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[BIGDRY]

Hello all, well I finally got my cj7 on the lift yesterday for initial inspection...

Being new to cj7s and offroaders in general, I spotted this on the front springs – im guessing not having the lower locating pin on the leafs is a problem and potentially an mot failure?
Would it explain some of the wandering I felt in the steering if the leafs are able to move about in relation to each other?

Also I found some vertical movement I think in the front wheel bearings but oddly no play horizontally? Is this normal to have play in only one direction if its the bearings?

[wildwood]

When that pin goes off road you can have your axle move 'quite a few inches' and that might or could and sometimes will roger your propshaft UJs

'Now how do I know that '

Easy to replace .....use a cap head bolt in a 'grade 12'  strength
You can feel the difference between grade 8 and 12..... It's the weight. And grade 12 is usually black steel.

[BIGDRY]

Many thanks, is a case of simply drilling out then? is it hardened? i,e can i leave it in situ and drill it? did you re do all yours? or just the broken ones? thx again

[wildwood]

Just the broken ones but I took out an undamaged one to size up the cap head bolt I needed.

Use two big g clamps either side of where broken pin is and tap the old one through with a drift.

Refitting might need a spike to wriggle the Hole alignment to accommodate your new bolt.

I bought two, and keep one as a spare.

[Dave The Sparky]

Am i missing something here, but isnt the photo of the neoprene slides??.

There should be a locating pin in the middle of the spring where the U bolts are, nothing else should go through the springs or they wont work....

Re:the play it may be the ball joints or the bearings but best to get someone to watch whilst you swing on the offending wheel to find out.

[Dutch]

Am i missing something here, but isnt the photo of the neoprene slides??.

There should be a locating pin in the middle of the spring where the U bolts are, nothing else should go through the springs or they wont work....

And the leaf spring clips/clamps I assume keep 'em together no ?

[bgbazz]

Dave is exactly right...the big pin is actually called a centrebolt and it holds the springs in their correct fore and aft position. The head of that centre bolt slots into a cavity on the bottom of the axle tube...offer up the spring assy until the head of the bolt sits in the cavity and hold it there firmly while you pop the u bolts down from the top of the tube...there will be a bottom plate with 5 holes in it...one each for the legs of the u bolts and the centre one should fit nicely over the bottom of the centre bolt...do everything up until snug and make any minor adjustments with a hammer until you are happy, then do them all up to spec torque.

Easy, isn't it? 

[Mike Pavelin]

The bit in the picture is just a plastic pad. Nothing to get excited about. CJ7s steer like a boat at the best of times, they don't have a track bar like YJs and coil sprung Wranglers, which makes the front of the jeep float from side to side on the springs when  the steering gear pushes and pulls the drag link.

[bgbazz]

I learned how to build and fit springs while doing stuff like in the video...after work and a few beers, normally have 3 or 4 sets to rebuild for the next day...if it had been a hard day, there might be 10 or a dozen flat tires to mend as well.

Character building!!!

[bgbazz]

The bit in the picture is just a plastic pad. Nothing to get excited about. CJ7s steer like a boat at the best of times, they don't have a track bar like YJs and coil sprung Wranglers, which makes the front of the jeep float from side to side on the springs when  the steering gear pushes and pulls the drag link.

Which is why they can't even come close to the Toyota in jobs that require a bit of hard work!! 

[BIGDRY]

Right now im more confused than ever! Sorry but do i need to bolt through or is that just a part of the slider between the leafs that holds the slider and there fore not essential for safety.

Just need someone down my garage when im there to wiggle the steering wheel - i think its mainly the steering shaft from the wheel to the box.

thanks in advance for noob questions ?- if anyone want to know anything about Lancia Integrales - i can help!!

[Mike Pavelin]

It's just a plastic pad to help the leaf slide smoothly. The only locator is the bolt that goes through the middle of all of the leaves and locates in the spring perch on the axle.

[wildwood]

Yup. Agree  As above.....That's what I thought BIGDRY was asking.

[Dave The Sparky]

The neoprene slides are only there on posh leaf springs, my Pro comp springs on the cj6 are metal to metal just to make them that little bit harsher a ride.

Your leaf spring should look like this hopefully attached, attachment The clamp is fixed to the bottom or top spring only and stops the leaves going sideways!!

[BIGDRY]

Excellent, so I don't need to do anything, nice. thx for the clarification. I'll try and to be clearer in my next questions.

[BIGDRY]

One more thought on this , so are we saying as my springs have these "posh" sliders , that they can't be original cj7 Orem springs?

[Dave The Sparky]

Nope i would say they are more likely to be OEM with the sliders.

[BIGDRY]

cool, thanks Dave. i reckon they are originals too - not sure if that's good or bad!

Next step wheel bearing investigation!  anyone know where i can get the correct socket for the bearings  here in the uk?

[5536paulj]

Here it is, Lighthouse have them too

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omix-16711-01-Spindle-Socket-41-86/dp/B000FQ7MC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455132768&sr=8-1&keywords=jeep+cj+axle+socket

[BIGDRY]

Thx for the link.