First of all thank you all for such an informative forum and willingness to help.. I've been around here for quite some time and never had to create an account because you always have the answer! ... Until now.

I have an 86 4runner mostly stock. The back end is saggy as usual, and I started to begin installing the Rancho add a leaf yesterday. Things were going mostly smooth. Until it came to putting it all back together..

The head of the bolt that ties the leafs together is supposed to sit in the hole on the axle mount.. But the axle shifted somehow and they no longer line up correctly.

I've tried almost everything I can think of. Checked forums and Google. Can't figure out how to move it back.. It looks like the drive shift moved out about half an inch too.

Any ideas? I'm on my phone and not sure how to post pictures yet but if I figure it out I'll put some up.

Thanks again for all the help over the years.

 

So the axle housing itself moved in relation to the leafspring? did you have to undo the u-bolts?

 

This is a photo of it..

 

Yeah the axle housing moved. It's about half an inch in and half an inch back from where the bolt sits thru the leafs. U bolts came off yes.

 

This might show you what's going on a little more clearly.. I dropped the bolt so it'd give you a better idea of how far off it is...

 

Try Jacking up both sides of the truck so both wheels are off the ground. It should be easier to line up then

 

I tried that. It won't move...

 

I have experienced the same leafpack shift issue.....the solution is too loosen the u-bolts on the other side

 

^^this-

you will also need to get the spring back center bolt tight so you can use it to align with the hole in the spring pad.
Using ratchet straps around the axle (one to the front and one to the rear) can also help you to get it aligned. Helps to have the weight of the vehicle totally off the axle/springs.

 

i was about to suggest the ratchet straps too. similar thing happened to me when i swapped out my leafs for OME, had the same misalignment because i did one side at a time -- but it was more of a difference since the new leafs physically relocate the rear axle 1/2" forward.

so yeah, i'd try the ratchet strap combined with some loosening of the opposite side ubolts. once you get everything together, then torque your bolts.

 

Thanks guys. Going to try this either tonight or tomorrow. Need to gather straps and more jack stands...

I'll let you know if it works. I've got both sides u bolts out so that's a start. I need new ones.. Can anyone suggest any? The ones I found aren't quite right at the parts store...

 

try another parts store you may even have local shops that make custom ubolts. if you have access to a welder i would consider getting a ubolt flip kit. when i did my new leafs i got regular squared ubolts (from trdparts4u, with my lift kit) and then ended up replacing them 6mo later with a ubolt flip kit.

 

I fixed it!

I removed the u bolts on the other side and had the frame jacked up and floated the differential on a jack and positioned one side in. Secured u bolts and proceeded to finish other side as normal.

It worked great.. I ended up with almost four inches of lift.

Very happy this worked itself out.

Thanks guys.

 

And I ended up having a local suspension shop making u bolts for me. Don't have access to a welder right now to do the flip... Maybe in the future.

 

good to hear it worked out for ya. it'll likely settle a little bit after time if you're worried about the 4" being too much, but likely isn't if you were sagging before. you can help it out by carrying a load and maybe cycle the suspension to speed things up. if it's too short, new shackles can get you more height (2" longer shackle = 1" lift)