Leaf Spring U Bolt Alignment

Morning all,

I realise there are a few threads on this but asking in case anyone has a top tip.

I have two Series 2a's, a 68 and a 71. I put new leafs on the 71 all fine, no issues at all.

I am just doing the 68.

I got the rears on all good. The front passenger side (without the diff) lines up nicely all fine.

The front driver's side (with the diff) whilst I can get the outside U bolt in, I cannot get the inside one (the longer U bolt which is close to the diff) to line up with the holes.

I have tried unbolting the other side, have jacks under both the axle and the spring and despite all my mucking about the u bolt just seems to be 10mm too far to the rear to line up with the holes in the plate. The outside one lines up fine, the axle is located on the spring pin (which I had to grind a little as it was too fat) and I have tried rotating the axle and all sorts but it just will not line up. I managed to get one of the ends of the U bolt in but the other is still a long way out.

Before I give up does anyone have a top tip here?

Many thanks,

Callum

They are slightly sprung loaded it may just need compressing a bit more than the rest or like i found on mine when i was rebuilding my landy someone in the past had fitted an S1 front spring plate so had to buy a used spring plate

Thank you.

I am hoping the spring plate is correct, it looks the same as the other side which fits fine (v easy in fact).

However the whole thing was covered in 50 years of rust, I don’t think it has ever been changed. I had to cut the old U bolts off. There was less than 1mm left on each side of each U-bolt. One big pothole and we would have had a fully independent front axle :-0. That’s what you get for buying from auction when it had been off the road for 10 years. The guy had even cut the front brake lines and crimped them closed so that only the rears would work….

I just ordered a bottle jack and will try that in between Axle and frame. I am already compressing spring from underneath with a small trolley jack under the plate. I have another large trolley jack under the Axle to move it up and down before it locates.

PS does anyone else get twitchy lying under a Land Rover supported by axle stands, with a jack under an axle, another compressing a spring, another potentially pushing an axle the other way just gritting your teeth and hoping that nothing goes "ping"? I sometimes feel like the first 5 minutes of an episode of Casualty...

Madcal said:

Thank you.

I am hoping the spring plate is correct, it looks the same as the other side which fits fine (v easy in fact).

However the whole thing was covered in 50 years of rust, I don’t think it has ever been changed. I had to cut the old U bolts off. There was less than 1mm left on each side of each U-bolt. One big pothole and we would have had a fully independent front axle :-0. That’s what you get for buying from auction when it had been off the road for 10 years. The guy had even cut the front brake lines and crimped them closed so that only the rears would work….

I just ordered a bottle jack and will try that in between Axle and frame. I am already compressing spring from underneath with a small trolley jack under the plate. I have another large trolley jack under the Axle to move it up and down before it locates.

PS does anyone else get twitchy lying under a Land Rover supported by axle stands, with a jack under an axle, another compressing a spring, another potentially pushing an axle the other way just gritting your teeth and hoping that nothing goes "ping"? I sometimes feel like the first 5 minutes of an episode of Casualty...

Click to expand...

Just check that both dumb irons are not out of plonk sounds like something isn't right

Thank you.

Can I just check by dumb irons you mean the front chassis members? So you mean that maybe the spring mounts could be in the wrong place, moved forward or back through one of likely many bits of welding over the years?

I am tempted to try mounting the spring to the axle when detached from the chassis then lift the spring/axle with a jack and try to mount the spring assembled to the axle. May be more tricky but easier to force with a bunch of jacks?

Please don’t discount that maybe the dumb a55 is me not the car….

Do the u bolts fit holes in plate from below, the last ones I did were a bit narrow and would not sit down proper on axle tube , so tapped them down and then inwards to line up holes

Madcal said:

Thank you.

I am hoping the spring plate is correct, it looks the same as the other side which fits fine (v easy in fact).

However the whole thing was covered in 50 years of rust, I don’t think it has ever been changed. I had to cut the old U bolts off. There was less than 1mm left on each side of each U-bolt. One big pothole and we would have had a fully independent front axle :-0. That’s what you get for buying from auction when it had been off the road for 10 years. The guy had even cut the front brake lines and crimped them closed so that only the rears would work….

I just ordered a bottle jack and will try that in between Axle and frame. I am already compressing spring from underneath with a small trolley jack under the plate. I have another large trolley jack under the Axle to move it up and down before it locates.

PS does anyone else get twitchy lying under a Land Rover supported by axle stands, with a jack under an axle, another compressing a spring, another potentially pushing an axle the other way just gritting your teeth and hoping that nothing goes "ping"? I sometimes feel like the first 5 minutes of an episode of Casualty...

Click to expand...

You can bend the U bolts quite easily, using a hammer, or putting them in a vice before installation, or using a jack to jack them open bit more.
The reason your bolts were nearly worn through is that the nuts on the bottom weren't tight enough.

I use axle stands as little as possible, big wood blocks under the chassis or axle are much safer. As the vehicle is fairly narrow, you should be able to lie beside it and reach underneath for most jobs, rather than crawling right under.

Thank you. The outside U bolt does, I will check the inside one today (the one closest the front diff).

When I look with a mirror, with the outside U-bolt fitted, the inside one has both bolt holes around 5-10mm away from the actual bolt ends. It’s almost as if the U bolt needs to twist around the axle to meet the holes, which of course it cannot do easily given the size of the thing.

I think it will go if I can just twist/cajole/compress/whatever things enough to get them lined up, then bash through with a large lump hammer and get the nuts on.

I hopefully will get another shot at it tonight.

Afternoon all, to benefit anyone else who may end up swearing as much as I have...

- Finally got it all together
- Had to take off passenger side
- Remove the two spring hanger bolts on the drivers side, so the spring was loose
- Use a small trolley jack with a nice small head under the plate (small head means it doesn't block the u-bolt holes in the plate) to balance plate, and spring and offer them up to the axle
- Get the u-bolts in, lots of hammering and swearing and wiggling whilst hoping it didn't fall off the jack
- Got the passenger side u-bolt back in
- Got the rear spring hanger bolt in (the one with the shackle)
- The front spring was not lining up with the bolt hole in the front of the chassis
- Had to put a ratchet strap around axle and front bumper and wind it in (yes I bent the bumper)
- Got the bolt in
- Got the shocks on
- Put the wheels back on
- Dropped it to the ground and tightened everything up

Thanks to all for the advice, helped me keep going.

In reality it shouldn't be this hard, I think the front prop shaft has seized up, which is why there is so little play in the front axle forward and back.

Now I have to get the prop shaft off (have a replacement) but the nuts are so rusted and covered in grease and crud that will be a fun job, but at least I can do it with wheels on the ground so can give it some welly without worrying about wobbling it off the axle stands.

I suspect when I get the prop shaft off it will all jump a little and re-align requiring some tightening. I suspect the first big bump when driving it off-road may also loosen things requiring a little more.

But I have to get the brakes re-done and engine running before we get there...

thanks again!

Just cut the bolts off and replace with new...