Leaf Springs Center Pin Replacement

Your spacers with the smaller drilled hole should work fine, but Mcruff's tapered wedges (in place of your spacers) might be even better yet. Do you have access to a milling machine?
-Donny

 

How do you think I fabricated those spacers?

 

It might pay to mock everything up and see what your caster and drag link angles looks like. If you have room for the flip, I’d recommend it. With the Goferit inserts, it’s dead-simple. Just drill out the knuckles to 3/4” and tack them in place. The clamping pressure of the nut on the TRE is what actually holds them in place.

(Then you could actually remove the drag link in the future without having to loosen your U-bolts.)

Then if you need to adjust caster, it would be a separate deal. Add a shim without affecting anything else.

 

I even have a sine plate!

 

Any Goferit insert will do? Do you have a specific part number?

 

Garage gnome posted the link. It’s the standard kit, not the one-ton.
Goferit Products!

 

But the down side of that is it usually adversely affects the front drive shaft angle. There is no free lunch, only compromises to eat.

 

Just need to chop off and rotate the knuckles. ....scope creep and all that.

 

Yes, that is the whole purpose of the inserts. I've used them numerous times and never had a problem. And just like ITLKSEZ said, mock it all up and check your drag link. If your drag link isn't that bad, I would do like Mike (Mcruff) said and use the degree shims. At least that way you'll be solving two problems at once.

 

Thanks to all! I will get the inserts and flip it, flip it good! That is why I still firmly believe this is the best forum, period!

 

After you mock it up of course...

You’ll probably be fine, but you want to make sure that when your drag link is pointed at the top of the knuckle arm (where it would be if flipped), it isn’t pointing uphill (from the bellcrank to the knuckle). Pointing a degree or two downhill is ideal.

 

Will keep that in mind. I have work for this weekend...

 

Would I be able to use the same two-hole TRE, or the bend would go the wrong way?

 

Good question. The bend isn’t as critical as the side that the taper is on. I believe speedway motors sells them with two-sided tapers.

I think this is the one you’d want.
Speedway Ford Cross Steering Tie Rod End, 11/16-18 LH Thread, Plain

Edit: Double check the threads and size... I don’t have time at the moment to research it

 

This would be a great thing if your caster angle is close to zero now. Not an expert at this, but the consensus seems to be something like 5 to 7 degrees positive caster gives best performance. Lots of discussion of this in old posts.

Also, the shims are included in the spring pack, as was suggested earlier in this thread for your spacer blocks. The spring center bolt goes through the whole stack - spring leaves and shims - and protrudes from the bottom to center the spring.

 

How can I check my caster? Wouldn't a shim, which I assume is oriented with the taper towards the back tilt the axle down? Wouldn't that affect the proper performance of the driveshaft?

 

If you have an angle finder, put it across the bolts for the king pins.

 

The more I think about it the more I lean towards the tie rod flip. That most likely eliminate the interference between the tie rod end and the leaf springs and I still can use the double hole tie rod end I have now. The jeep is still a long way from being road ready. Once is out on the street and I get the feel of how it handles, I will probably adjust the caster, use shims, snake oil or whatever it takes. One fight at a time!

 

Do not have one, but HF is nearby...