Removed the Chevy spring swap today...
when we put the chevy shackle on scotts truck i noticed that the shackle is narrower than the hanger.
how this issue is addressed can affect the springs relationship to the frame, and in turn the axles relationship to the centerline of the truck.
IMO, the best option would be a spacer on each side of the shackle to keep it centered in the hanger when the bolt is tightened.
how did you correct the misalignment?
how this issue is addressed can affect the springs relationship to the frame, and in turn the axles relationship to the centerline of the truck.
IMO, the best option would be a spacer on each side of the shackle to keep it centered in the hanger when the bolt is tightened.
how did you correct the misalignment?
no he means the drivers side tire is further forward than the passenger side tire.
its dog tracking.
front tires / / (forced this way to make it go straight
rear tires / / ( this way because the center pin is in different places than the other side
its dog tracking.
front tires / / (forced this way to make it go straight
rear tires / / ( this way because the center pin is in different places than the other side
i see. mark said axle off center, not thrust angle, and mentioned that the rear wheels ARE centered in the openings....guess i misunderstood
anyhow, didnt you see the axle off center on your truck, or is your problem with thrust angle as well?
what did you do about the shackle fitment?
anyhow, didnt you see the axle off center on your truck, or is your problem with thrust angle as well?
what did you do about the shackle fitment?
Originally Posted by rwenzing
The dimension from the front pivot to the center bolt on the stock Chevy springs is almost 7" longer than the Ranger. When you move the Ranger mount forward to reuse the two existing frame holes, that is around 6". The net effect is that the Chevy springs move the axle back roughly 3/4". The tires were noticeably closer to the rear of the flare than the front on my Styleside. Repositiong the bed couldn't come close to making up the difference.
i just tightened the hanger bolt. it was not really an issue. 
as for mine its the trust angle as well its off over a 1/4" so im just thinking move the hanger on the drivers side back some.
then again i still think my frame is bent so i might be misunderstanding mark.
idk im cutting the rear half of my frame clean off one of these days.
as for mine its the trust angle as well its off over a 1/4" so im just thinking move the hanger on the drivers side back some.
then again i still think my frame is bent so i might be misunderstanding mark.
idk im cutting the rear half of my frame clean off one of these days.
in that case, i would wonder if the front hanger holes are in identical places along the length of the frame......or dont buy procomp springs.
any thrust angle issues bob?
what about evans truck? since he used stock chevy leafs too.
any thrust angle issues bob?
what about evans truck? since he used stock chevy leafs too.
as far as i know evan has no issues.
his install went flawless. now marks that was a different story.
the lift springs are actually longer on one side of the spring than that other.
i think its the mount. the front one on the drivers side.
his install went flawless. now marks that was a different story.
the lift springs are actually longer on one side of the spring than that other.
i think its the mount. the front one on the drivers side.
Originally Posted by zabeard
i just tightened the hanger bolt. it was not really an issue.
as for mine its the trust angle as well its off over a 1/4" so im just thinking move the hanger on the drivers side back some.
then again i still think my frame is bent so i might be misunderstanding mark.
idk im cutting the rear half of my frame clean off one of these days.
as for mine its the trust angle as well its off over a 1/4" so im just thinking move the hanger on the drivers side back some.
then again i still think my frame is bent so i might be misunderstanding mark.
idk im cutting the rear half of my frame clean off one of these days.
Remeber when we did the swap at your house....We had the springs turned in the wrong direction (cause there is a long end, and a short end of the spring from the center pin) We had one long end facing the front and one long end facing the rear. When i started it up to drive, my steering wheel was cocked 1/2 way just to go straight - almost looked like 4wheel steer. We couldnt figure out what was wrong until we measued the end of the spring to the center pin. Then we figured out the lengths varied, so we flipped one spring around. That helped a little, but my steering wheel was cocked 1/4 of the way to go straight after that.
Then, last fall i had enough of the steering wheel being off, so i put the left leaf on the right side and the right leaf on the left side, and spun both around. When i bolted them up and took it for a spin, the steering wheel was almost perfect, still slightly to the left, but alot better than before. Now lately it seems like it's getting worse - the steering wheel has to be turned a bit to the right to go in a straight line.
Im wondering if the shackles are causing this?
Originally Posted by zabeard
as far as i know evan has no issues.
his install went flawless. now marks that was a different story.
the lift springs are actually longer on one side of the spring than that other.
i think its the mount. the front one on the drivers side.
his install went flawless. now marks that was a different story.
the lift springs are actually longer on one side of the spring than that other.
i think its the mount. the front one on the drivers side.
