Axle alignment Question

[k5baby]

maybe someone can help me out. When measuring on my 72 k5 from front right axle to the back right axle, then doing the same on the left side I came up a 1/2" short. Is this normal? I had a CHEAP genuine gear Quick Lock and it kept disengaging while driving down the road going in a straight line at any speed. Could this have caused it?

 

[primr87]

Im thinking that a 1/2 inch difference from side to side could be a problem or a really saggy spring, but thats just me, dont know about the quick lock

 

[Canadianbuilder]

You might have a broken center bolt in one of your spring packs and the axle has shifted slightly on the spring.Or your frame has been tweaked abit and isn`t quite square from corner to corner.It could be a cause of your diff problems as the truck was probably "dog tracking" as it went down the road.

 

[k5baby]

that's what I thought. the pass. side bottom leaf spring is kicked to the side about a inch. the others are still in line. how do you fix this problem?

 

[southernspeed]

You def want your axles to be inline! and would cause a locker to keep disengaging as it thinks it's turning the whole time.

Jack up your truck, put an axle stand under the chassis rail and lower the jack to take the weight off the axle. Undo the spring hanger u bolt nuts. Lower the jack more until the axle just starts to drop away from the leaves. Take off the top plate (if this is the front one you'll have to undo the sway bar bolt if applicable.).
On top you should see the centre bolt nut. Turn it and look at the bottom end. If it all turns.....look for another problem! If it's broken, drop the axle further, pull out the busted parts and slip in a new bolt. Job done. (well...never quite that easy...but you may be lucky! )

 

[loafer]

You def want your axles to be inline! and would cause a locker to keep disengaging as it thinks it's turning the whole time.

Jack up your truck, put an axle stand under the chassis rail and lower the jack to take the weight off the axle. Undo the spring hanger u bolt nuts. Lower the jack more until the axle just starts to drop away from the leaves. Take off the top plate (if this is the front one you'll have to undo the sway bar bolt if applicable.).
On top you should see the centre bolt nut. Turn it and look at the bottom end. If it all turns.....look for another problem! If it's broken, drop the axle further, pull out the busted parts and slip in a new bolt. Job done. (well...never quite that easy...but you may be lucky! )

One trick that I've found useful is using two C-clamps, one on either side of the center pin, to clamp the leaf pack together before reving the pin. That way the leafs don't all come appart.

 

[pauly383]

maybe someone can help me out. When measuring on my 72 k5 from front right axle to the back right axle, then doing the same on the left side I came up a 1/2" short. Is this normal? I had a CHEAP genuine gear Quick Lock and it kept disengaging while driving down the road going in a straight line at any speed. Could this have caused it?

Unfortunately , it is the locker at fault . I tried everything on mine , made it better for awhile .......and it came back I tried new thrust washers , synthetic flud , everything including air pressure and rotations with the closest matches in the back . These are made by tractech , they are actually EZ lockers , and think they made a batch of bad ones , or boxed wrong some other 30 spline applications parts in our 12 bolt boxes

I got mine at 4 wheel parts before I knew better . They wanted me to bring it in and pay them to look at it before they would warranty it ....even though the owners manual said I could box it up and bring it in myself .

Its sitting in a box now for the project truck where I can use it without worries of street manners .

I fixed my truck by getting a Lockright at 4 wheelers supply

 

[k5baby]

thanks!! i'll work on the center bolt in the springs when it get's back from the paint shop.

I originally put the quick lock in after it sat up for 10 years and I drove it not thinking to check the diff. fluid, (how dumb was that?!!) and burned up the ring and pinion, instead of putting spider gears in I opted for the cheap locker to get me by till I could afford a Detroit Locker. I still have a quick lock in up front and have no problems.