rear axle movement ?

[MCluvsacj5]

My rear tires are closer to the wheel well on one side than on the other.
Also there is a mark on the leaf spring possible indicating where the axle may have sat. see pics. Could the axle have shifted on one side ? The jeep tracks perfectly with no wandering. Is this an easy fix or do I need
professional help ? Is this common on cj's ? :???:

 

[superj]

you might have sheared off the pin in the leaf springs. unbolt the ubolts and check it out

 

[MCluvsacj5]

you might have sheared off the pin in the leaf springs. unbolt the ubolts and check it out

Can i buy new pins & install them
Is this a hard job. Do i need to
Remove springs. Do i need new
Springs? Please advise. Thnx.

 

[bugleboy]

inwouldent think it would be hard to do the pins

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Yep, looks like a busted centerpin. It's basically a long bolt with a round head, most parts stores carry them. Put a c-clamp on the leaf pack near the axle, remove the ubolts, then lift the axle away from the spring. Replace the centerpin and cut off the excess length. Reassemble.

 

[MCluvsacj5]

Can i buy new pins & install them
Is this a hard job. Do i need to
Remove springs. Do i need new
Springs? Please advise. Thnx.

Looking at chiltons manual it shows
A bolt and nut instead of a pin.
Does anyone know what size and
Grade of bolt i need so i can buy
Ahead of time as i dont want to do
The job twice. This is my only ride.

 

[superj]

In the self help section at the autoparts place, I believe

 

[jps4jeep]

Center pins are real easy. here is my quick and painless SOP for replacing them.

support the jeep via the frame just in front of the fore spring prech.

Use a cut off wheel in a grinder and cut the old u-bolts off (careful, they store lots of energy and will "jump" when they are split, you won't get hurt but can startle you)

The spring pack will most likely fall apart at this point. I would start threading the pin through all the center holes. I like to use a large C-clamp to compress the springs with the pin in the center hole. I prefer not to compress 100% because sometimes the holes will not be completely lines up.

tighten down the pin best you can, then compress the springs the last bit and tighten down the center pin. there should be no spaces between the springs in the pack where the center pin is.

Use new U-bolts and put back together.


I've sheered lots of center pins, I personally prefer to use a grade 8 bolt with the same diameter, I like to round the head of the bolt with a grinder so that it fits in the perch then bolt it down that way. just a bit stronger, but not needed.

 

[MCluvsacj5]

Center pins are real easy. here is my quick and painless SOP for replacing them.

support the jeep via the frame just in front of the fore spring prech.

Use a cut off wheel in a grinder and cut the old u-bolts off (careful, they store lots of energy and will "jump" when they are split, you won't get hurt but can startle you)

The spring pack will most likely fall apart at this point. I would start threading the pin through all the center holes. I like to use a large C-clamp to compress the springs with the pin in the center hole. I prefer not to compress 100% because sometimes the holes will not be completely lines up.

tighten down the pin best you can, then compress the springs the last bit and tighten down the center pin. there should be no spaces between the springs in the pack where the center pin is.

Use new U-bolts and put back together.

I've sheered lots of center pins, I personally prefer to use a grade 8 bolt with the same diameter, I like to round the head of the bolt with a grinder so that it fits in the perch then bolt it down that way. just a bit stronger, but not needed.

Thanks for the info

 

[MCluvsacj5]

Thanks for the info

No one has yet told me the size of
The center bolts. Does anybody
Out there know if they are 5/16 or
3/8 for a cj5 ?

 

[jps4jeep]

Buy one of each, return what you don't use.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Buy one of each, return what you don't use.

That's what I do.

I'm betting it's the smaller of the two.