Aluminum pinion angle shims???

[mplogic]

Just got some 2.5 degree Rancho shims for my 89 Blazer 3/4 ton conversion with a 4" lift (3" Tuff Country springs, 2" Hill shackles). I was a bit surprised to see they were made out of aluminum. Feels a bit strange to be torquing down some soft metal between spring steel and the heavy front end housing. Anyone ever had any problems with these cracking or coming out? Also, anyone know if steel ones are available?

 

[thebigdaddyof2]

Aluminum shims are junk. They corrode and the centering hole wollows out. I made some custom zero rates 1" thick with a 3.5 deg angle milled into them (out of steel). These are bolted to the spring pack. You could do the same if you bought a set of zero rates and took them to a machine shop. Be sure to get the hole spot faced on the bottom so the centering bolt will sit squarely.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I did what Thebigdaddyof2 mentioned. Here's a pic. A buddy works in a machine shop and made my center bolted blocks for free (well I bought him lunch). I started with blocks that were about 1 3/4" tall and had a 3 degree angle machined on them. Worked very well.

 

[UseYourBlinker]

Scotts (4X4HIGH) cracked into pieces. He then made some from heavy gauge steel. I bet he'll post later on tonight. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

 

[mplogic]

hmm. Thanks guys, that's what I was afraid of. I already put them in, but I'll probably have a shop fab me up some steel ones shortly. I'm using 3" tuff country springs in the front and don't like blocks in general but I would like to do something to bring that centering bolt back into the perch more. What's involved in removing a centering bolt and replacing it with a slightly longer one?

 

[chulisohombre]

take off nut pull out old put in new with new shim put on some locktight or something to keep nut from backing off and torque it back down.

 

[BILLY RAY]

Sorry to tell you but almost every other trip I had to replace them. They would just break in half. I fabed some out of steel and they work great. A machine shop could do this for you. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

 

[arq]

are steel shims available at the local/nolocal parts store??
anyone have a source??


ARQ.

 

[DPI]

Here is a site of a guy that makes them. I bought a set of 8 degree shims from him. He does OK work for the price. They were 8 degree, but one was about 1/64"-1/32" of an inch thicker than the other. Shouldn't make much differnce, but I am anal.
I think he uses a band saw to cut these out. The cuts are straight, but if he doesn't center the block, whala, the two half are not the same.