Installing Leaf Spring Shims?

[Mad Maxx]

How do these things get Installed?

I need to Shim my Rear from Lowering my Truck. I'm getting a Bad Vibration when Slowing Down. Wasn't there before, but now it is, so my U-Joints are prob. Shot.

I know it's gotta get Installed from the Front to Correct for Lowering.

But the Pin isn't Long enough to go Through the Shim and Reach into the Rear-End Platform. But even if it was Long enough, the Hole on the Shim is too Big.

These are supposed to Fit our Trucks, I got them from Nor-Cal.

So can I just Install them and Tighten the U-Bolts enough that it'll be Tight enough that the Rear won't Move, or no?

 

[Joey D]

They need to bolt to the spring pack just like the leafs do.
You need to raise the back of the truck, just until the tires are almost in the air
undo the u bolts
raise the back of the truck so you have a couple inches of room between the springs and axle pad
clamp the leaf springs together a few inches away from the center pin
remove the pin
install the shim with a new pin
lower the truck until the springs touch the pad and make sure the pin is in the hole
install NEW u bolts to the proper tq
road test
check the u bolts after 500 miles

 

[Mad Maxx]

Shouldn't they have came with a New Pin as well though?

...and with the Hole being too Big, the Pin & Nut go right through the Shim...and I know you can't use a Washer to take up that Extra Space.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

If they are the ones on my site then no they go under the spring and the pin goes in the shim to the axle pad. On your truck are you running hangers and shackles or just shackles? If just shackles you are needing to rotate the pinion up in that case you install the shim with the thick side on the rear. What size shim is it? Angle?

 

[Mad Maxx]

If they are the ones on my site then no they go under the spring and the pin goes in the shim to the axle pad. On your truck are you running hangers and shackles or just shackles? If just shackles you are needing to rotate the pinion up in that case you install the shim with the thick side on the rear. What size shim is it? Angle?

They are these ones: http://www.norcaltruck.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_372&products_id=544

In order for the Pin to make it through the Shim, so it can Reach Down to & through the Axle Pad, the Overload has to come out, which I Plan on doing at the time of the Install.

I am Running both, Hangers & Shackles.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

Yea, they should work. I have not done those on a factory leaf to axle myself. You said if you take the over load out it will for sure butu that should not change the pin length

 

[Mad Maxx]

Yea, they should work. I have not done those on a factory leaf to axle myself. You said if you take the over load out it will for sure butu that should not change the pin length

Well the Hole on these Shims is Bigger than the Nut on the Pin, so there is no way to Bolt these together with the Spring Pack.

Is the Pin just Supposed to go through the Shims without them getting actually getting Bolted to them?

If I try to Install the Shims now, with the Overload still in the Spring Pack, the Pin isn't Long enough to go through the Shim and come Out the other Side and go through into the Axle Plate. So then a Longer Pin is Needed.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

Well the Hole on these Shims is Bigger than the Nut on the Pin, so there is no way to Bolt these together with the Spring Pack.

Is the Pin just Supposed to go through the Shims without them getting actually getting Bolted to them?

If I try to Install the Shims now, with the Overload still in the Spring Pack, the Pin isn't Long enough to go through the Shim and come Out the other Side and go through into the Axle Plate. So then a Longer Pin is Needed.

Yea these do not go in the spring pack with the pin. Maybe on the 4deg it is that thick where it needs a longer after market pin tip. Do you have a place close to you to get new leaf center bolt/pin?

 

[Mad Maxx]

Yea these do not go in the spring pack with the pin. Maybe on the 4deg it is that thick where it needs a longer after market pin tip. Do you have a place close to you to get new leaf center bolt/pin?

Well, if I take Out the Overload, there will be enough Room then for the Shim to Fit In, and have the Pin go through it.

 

[Joey D]

Well, if I take Out the Overload, there will be enough Room then for the Shim to Fit In, and have the Pin go through it.

The center pin needs to sit into the spring pad as much as possible so unless the shim is 1/8in thick you need different center pins

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

Well, if I take Out the Overload, there will be enough Room then for the Shim to Fit In, and have the Pin go through it.

I am not understanding where doing this helps with the pin depth. The over load is between the center pin and leafs, if you take that out id will not change the pin depth. I think you need to get a after market center pin with a longer end on it.

 

[Mad Maxx]

With the Overload Installed, the Shim Doesn't Fit. The Nut on the Center Pin does not even make it Through the Shim so it can then Reach into the Axle Pad. ie: the Pin is too Short.

With the Overload Removed, the Shim is Thinner than the Overload, so therefore, with the Overload not being there, it is "exposing" more of the Center Pin, and Essentially making it an Inch or so Longer, so then the Shim will Fit, and the Center Pin will be able to Reach into the Axle Pad.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

Have you pulled it apart already to see if that will work? Sorry it is not sounding correct to me due to the center pin goes threw the overload and the part of the center pin stays the same size. If your truck is different then please tell us because that is what I have seen on these trucks.

 

[Mad Maxx]

Have you pulled it apart already to see if that will work? Sorry it is not sounding correct to me due to the center pin goes threw the overload and the part of the center pin stays the same size. If your truck is different then please tell us because that is what I have seen on these trucks.

Well, I was Hoping to just Loosen the U-Bolts, put the Shim in and Call it Day, but since the Center Pin isn't Long enough to make it through the Shim into the Axle Pad, I got Pissed and put it all back together.

To me, this doesn't sound hard to understand at all.

Picture this: you got a Center Pin that is 5 Inches Long, going though 4 Springs that are 1 Inch Thick each. There is now only 1 Inch of the Center Pin sticking Out of the Leaf Pack. You put the Nut on (say it's and Inch Thick as well), now when the Nut is Tightened, it's Flush with the Threads on the Center Pin, goes in the Axle Pad, Tighten the U-Bolts and you are good to go.

Now...remember all that Above, but now there is a Shim, that is also 1 Inch Thick, that needs to go on the Center Pin. Put the Shim on there, and now there is no Room for the Nut, and the Center Pin isn't Long enough to Reach through the Spring Pack & Shim to go into the Axle Pad. This is what is Happening now on my Truck.

Now...just Remove 1 of the Springs (Overload), and now you have that 1 Inch of Threads back Open on the Center Pin. So the Shim takes the Place of the Overload you just took Out, the Nut will Fit back on the Center Pin, it will now Reach into the Axle Pad. Bolt Up the U-Bolts, and you are good to go.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

That would all work but we talked about in the early posts of how the hole on the shim is larger than the threads and pin on the center pin so it would not stay in place like you are thinking. Your going to need a after market center pin to do what you are trying. I don't have a factory one I don't believe that I can take a pic of to show them next to each other to better explain. I will try and see if I can find one.

 

[Mad Maxx]

Ok, so then if I get an A/M Center Pin, that is Thicker, am I going to have to Drill the Holes in the OEM Leaf's Bigger as well?

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

No it would be longer on the pin that stick threw it all so you are good after that.

 

[Mad Maxx]

So then if it's Longer than the Stock Pin, but still the same Diameter, the Hole in the Shims is still going to be Bigger. What is going to take up that Gap on the A/M Pins that the OEM won't?

The Overloads are coming Out regardless.

 

[Nor-Cal Nick]

The "nub" that fits in the axle and that passes threw the shim will be longer. The over all length of the center pin will be longer also but threaded all the way so you just cut down what you don't use.

 

[Mad Maxx]

The "nub" that fits in the axle and that passes threw the shim will be longer. The over all length of the center pin will be longer also but threaded all the way so you just cut down what you don't use.

Ok, where can I get these and how much?