• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

it looks like the driver side axle mount is pushed back

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
is that normal? I never noticed this on a CUCV before. It looks like the axle is further back on the driver side? not sure how that could be with the swaybar installed
IMG_4527.jpg
driver side
IMG_4528.jpg
passenger side
 

Garagefull

Member
80
45
18
Location
Reno Ohio
I just went out and looked at mine.. my passenger side bumper is lined up center, but the driver side axle is slightly behind that bumper. But not as far as yours.I would observe the shackles on the rear of the springs on both sides to see if they appear to be at the same angle.. you might want to look at that leaf spring pack real close and make sure you haven't broken a spring or have a weak one that has lost its arch..thus changing the length of the spring.. and yours appears to be shifted towards the shackle.
 
Last edited:

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
Yes , i was using the rubber stop as a reference. Shoudnt the axle shackle be closer at the same spot on both sides?
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
Are the rear shackles still intact. I seen many that have no rubber left in the frame shackle at the rea mount. Also check your leaf spring centering pin. It could be sheared. Merry Christmas.
 

Garagefull

Member
80
45
18
Location
Reno Ohio
I am referring to the pivot point at the rear of the spring. And as stated above, if the rubber is gone in the bushing,or a center pin broken on the spring pack. But if it has scooted back you ought to be able to see signs of movement around the U-Bolt area.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
How about a picture of the rear shackles on the front spring? Is the eye of the spring resting on the frame? I would guess that is where you are getting the set back.
 

nyoffroad

Well-known member
895
601
93
Location
Rochester NY
How about a picture of the rear shackles on the front spring? Is the eye of the spring resting on the frame? I would guess that is where you are getting the set back.
Unless you hit something and bent the frame the above is the most likely cause. The rubber bushing that go in the front shackles is available at NAPA for about $20
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
I have changed the frame part on 2 CUCV's the hole was egg shaped and steel on steel. When I put the new bushings in the rubber was still pushing up in the top part. I use Energy Suspension now. They are a bit stiffer and can acomidate the wear better then the rubber ones. The ride may be better. But I never drove a CUCV looking for a nice smooth ride. Granted I like a firm rattle free ride. I fix every rattle and noise I can find and correct. Squeaking gun mounts and whistling wing vents. Nothing a nut and bolt can't fix and in the wind vent a garden hose washer replaces the latch spacers. Merry Christmas.
 

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
Great advice Rus. Ill look at it next.
I remember times when CO's would only ride in cutvees not in HMMWV, in accordance of the need of a cushy ride. That didnt confront me, as they still made me walk back then, like some dirty animal.
 

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
Steering wheel is off and then some

I took inspiration in sneekyeyes thead and since i have a similar issue i want to start my own to not get replies confused or jumbled up.

My left axle is back toward the fender by about an inch and a half. My steering wheel is off center. The truck drives kind of wonky but that can have other issues like shocks and lead spring bushes. Ill go through it all but i want to tackle one issue at a time.

I meassured from the right rear tire at a certain height to the front hub and this is how i measured the difference between left and right front axle. You can also see it with the naked eye.

so how do i remedy this? Take the sway bar off. Lift the truck by the frame. Take off front wheel. Losen axle shackle bolts on the left axle and then? Use q BFH and move the axle forward or strap to a come along and do it that way?
Has anyone had this issue?
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,247
1,166
113
Location
NY
Merged your original thread with today's new one.

Please do not start multiple threads on the same topic(especially your own).
 

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
So I took a few photo's maybe they will illustrate the situation a bit better.

IMG_4927.jpg
this photo above is the passenger side
IMG_4928.jpg
This picture above is the driver side.
IMG_4929.jpg
I measured from the passenger rear tire lip at 14" above the ground and got 100 1/2" between rear tire and the edge of the front wheel hub. On the driver side it was only 99" as you can see.
The wheels were straight. The steering wheel isn't.
 

nyoffroad

Well-known member
895
601
93
Location
Rochester NY
Your on the right road but your kinda getting ahead of yourself, now that you know you have a problem you now need to find exactly where it is. To do that you need to start by taking some X measurement's from the same place on one side the repeating the SAME place on the other side. Lets say you start at the front of the left rear spring hanger at the lowest rivet and measure across to the rear of the right hanger and get (WAG) 89.5" and then do the exact reverse and come up with the same 89.5". Then you know the problem is in front of that and measure accordingly. The longer the measurement the easier it is to see the difference. It helps to have a helper and doing this can quickly find or eliminate frame damage. Hopefully all will be the same until you get to the springs and you find worn bushings or sheared pin.
 

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
What if i start by checking the spring locating pin first? If it is sheered the i know that i have an issue right there.
Do i have to clamp the springs or can i take the u bolts off with weight on the axle and peak under the top bracket?
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
You can take the U bolts off and jack the weight of the truck off the spring pack. You are going to need to get an eye ball up in that area to inspect the centering pin. Also the axle could be bent. That is the long side of the axle. I doubt it but it is possible. I had Dana 60 axles snap in half after an impact.
 

sneekyeye

Active member
251
131
43
Location
ALABAMA
A tip from a guy who just did this, you can jack it up by the front axle and put large jack stands under the frame near the trans cross member. Then let the axle drop to get a lot more room for the top nuts. Make sure the sway bar is connected when you start to torque down the u bolts, or you'll probably have to do it twice if it doesn't line back up. Just support it with the jack and it wont fall when you remove all the nuts. If the center bolt is broken, your springs will probably come apart when you loosen the u bolts. Hopefully its something obvious, unlike mine. I'm still fiddling with it trying to find an issue.

Leaf spring center bolts are pretty cheap, the o'Reilly around here has them in stock, and autozone too. You'll have to cut them down.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
DSCF5021.jpgA new set of leaf springs will cost a bit but well worth the effort. Trust me I have been putting them on several of the CUCV's I rebuilt. Amazing what difference 30 year newer springs make. DSCF5022.jpgDSCF5023.jpg
 

nyoffroad

Well-known member
895
601
93
Location
Rochester NY

319cssb

Well-known member
1,018
221
63
Location
Easley SC
What I plan on doing is this:
Get the bottle jack from the LMTV jack up the body high enough and secure with a large jack stand.
Get two c clamps put them on the springs.
Losen the U-clamp bolts.
Take off the sway bar at the frame.
Take off the drive side wheel.
Use another jack to support the axle.
take off the U-clamp
Drop the axle until the pin becomes visible. replace if broken.
Not sure if the c-clamp will do much good, since I strongly suspect that the locating pin is sheered. But It'll probably make things easier if it is. Not sure never done this before.

Any suggestions?

I'll shop for new springs
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks