AAL INSTALL HELP!

ok well i've got the holes aligned now i can't get the damn pack to clamp all the way together. i guess i need to go buy stronger clamps... i'll be finishing up in the supposed freezing rain and snow tomorrow. thanks for the help

 

i had a c clamp also but i think i need to go buy a bigger one, that one was just an intermediary since i only had the one C clamp. no way have i been trying to use just that little thing haha

 

That's the same side that gave me issues! It should clamp together fairly easily. I used super cheap ass clamps. Did you tighten down the centering pin? That will tighten everything up. Once it's all clamped and you start bringing the axel back up it should all align. Good luck!

 

clamping isn't working for beans. can't get it any closer than the pics show really and it's still not aligned quite right, going to have to use a bigger screwdriver to line it up since the other is such a small diameter. the damn AAL really doesnt want to clamp down tight to the rest of the pack. once i can get that and the center pin in i should be home free but it's been a major pain in the arse. passenger side better go smoother tomorrow or i dont know what i'll do haha

 

Figure it out yet???

 

it's about 45 degrees and pouring rain here so the truck is just up on the jack stands in the lot lookin like someone is strippin it for parts haha. i am gonna pick up a 1/4" socket extension and a bigger c clamp once i can borrow someone's car and i'll be finishin up tomorrow when it supposedly will be sunny. i think i was close to gettin it but it got dark and started raining. also a roommate said he'd lend a hand tomorrow so until then... i drink. i'm sure i'll be back posting about my issues tomorrow. thanks for all the help so far

 

^^^THIS. Drop the axle down but watch your brakelines.

 

yea the screwdriver didn't center them well so that's why i'm getting the extension. with the new c clamp hopefully i can finally get the pack tight enough together to put the centering bolt in. i just didnt want to force the bolt and strip the threads.

here she sits for now:
although apparently despite my rotating the picture it's upside down. really the world is right side up here i swear

 

I remember when I used to live in an apt, it sucked when I was building my XJ.

 

yea i'm in a townhouse with a couple guys so thankfully i at least have room for all my tools in the one car garage, just can't fit the truck in there. definitely sucks not having anywhere to work on it inside or else i'd have finished up yesterday instead of waiting. it sucks waiting, gonna weigh on my mind all day and i was hoping to get my 5100s and LR UCAs installed today. Guess that'll have to wait until next weekend.

 

I feel your pain on this job, i gave up after a couple of hours. worst job ever. I think i know what i was doing wrong but will install in the spring (no pun intended). Also I know the pain of living in an apt and having tool chest in my kitchen, running up and down stairs with tools to complete a job. Now i am in a townhome with a single car garage, PITA for doing any work, i cant get around truck in there. Next house double car or triple for sure.

 

I wouldn't be able to wait,I'd have gone and bought a tarp and made a little tent

 

haha trust me the thought has crossed my mind.

 

Man you could just drop the leaf spring pack and put the leaf in that way. That's what I did because I didn't have tall enough jack stands to let the axle far enough down. I didn't use clamps either. I just put the center pin In and tightened it down.

 

I had air tools though. May not be a good idea now that I think about it. Some of the bolts were tough

 

Weird, I thought it was super easy.

 

Try disconecting the rear of the leaf if you haven't. You will need to support the axel.

 

yea i thought it was supposed to be super easy... just some bad luck. i'm pretty sure i should have this one side done as soon as i get the tools and the other side will go a million times easier. it's not a hard job just can be a pain

 

If i remember correctly most pull the whole leaf add the AAL then reinstall. Probably easier without all the other stuff in the way. And put a jack or stand under the front of the diff so it doesn't want to rotate down.

 

You dhouldnt have to clamp it all the way, just put the centering pin un until a little bit of thread shows at the top, then put the bolt on and tighten it down, or push the axle on the bottom of the pack to compress the leafs together.