[rdmatic]

I took out the leafs and I replaced all the bushings and pads.Its a multi leaf. The car is still up on jack stands but everything is back together and cleaned up. The angles of the shackles seem a little too different though, and I was wondering what to do. One looks normal with the lower part of the shackle towards the front of the car at a slight angle, but on the passenger side, it seems at too drastic an angle in comparison, but Ive never done this before. Any suggestions?

 

[rdmatic]

the pins went in the holes but I just looked out there and noticed that the differential seems to be pointed or rotated down a little. Maybe that happens when you have it up on jacks? Could this effect the shackle angle? In other words, the brake cylinders and the big nut above them are slightly tilted frontwards meaning the axle is rotated slightly?. I have never done this particular job before and am a little spooked now lol. Tomorrow i'll try putting a jack under the front of the springs and see if I can change the angle. I was reading that a neutral angle or right angle to the line of the eye to eye is a good starting point and for a softer ride and slight angle with the shackles further back at the bottom. Mine are in the firm ride angle opposite what is supposed to be the best angle. Hopefully I can figure this mess out but any input is helpful. All I did was put them in an attached them loosely at full drop, then put on the axle bolts and plates which required my jacking up the spring a little to meet the axle. Now both are different angles but pointed in the wrong direction according to what IVe read on shackle angles.

 

[rdmatic]

One thing I found wrong upon inspecting the job was that the nipple on the lower pad caught slightly on the edge of the plate. I guess this happened while I was jockeying the plate around to get over the u bolt which was a tight fit. I hope it didn't catch the lip due to some misalignment of the axle. I dont think thats the case but it didnt happen on the other side. I don't know if this effected the shackle position or not, but im glad I looked. When I get the new lower pad and put it in right and tighten it down and have it on its wheels, ill post on whether the shackle angles became more similar to each other and more towards a 90 degree angle. I loosened all the shackle nuts...thanks for the tips and advice.​

 

[rdmatic]

back on the ground . THe shackles are exactly 90 degrees, both of them. It used to sit crooked and now its perfect. What a relief. Before I fixed it up, the leaf was pitched and one upper pad was hanging by a thread and shackle upper bushings had elongated holes from the slight twisted angle of the spring along with the eye bushings. Springs now look straight and ride is :hurray: excellent. Thanks for the help.