately serve me better...
And correcting the back spacing on the new rims.

Height will be determined by what I do from now til then. These 33's are still in great condition, so no plans to replace them yet.

The spring measurements I have (rough) were 22-1/2" from center of eye bolt to center of axle (center pin location) and 23-1/2" on the other side. Obviously these are not exact measurements, and I am not 100% positive it's the springs fault and not my perch. I won't know until I take it off and check it out with it all in front of me.

We'll see how the weather looks coming up this weekend.


~ Jr

JR,
I like the wide tires also...........but the 10.5 will do as good of job if not better when you figure in articulation on the narrow axles......If you had wider axles then there not as much of a problem..........

Did you place or install those inside spring hangers?

 

[JR74CJ5]

yeah we installed them. They went over the old ones, and you trim down the old ones (cut bottom of them off a bit) for clearance. will be trying to verify they are square and good too. I didn't have the right instructions for RRO when installing. Went off common sense... lol

 

[tarry99]

yeah we installed them. They went over the old ones, and you trim down the old ones (cut bottom of them off a bit) for clearance. will be trying to verify they are square and good too. I didn't have the right instructions for RRO when installing. Went off common sense... lol

That's kinda what I thought........when I do those I get the bracket up where I think it needs to go and clamp it and then get 600-700 lbs of sand bags inside and then you really know where it needs to go once you establish the proper angle on the shackle...........Hey shix happens........the good news is ....get it fixed!
Did that do any damage to the slip joint on the drive shaft being to short?

 

[JR74CJ5]

Don't think there's any damage, but they completely rebuilt it already for the shortness. (from the tranny swap) Now if my axle is going to move back again 2", we're probably looking at another 200.00 to re-lengthen it. Needed new parts last time, maybe this time we wont.

We'll see... It's only money right?

I'll be happy when it's fixed and I'm wheeling it! lol but in reality, i enjoy working on it too. My wife's not too happy when she starts seeing receipts and new boxes everywhere though... lol


~ Jr

 

[IOPort51]

Don't think there's any damage, but they completely rebuilt it already for the shortness. (from the tranny swap) Now if my axle is going to move back again 2", we're probably looking at another 200.00 to re-lengthen it. Needed new parts last time, maybe this time we wont.

We'll see... It's only money right?

I'll be happy when it's fixed and I'm wheeling it! lol but in reality, i enjoy working on it too. My wife's not too happy when she starts seeing receipts and new boxes everywhere though... lol


~ Jr

We tried to warn you about that marriage thing. It gets in the way every time. All I can say is get this done before the kids start happening. Once that happens it's all like " It isn't a family car , is it."
And it's 15 to 20 years before you have any toy money again.

 

[JR74CJ5]

lol... We don't have to worry about that.


~ Jr

 

[JR74CJ5]

So this weekend, we got the springs turned around in the rear. There was about 3/4" difference between eye center to the centering bolt from one side to the other measuring spring off with straight edge and square.

The end result is nice. I now have a "more" centered rear axle again.

Unfortunately now however I will have to have the rear drive shaft re-done again...

oh well... just money right?

So note to anyone else reading this years later - These springs DO have a orientation. The arrow goes towards the shackle. The springs I got for the rear are the CS037R springs from Old Man Emu.



~ Jr

 

[IOPort51]

Let us just say, hypothetically, that the springs do not carry the axle in the center but rather farther to the rear. Is there any possibility that the springs are on backwards?

If I was the arrogant and egotistical A-hole I was in my youth (about your age, in fact) I would be posting this, doing a little dance and singing "go IO, go IO".

I'm glad I out grew that kind of thing.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Although there is some question as to if I have the spring orientation correct, though doubtful I could have gotten it backwards... I will check that as well.

Let us just say, hypothetically, that the springs do not carry the axle in the center but rather farther to the rear. Is there any possibility that the springs are on backwards?

the arrogant and egotistical A-hole I was last week (still young) I'd say "I said it before you! "

But since I'm obviously not... How about we all share the triumph!

:booze:

No seriously though, thank you all for the ideas and help. I may still move it back further someday, but have a feeling this will help for a while.

I'm still not too impressed with the "lift", but maybe I HAD a 2.5" / 3" lift already???

I know the old shackles were about a 1/2" lift, possible i suppose the springs were little lifted as well. Not sure how to check. Know we had some threads about it (IO's I know is sticky'ed up top of this forum) so may check it out one of these days.

Closer...

 

[Old Dog]

Good to hear you figured it out, sorry about the driveshaft though.