Rear Leaf Spring Shims

[flint54]

I've bought a pair of 5 leaf HD springs and associated hardware. Have disassembled them for cleanup and coating.

The (teflon-like) chafe shims are trash, and my parts catalog does not show them as available items. Does anyone

know a source for these?

 

Also noticed that my original springs (the lightest rated springs available) are mounted with heavier gauge hardware

than this HD spring set was mounted with. Puzzling. The original U bolts are larger diameter and the mount plates are

nearly twice as thick.

[Eagle]

What's the diameter of the U-bolts?

 

MJ U-bolts should be 14mm. XJ U-bolts are 12mm. Replacement U-bolts are usually 1/2" or 7/16" for XJs. I use 1/2" for the MJ also, but to better approximate 14mm they should be 9/16". I just figure 1/2" is already slightly larger than 12mm, so a new, healthy 1/2" U-bolt is probably as good as a rusty old 14mm for the usage I'll be subjecting it to.

[mvusse]

Both the U bolts that my buddy had made for his XJ and the ones I had made for my MJ (local shop custom makes U bolts cheaper than I can buy them) were 9/16.

[flint54]

The original U bolts are 0.500 diameter, and the supports are 0.325 thick. This is on a '92 4wd, which I know has never been disturbed. The original 4 leaf springs are code "444" (whatever that means) according to the factory build sheet. Does anyone have a decipher list for build sheets?

 

The 'HD" set came from a 87 4wd. Those U bolts measure just 0.475 and the supports are just 0.220 thick. The springs are 5 leaf with the first four measuring 0.291 and the last measuring 0.625. This should be the 1440lb spring? Interesting to note is that, when disassembled, the four curved leafs all have somewhat different arches. I would have guessed differently.

 

What I'm really hoping for, is if someone can point me to a source for some new plastic shims. Thanks!

 

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[Eagle]

Try Husky Spring. Home page www.huskyspring.com

 

or

 

http://www.huskyspring.com/main.taf?cat=132

[Jerry]

What I'm really hoping for, is if someone can point me to a source for some new plastic shims. Thanks!

There's a few suppliers out there like this one http://www.ptfeparts.com/?gclid=CPL41fKU4pcCFRNOagod7nd_Cw Maybe a company like that could sell you a chunk and you can shape it yourself? I Googled "teflon suppliers" and got quite a few hits :cheers:

 

EDIT: For your info: Teflon's technical name is P.T.F.E or Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene

 

Might help, who knows! :wrench:

[Motion Offroad]

What I'm really hoping for, is if someone can point me to a source for some new plastic shims. Thanks!

Not cheap but here you go; http://motionoffroad.com/catalog/index. ... cts_id=271

[flint54]

I appreciate all the good tips. Turns out the Husky Spring Co. has the shims, they're on their way here, and cost 50 cents each. Great outfit!

 

Tom