Originally Posted by 01xltranger4x4
lol..
Remeber when we did the swap at your house....We had the springs turned in the wrong direction (cause there is a long end, and a short end of the spring from the center pin) We had one long end facing the front and one long end facing the rear. When i started it up to drive, my steering wheel was cocked 1/2 way just to go straight - almost looked like 4wheel steer. We couldnt figure out what was wrong until we measued the end of the spring to the center pin. Then we figured out the lengths varied, so we flipped one spring around. That helped a little, but my steering wheel was cocked 1/4 of the way to go straight after that.
Then, last fall i had enough of the steering wheel being off, so i put the left leaf on the right side and the right leaf on the left side, and spun both around. When i bolted them up and took it for a spin, the steering wheel was almost perfect, still slightly to the left, but alot better than before. Now lately it seems like it's getting worse - the steering wheel has to be turned a bit to the right to go in a straight line.
Im wondering if the shackles are causing this?
Remeber when we did the swap at your house....We had the springs turned in the wrong direction (cause there is a long end, and a short end of the spring from the center pin) We had one long end facing the front and one long end facing the rear. When i started it up to drive, my steering wheel was cocked 1/2 way just to go straight - almost looked like 4wheel steer. We couldnt figure out what was wrong until we measued the end of the spring to the center pin. Then we figured out the lengths varied, so we flipped one spring around. That helped a little, but my steering wheel was cocked 1/4 of the way to go straight after that.
Then, last fall i had enough of the steering wheel being off, so i put the left leaf on the right side and the right leaf on the left side, and spun both around. When i bolted them up and took it for a spin, the steering wheel was almost perfect, still slightly to the left, but alot better than before. Now lately it seems like it's getting worse - the steering wheel has to be turned a bit to the right to go in a straight line.
Im wondering if the shackles are causing this?
My thrust gets thrown off b/c of the locker. When I take corners (mostly ONLY when I take right corners) my steering wheel will go left about 1/16" more every time. if I take a left corner, same thing, it goes right about 1/16".
The only way you can "fix" it (which is a bandaid fix) is to tighten the u-bolts to 100ft/lbs when the axle is dead center. Do this by supporting the truck on jack stands and adjusting the axle. I use fenders as marking points (even though it's not AS accurate as driving it). Mine is near perfect now.
I think maybe if you put some sort of spacer in the pin to make it fit tighter or something it woudl be better. I'm in the process of doing the same. My pin I'm guessing is loose fitting in the center pin.
Chev swap is soon anyway
Mark its not the shackle. if it was everyone would have the same issue with stock springs.
just a guess but mine started to pull to the right before the SAS, the balljoints were going out. might want to jack the front end up and check it out.
just a guess but mine started to pull to the right before the SAS, the balljoints were going out. might want to jack the front end up and check it out.
Originally Posted by jrpro130
Your truck is doing the same as mine.
My thrust gets thrown off b/c of the locker. When I take corners (mostly ONLY when I take right corners) my steering wheel will go left about 1/16" more every time. if I take a left corner, same thing, it goes right about 1/16".
The only way you can "fix" it (which is a bandaid fix) is to tighten the u-bolts to 100ft/lbs when the axle is dead center. Do this by supporting the truck on jack stands and adjusting the axle. I use fenders as marking points (even though it's not AS accurate as driving it). Mine is near perfect now.
I think maybe if you put some sort of spacer in the pin to make it fit tighter or something it woudl be better. I'm in the process of doing the same. My pin I'm guessing is loose fitting in the center pin.
Chev swap is soon anyway
My thrust gets thrown off b/c of the locker. When I take corners (mostly ONLY when I take right corners) my steering wheel will go left about 1/16" more every time. if I take a left corner, same thing, it goes right about 1/16".
The only way you can "fix" it (which is a bandaid fix) is to tighten the u-bolts to 100ft/lbs when the axle is dead center. Do this by supporting the truck on jack stands and adjusting the axle. I use fenders as marking points (even though it's not AS accurate as driving it). Mine is near perfect now.
I think maybe if you put some sort of spacer in the pin to make it fit tighter or something it woudl be better. I'm in the process of doing the same. My pin I'm guessing is loose fitting in the center pin.
Chev swap is soon anyway
no this is a different issue. trust me. im pretty sure he tightened them down its all happened since the spring swap
No, he is right Zach
After i flipped the springs around i didnt have a good wrench to tighten the u-bolts...I was driving with the back window down one day and noticed a weird clicking noise...So i tightened the shackle bolts, and it still made that weird noise. I was like wtf and went on a tightening craze, after i tightened the u-bolts a bit the noise dissappeared.
