Need emergency AAL install guidance -- halp!

I'm part way thru installing my Wheelers 3-leaf AAL's as I write this. Everything has gone smooth except for one little snag -- HOW do you get the head of the center pin to align with and seat back into the hole on the platform bracket that is welded to the top of the axle??

I'm supporting the pumpkin with my jack and controlling the height of the axle by raising and lowering the jack. When I lowered the axle away from the leaf springs to take them apart and put the AAL in, the axle fell out of alignment from the center pin. Now when I jack the axle back up to sandwich it against the bottom leaf of the AAL, the head of the center pin is abou 1/4" mis-aligned from the hole in the axle platform bracket and I can't fudge it enough to seat into the hole.

Hopefully this problem makes sense the way I am describing it.

Any tips on how to get it to re-align and seat into the hole???

 

Screw driver thru the holes of the leafs? That helped for me...

Also the angle of your rear axle can have an effect on it. You might hafta take come come alongs and attach it some where upwards the front of the truck to kinda keep the normal angle of the axle, if that makes any sense...

 

Because you are using a rolling jack, when you raise or lower anything, it slightly moves it out or back in an arc. You might be able to push or pull slightly on the axle housing to get it to line up. Be careful not to do it too hard because you run the risk of pushing your truck off the jack stands. Good luck!

 

the axle shouldnt be that heavy overall just pull/push it into alignment as you jack up the axle.

 

It was mainly the side to side alignment that I couldn't fudge -- the pin was about 1/4" too far left of the hole in the axle bracket. But a pair of come alongs did the trick. Strapped one come along around the drivers side and passengers side leaf packs to pull the loosened leaf sideways towards the center of the truck, and one come along around the axle and hooked to the front frame pulling the axle forward. Finally got it all lined up and seated.

It was only the drivers side one that I had trouble with...the other side I was able to finagle by hand and was a piece of cake by comparison.

Anyway, thanks for the tips everyone!

The AAL's gave me about 1-3/4" on both sides. Hoping they will settle a bit.

 

Sweet deal! Pic time.

 

I'm gonna take some pics this weekend and put up a build thread of the final product.

 

Sounds like you got it.

I just gave my leaf springs a swift kick and it popped right into place.

 

Good job. Thanks for showing me the tires.

 

Pretty easy fix if ya can borrow a friend for a couple of mins. to help move into place, also it helps if everything isn't torqued down tight yet for ease of movement....good luck


edit: Nevermind sounds like ya got it... nice !!

 

So far I love em! Noticably stiffer ride (good). No, no need to replace shocks...I've been running 5100's front and rear for a while now.

I did remove the overload leafs, and no I don't have TSB springs. Still measuring 1-3/4" after a day of driving. I actually don't mind that much height now that I have lifted the front a little higher to 1-3/4", too. I'm actually kind of eating my words about wishing they would settle, as I like the current rake.

Question for those running the wheeler's 3-leafs: since the overload leaf has the bracket for the e-brake hanger, did you secure the hanger to the new front bracket on the AAL's where the bolt/sleeve go thru after the install? I'm thinking that's where it should go, but the hanger needs to be drilled out so that the bolt will fit thru the hole. I've got the hanger zip tied to the bracket for the time being.