Rear blocks removed - alignment way off

[JCsTruck]

@Dakar09 thank you for the informative post and pictures of the U-bolt’s. If you could do this all over again, would you mark the spring perch through the spacer and onto the spring so you could align them back where they were before or would you measure to a fixed point and then hold that measurement?

That axle looks much worse than it actually is only because it’s mostly cast-iron and unpainted from Ford, but if you spray it with some Rust-oleum Rust, Reformer spray paint then it will bring new life to it. I use this product on the suspensions of all my vehicles anytime I have access to them like this weekend when I change the brakes on my Kia Telluride.
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[Dakar09]

@JCsTruck there is no way to really mark the spring perches, per say. The adjustability of the rear axle is very limited, tbh. The locating pins on the leaf spring pack HAVE to go back into where they came from. There is probably 1/4" of movement in any direction.

And the u-bolts fit into specific grooves on the leaf spring pack, so no variability there.

The tricky part here, imo, is the giant lower bracket under the axle that the u-bolts go through to hold it all together. This shifts side to side and can rotate front to back. This is the part that needs to be put back properly and evenly with the proper torque sequences. I think that's where I went wrong. You're supposed to measure the space between the inside aspect of the u-bolts and the sides of the leaf springs to make sure they stay even.

I'll do it properly and more carefully, and then get the truck aligned. This definitely isn't precision work with the way it all goes together back there.

I'll definitely check out that product for rust and spray it down when the weather gets nicer. Thanks!

 

[Larrymoe]

You removed the blocks? I knew rigjt away when I drove it. Wheel needs to be turned slightly to the left to track straight.

But from what I've read on this forum over the last year, Ford doesn't bat a thousand at aligning these properly from the factory anyway.

I did. Mine drives no problem 90% of the time. Sometimes though there's a bit of shimmy/shake/vibration. It happens on some of the same roads, so I just chalked it up to the individual roads. On newer paved roads it's smooth as silk.

 

[GypsyDanger]

This bracket needs to come off to swap out the u-bolts (headlight leveler?):

If you could get me the size of that nut, id buy you a beer. I added those to my truck with the headlight upgrade and its still held on but like 6 zipties lol its been a year.

 

[Dakar09]

I'll get it for you over the next few days. I'm guessing 12mm nut not sure of the pitch

 

[jbrinker]

I am planning to do this once it warms up out. Would scribing a couple alignment marks on the axle/spring before disassembly give enough reference to get it back exactly? I am thinking one or two vertical scribe lines for front-back position, and one on the bottom facing up to get left-right correct? Or is there another reference point/triangulation measurement that could be more accurate?

 

[Dakar09]

If you could get me the size of that nut, id buy you a beer. I added those to my truck with the headlight upgrade and its still held on but like 6 zipties lol its been a year.

I may be crazy, but I think that nut may be a 1/2"-20 nut. I know these trucks are metric, but the gauges I used put this at 1/2". 12mm was too small. Also, a 3/4" SAE wrench fits on it the best. I don't have a 1/2"-20 nut to check with but I may pick on up if I can out of curiosity.

The 12mm nut I had didn't even fit on it, but it was a 1.75 pitch, which is too coarse for this. If it is a 12mm nut, then this is either a 1.50 pitch, or more likely a very fine 1.25 pitch.

EDIT: @GypsyDanger it is definitely not a 12mm or a 14mm nut. HAS to be 1/2-20.

Oddly, there is no part availability for this (#5 in pic below). Nor does the part diagram show the stud it threads on to (or the leaf spring pack for that matter). So I'm wondering if this is a part made for Ford by a spring manufacturer, and they use SAE threads instead of metric when they assemble it.

Worst comes to worst, you buy a few nuts of various sizes and see what works there. Something HAS to!

Source:
Rear suspension parts list

I am planning to do this once it warms up out. Would scribing a couple alignment marks on the axle/spring before disassembly give enough reference to get it back exactly? I am thinking one or two vertical scribe lines for front-back position, and one on the bottom facing up to get left-right correct? Or is there another reference point/triangulation measurement that could be more accurate?

I don't think scribing would do any good, as there is no guarantee Ford put them in straight from the factory. My guess is they got them close and then aligned the truck to work with it.

Plus, I had to fix the "splay" on my leaf springs when the u-bolts were off to align the leaves together. That takes whacking with a deadblow hammer, so any marks I made would likely have been off. And there really isn't much fore-aft movement allowed on these. The two pins on the axle shafts have to go back into the matching holes in the leaf spring. The rear hole is very snug fit, while the front hole is a bit bigger. But if you align the rear pins on both sides, there isn't much room for the axle to move at all. Remember the leaf springs don't move at all during this process. The pins and shackles stay in place. So it's the rear axle that moves to accomodate pin alignment. This is why having both wheels off the ground when you do this is critical.

 

[kieefer]

I didn't. I did it the lazy "easy" way as I saw a few guys do it. Remove the u-bolt nuts, jack up the leaf springs, remove blocks and drop it right back where it was. One side at a time. Funny thing is, the leaf spring pins went right back into positions with no mucking about, which is why the wacky alignment surprised me. Nothing should have moved by much.

This looks to be the easiest way to remove the blocks and the only YouTube method I’ve seen.

I think another option would be to raised the truck off its rear wheels and support it with jacks on the frame. Remove the wheels (I think to remove that bracket on the drivers side the wheel would need removing)
With truck suspended then use a floor jack to support the axel, remove U-bolts, one side at a time. Could mark every part before removing.
My two cents since I plan on doing it, no idea if its a better option to prevent misalignment.

 

[Dakar09]

@kieefer that is exactly how I did it when I put the shorter u-bolts in (the second time). One side at a time. And you don't need to remove the rear wgeels to take those headlight leveler brackets off (confirmed when I did the passenger side). Just make sure both rear wheels are off the ground to allow the axle to line up properly with the leaf spring locating pins.

 

[kieefer]

BTW, $58 for a set of U-bolts.

https://www.fordpartsgiant.com/part...year=2024&submodel=&extra1=&extra2=&filter=()

Along these lines is the Tremor shock actually firmer than the stock shock? Or is it a stock shock with a Tremor sticker??

 

[Dakar09]

I paid around the same for the u-bolts. Make sure you get 8 new nuts, too (I only bought one pkge of 4).

Not sure about the Tremor shocks, but I do believe the FX4 shocks are different. Maybe the Tremor gets those?

 

[kieefer]

I paid around the same for the u-bolts. Make sure you get 8 new nuts, too (I only bought one pkge of 4).

Not sure about the Tremor shocks, but I do believe the FX4 shocks are different. Maybe the Tremor gets those?

Got a part number for the nuts?
My KR has the FX4 option that’s why I asked.

 

[Dakar09]

Part # for the nuts is: W520215-S440

u-bolt nuts (4 pack)

YOU NEED TWO OF THESE 4 PACKS!!

 

[JCsTruck]

Part # for the nuts is: W520215-S440

u-bolt nuts (4 pack)

YOU NEED TWO OF THESE 4 PACKS!!

Just ordered two of those 4-nut packs and two of the 2WD u-bolt 2-packs, part # Ford ML3Z-5705-A U-BOLT

We’ll see how it goes.

 

[kieefer]

Part # for the nuts is: W520215-S440

u-bolt nuts (4 pack)

YOU NEED TWO OF THESE 4 PACKS!!

Odd description but I’ll take your word on it ?

-W520215-S440

Outer Tie Rod Lock Nut

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