I need to loosten the u-bolts, jack the truck up, center the axle, then re-tighten the ubolts.
This sounds like a legitimate issue...
Oh and my truck isint really "pulling" to the right at all. If anything its the left a bit.
After i flipped the springs around i didnt have a good wrench to tighten the u-bolts...I was driving with the back window down one day and noticed a weird clicking noise...So i tightened the shackle bolts, and it still made that weird noise. I was like wtf and went on a tightening craze, after i tightened the u-bolts a bit the noise dissappeared.
I need to loosten the u-bolts, jack the truck up, center the axle, then re-tighten the ubolts.
This sounds like a legitimate issue...
Oh and my truck isint really "pulling" to the right at all. If anything its the left a bit.
Originally Posted by jrpro130
Your truck is doing the same as mine.
My thrust gets thrown off b/c of the locker. When I take corners (mostly ONLY when I take right corners) my steering wheel will go left about 1/16" more every time. if I take a left corner, same thing, it goes right about 1/16".
The only way you can "fix" it (which is a bandaid fix) is to tighten the u-bolts to 100ft/lbs when the axle is dead center. Do this by supporting the truck on jack stands and adjusting the axle. I use fenders as marking points (even though it's not AS accurate as driving it). Mine is near perfect now.
I think maybe if you put some sort of spacer in the pin to make it fit tighter or something it woudl be better. I'm in the process of doing the same. My pin I'm guessing is loose fitting in the center pin.
Chev swap is soon anyway
My thrust gets thrown off b/c of the locker. When I take corners (mostly ONLY when I take right corners) my steering wheel will go left about 1/16" more every time. if I take a left corner, same thing, it goes right about 1/16".
The only way you can "fix" it (which is a bandaid fix) is to tighten the u-bolts to 100ft/lbs when the axle is dead center. Do this by supporting the truck on jack stands and adjusting the axle. I use fenders as marking points (even though it's not AS accurate as driving it). Mine is near perfect now.
I think maybe if you put some sort of spacer in the pin to make it fit tighter or something it woudl be better. I'm in the process of doing the same. My pin I'm guessing is loose fitting in the center pin.
Chev swap is soon anyway
Originally Posted by zabeard
well you should have known to tighten them, seems like we used the torq wrench on them before you left.
sounds like u need to take the truck to a good alignment shop.
sounds like u need to take the truck to a good alignment shop.
heres a ride quality question while all you chevy spring swap guys are here.
do the 1500 springs come in different rates for different payload/WB optioned trucks? like say, if i found a short wheelbase 2wd sport, might it have softer springs than a long wheelbase towing package truck, or sumthin similar?
do the 1500 springs come in different rates for different payload/WB optioned trucks? like say, if i found a short wheelbase 2wd sport, might it have softer springs than a long wheelbase towing package truck, or sumthin similar?
RF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,623
Likes: 6
From: Kennett Square, PA
Well this is interesting information. My truck is very heavy in the rear which might help, and I'm not as worried about the spring rate.
What I am concerned about though is the relocation of the front mounting point and the undue flexing caused by the unreinforced mounting point on the one side. I need to think about whether I am doing a swap or not.
What I am concerned about though is the relocation of the front mounting point and the undue flexing caused by the unreinforced mounting point on the one side. I need to think about whether I am doing a swap or not.
Originally Posted by 01xltranger4x4
It almost seems like traction bars would help this issue..
And also, in response to your other question, yes, jack it up and put it on the frame with jack stands.
Originally Posted by gumby
heres a ride quality question while all you chevy spring swap guys are here.
do the 1500 springs come in different rates for different payload/WB optioned trucks? like say, if i found a short wheelbase 2wd sport, might it have softer springs than a long wheelbase towing package truck, or sumthin similar?
do the 1500 springs come in different rates for different payload/WB optioned trucks? like say, if i found a short wheelbase 2wd sport, might it have softer springs than a long wheelbase towing package truck, or sumthin similar?
just 2wd and 4wd, the 4wd has an extra leaf spring in it. the 4wd you might get some more lift out of it too. idk.
Originally Posted by n3elz
What I am concerned about though is the relocation of the front mounting point and the undue flexing caused by the unreinforced mounting point on the one side. I need to think about whether I am doing a swap or not.
that is probably why my frame bent so bad at the dunes...
