Rear axle alignment

[daveplot]

So earlier this year I was driving my 91 YJ when one day I noticed a metalic sound when turning sharp turns (like from one road to another), sounding like something metal was sliding on metal. I didn't think too much of it and parked the Jeep for a few months until yesterday.

When I started down the road yesterday I noticed the rear axle - driver side is forward, and the passenger is towards the back. So when driving it's not following the front. When I'm behind the Jeep I can see the angle, the axle isn't perpendicular to the springs now.

I thought maybe it was because I didn't have the track bar on, so I hooked it up and there was no change.

Any ideas?

 

[William1982CJ7]

There should be centering pins in your leaf springs that line up to your spring perches to keep the springs/ axle in line. Sounds like maybe one of them sheered off.

 

[jps4jeep]

exactly what he said, center pin. I've sheered so many center pins that I should have gotten stock in the company that makes them, but here is my solution to stopping the sheering... stop replacing the center pins with center pins..

I use grade 8 bolt and nut. use clamps to hold the spring pack together, bolt the leafs together with the bolt, have the nut facing down. (towards the ground) using a dremel (or grinder if your good) round over the head of the nut a little (ease the corners) so that it fits into the centering hole on the axle perch. then I put a tack weld on the nut so that it doesn't loosen. if you don't have a welder, use a ny-lock nut.

 

[daveplot]

That was exactly it, the pin is gone. Thanks.