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How do I get rid of the sag?

Joeslock

Basic User
Lifetime Member
City
Dillon
State
Co
Already replaced all leaf springs, bushings, shackles, shocks and body mounts.
 

walkerhoundvm

Just trying to stay upright
Lifetime Member
City
Cave Creek
State
AZ
Reportedly there was an AMC fix for this back in the day - it was a shim that went on the rear driver's side leaf pack.

Other than that - it's known as the "Jeep lean." A result of a frame building defect, not structural, just cosmetic.
 

Joeslock

Basic User
Lifetime Member
City
Dillon
State
Co
Okay so this is what I found... Car Quest part # 83041 shackle kit for $25.
L1010371.JPG
 

Joeslock

Basic User
Lifetime Member
City
Dillon
State
Co
After further review I think I can accomplish the same thing if I were to put a block shim between the frame and top shackle mount. Then I could use the stronger aftermarket shackle. It also may not look so visually different from the rear of the springs from side to side.
 

gr8dain

Old and Slow
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Ashburn
State
VA
Sounds like a plan. I have heard of the lean, but don't have it in mine. Hope I don't ever need to but will look this thread up if ever I do.
 

Joeslock

Basic User
Lifetime Member
City
Dillon
State
Co
Okay, So, I cut a piece of 2x2 tube steel welded some ends on it, drilled some holes in it and bolted it on between the frame and upper shackle mount. I am 1/2 inch or so higher on the driver side now. I think I will leave it and see if it settles. If not I may shim the other side up 1/2 inch.
L1010375.jpg
 

pav1

Legacy Registered User
City
Acton
State
ON
With a bolt through the piece of metal like that, it will put a lot of stress on the bolt and the frame, eventually the bolts will rip out of the frame. Not good if you do a quick maneuver on the highway.

Does the frame have a twist in it??? have you checked yet?
 
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pav1

Legacy Registered User
City
Acton
State
ON
Is the measurement between the spring and the frame the same on both sides before you put in the spacer?
 

walkerhoundvm

Just trying to stay upright
Lifetime Member
City
Cave Creek
State
AZ
I agree, it looks sketch. I would either leave it as it was or do what was done in the recall - 1/2" shim on the rear driver's side, between the leaf springs and the axle. Just like a front caster shim, only flat and square.
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Yes there was a recall and a factory supplied kit back in the day to correct the lean. The solution was to lower the passenger side! The kit had longer u bolts and spacers to put between spring and axle effectively lowering the passenger side. I had one original kit back in the day and have the orig paperwork ill have to find that paper it's a surprising amc fix. I since made other spacers and have it installed on almost every CJ I have that has a stock suspension. The kit had spacers of dif sizes. Some leaned so bad the max spacer allowed was 1" if I recall correctly.
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Putting a spacer on the driver side with a driver side lean would make lean worse. Unless it was a spring over conversion. ;)
 

pav1

Legacy Registered User
City
Acton
State
ON
Yes there was a recall and a factory supplied kit back in the day to correct the lean. The solution was to lower the passenger side! The kit had longer u bolts and spacers to put between spring and axle effectively lowering the passenger side. I had one original kit back in the day and have the orig paperwork ill have to find that paper it's a surprising amc fix. I since made other spacers and have it installed on almost every CJ I have that has a stock suspension. The kit had spacers of dif sizes. Some leaned so bad the max spacer allowed was 1" if I recall correctly.

would new springs fix the issue or is that a frame twist from the factory?
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
What year did they do the recall:shrug:

My stock green '83 Scrambler doesn't have any "lean":fingerscrossed:

When I got my red '83 Scrambler down to the bare frame, and then checked the frame, it was within 1/4":thumbsup:

"Yard Scrambler", also an '83, sits level:thumbsup:

My '84 tan Scrambler seems level, but it will be awhile before its on level ground again so I can check:rotfl:


Just curious, I guess all of my frames came off the "good jig":thumbsup:
 

Manhattan

Legacy Registered User
City
Atlanta
State
GA
My '81 leans to the passenger side. I have a new Rubicon Express 4.5" system. After swapping the rear springs (side to side), the lean is the same - confirming it's not suspension related. I DO NOT want to lower the driver side to match. That would make the Jeep look like it's squatting - if it were assup, I'd be okay with that. But, it sits dead-level on the driver side now... and sags in the rear on the passenger side. Lowering the good side is not an option.

I talked to a very reputable spring shop (makes/repairs/installs springs for trucks, etc.). After asking a lot of questions, e.g. "Have you swapped springs, is there an invisible fat man in the backseat... " He had two suggestions:
1. Remove and re-arch - increase the arch - in the right rear spring. Essentially, add some more lift to that spring and level it up.
2. Add a leaf to the pack for the same result as above.

I asked the guys who work on my CJ (they primarily build/restore Land Cruisers) about having different spring rates in the rear. They said it would not be unique - some trucks come from the factory with different spring rates to accomodate offset loads, e.g. fuel tanks, etc. They agreed it would or could present issues on the front, but really doubted I'd ever notice it in the rear - even under hard acceleration or braking.

I'm on the fence which do to do - add the leaf (which will lift by the amount of added arch, but lower by thickness of leaf) or let them re-arch a new R.E. spring. Not the end of the world if I don't like the result - and have to buy a single spring from R.E.

The only thing I'm sure of is it HAS to be fixed. It really sucks to have all this time/money in the Jeep and consistently get comments like "Man, that's a sweet Jeep... why does it lean to the right?"
 

Randyzzz

Blown Budget
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Redmond
State
OR
It's even worse when it leans to the left like mine... because the fat man's not invisible....

I'm going to agree on the possibility of ripping the threadserts out of the frame with that block. Why not try a thin add-a-leaf just on the drivers side?
 

pav1

Legacy Registered User
City
Acton
State
ON
But if only one corner squats....it must be the frame.

Can't a frame shop take a look at it and possible do a fix???
 

walkerhoundvm

Just trying to stay upright
Lifetime Member
City
Cave Creek
State
AZ
I can't even count the number of threads I've read on this. It's a Jeep thing.

cm-32183-050abcc1f89bb4.gif
 

MarknessMonster

Amiable Jeeper
City
Western
State
CO
... because the fat man's not invisible.

That's one of the funniest posts I've read here! :rotfl:

I'll second what was written earlier...
SUA = shim or add-a-leaf to high side
SOA = shim or add-a-leaf to low side

...or remove a leaf in the spring pack on low side.

Oh, and I've never noticed if mine lean, but I'll sure take a look next chance!
 
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