Champ

Ok so here's the skinny! I have an 81 with a 22r that I just did rears up front on. Before the swap I had a little wobble up front nothing to write home about. So I have already changed tie rods and today I replaced the drivers side wheel bearings. The wobble starts at thirty mph and its bad enough you can't hold the wheel. The only thing not hooked up is the front drive shaft and that's because its not long enough now. I wouldn't think that would matter since the shaft doesn't turn unless the hubs are locked. I would greatly appreciate any help or advice cause I'm running out of ideas. Thanks in advance.

peow130

Rebuild your front hubs, and get new tie rod ends..
Also, invest in hi-steer. Or some kind of crossover steering to eliminate the factory push-pull

blake.nemitz

check to make sure your steering arms are tight, i mean the four studs that come from the knuclke that the steering arms are bolted to, these can come loose over time and cause exactly what you are describing, when you did rufs it probably changed your caster a little bit exacerbating it. also check the drag link for excessive play. oh and snug the crap outta your shackle bolts

Champ

I already have hy steern new tie rod ends and rebuilt one hub. The other has absolutely no play.

peow130

is your front pinion flange aimed at your tcase output flange?

Champ

Thanks. I will check the shackle bolt and knuckle studs. I am taking it to get it aligned so hopefully that will take care of the caster angle. The draglink and all the steering arms are tight.

Champ

My front shafts not hooked up right now. But yes.

peow130

Caster is too positive, meaning when you turn, your wheels turn at a really positive angle and the sides of your wheels aim at the ground.
Pretty much a main cause of death wobble.
Might check to see if you put your RUFS on right, because iirc the spring eye bolt is offset. Or it might not be.
Either way, check the offset of the spring eye bolt, and if it's centered up, buy some caster shims to correct the problem.
OR.
Get longer shackles in the front.

Champ

So is the caster corrected by getting an alignment or is that something I can do? I'm not sure what your talking about with the offset springs. I don't remember there being a difference in the springs. I have 6 in shackles all the way around already.

peow130

The spring eye bolt can be offset more towards the front or rear, depending on the spring. Some springs have the spring eye center bolt more towards the front.
Anyways
The problem you have if your diff pinion flange is actually pointing at the t-case, is that your caster is too positive.
An alignment would help a little, but you need shims to bring the caster back down to a range more manageable...


These are caster shims. They sit inbetween your axle spring perches, and your leaf springs themselves, and tilt the axle in a positive or negative direction.
In your case, you want the caster more negative, with the pinion flange either at 90* (straight up and down on the flat surface), or slightly negative (to compensate for axle wrap under load). Most of the time a shim won't correct this.

Do you have any pics of your front axle, springs, and front spring hangers?

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

did you redrill the spring mount to move the axle forward? everything square post welding?
mine had some bad wobble due to rock rash on my tires...swapped tires f->r and it got much better..

peow130

he said his pinion flange was pointing at his tcase a few posts back..
could be tires too, looks like hes got some 35x14s lol

And i think he put his springs in backwards.. with the spring eye bolt more towards the firewall.. Causing a super positive caster.

Champ

I didn't redrill anything. Just by putting the ruf it moved my axle forward. My tires are jacked that are on the front, so you think I should rotate themm I have new wheels and tire ordered just waiting on them.

I will take some pics in the morning of how everything is set up.

peow130

Yeah def. take pics.
If it moved your axle forward you probably did it right.
Your wheels just might be severely out of balance.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

you could be right about the castor.

i know that some will drill the spring perches to try to move the axle forward a little more in addition to the 2" RUF's usually do, why I mentioned it.

crappy bushing conditions could also contribute...

Champ

So after looking at it some more the only thing out of the ordinary is that the two c clips that go on the leaves to keep the from shifting are missing on one of the leaves. Could this be the culprit? Either way I think I'm gonna take these off and put my old springs back on until I can order some trail gear springs or all pro springs.

peow130

Wouldnt know without pics.. Right now it's a blind guess.

INFINITY

well you have hit on a few things.
-check alignment (1/16" tow in)
-spring shackels are tight/snug with good bushings
-high steer is hooked up to the correct holes on the pass side arm
-caster angle (if rear is sagging then the front will be effected)
-also try different tire pressures

Champ

Do you have to move the high steer box forward from the original mounting position to correct the angles.

As far as the passenger knuckle I have the rod that comes off the pitman arm straight into the front hole then the arm that goes knuckle to knuckle in the rear hole. Thats correct right?