AAL keeps shifting

Hey guys just wondering if anyone has the problem with their AAL's shifting after a while?

About once a month I have to poke my head down there and bang the snot out of the AAL to get it back in place. Any ideas to keep it lined up?

 

Definately (as Chris said), check your ubolts. The AAL's shouldn't be shifting at all.

You might also wanna check your centering pin. Is it tight enough? Make sure isn't broken.

 

Cosign- I would check everything under there to make sure it is all tightened to specs.

 

put an air gun on the u bolts, shackles, center bolt, everything and tighten them up until they stop moving, make sure to tighten everything evenly

 

Ok I will check everything again. I am pretty sure I got everything tight but you never know.

Question. Any particular direction everyone tightens their U bolts? Did yall just try and tighten evenly around? Maybe I should loosen everything and have another go at it.

 

I used the tried and true torque method of pull till my butt twinged. Maybe my threshold for twinging is less as I get older and will have to use a torque wrench from here on out!

 

what's the difference between torquing them and tightening them? 1 of my aals on my leaf pack has gone crooked as well.

 

so if 1 of mine has gone crooked, more than likely it wasn't torqued or tighten to spec, is that right?

 

Normally I go by torque specs, but for U-bolts......I'm not afraid to admit - I tighten the shit outta mine and haven't had any problems with them ever coming loose. I'm not necessarily talking about this 07 tacoma (never did suspension work on it), but with all the other vehicles (96 tacoma, 92 Jeep, 94 jeep, etc) I've owned....the U-bolts were FRIGIN TIGHT.

I've always tightened them evenly and rotating back-n-forth between bolts tightening each up a little bit at a time.

When you tighten them like I do, they stay tight (I've never had problems). However, you can't re-use them because the threads actually stretch and you'll never get them 'as tight' as you did before and they won't stay tight. I've never re-used U-bolts. I always buy new ones every time I take them off (for whatever reason).

 

any reason i can't back out the nuts on the u-bolts a little to relieve pressure and retighted evenly? or should if i looses them just replace the whole ubolt setup?

 

That's an unknown...... because you don't know WHY they came loose to begin with (or what's going on). Loosening them up might expose more weaknesses.

How far have the AAL's shifted? Have you tried using a mallet to hit them back in without loosening the u-bolts?

Note: I wouldn't loosen anything unless you have the truck fully supported with jackstands/jacks.

 

I've never re-used U-bolts. I always buy new ones every time I take them off (for whatever reason).

I am the same way, always replace if at all possible, but then I think, what about the studs that hold the wheel on? How many times in the life of a vehicle does that sucker get torqued down and loosened(tire change/rotation) Possibly a better grade fastener, these are the things that keep me up at night...as far as u-bolts, it's cheep insurance, buy new quality grade 8 washers nuts u-bolts, it will keep your rearend under the truck, oh yea, paint them when replacing my 2c

 

not too sure on what the torque specs are for all ubolts, but Deaver recommended torquing my ubolts, that came with my leaf pack, to about 90-95lbs.