Axel Shims

When I’m measuring for axel shims, do I measure before or after I put my anticipated constant load in the bed? I’ve searched far and wide for an answer but either nobody seems to know or there’s no consistent, clear answer

 

I ended up not needing shims, so take this with a grain of salt. BUT, when I tested for vibes I did it with the truck in it's lightest configuration. For me that means my shell, bed mat, and a Hi-Lift that lives in the bed. Sure I could have removed those items (~250 pounds), but the truck would never be driven like that so I didn't. If there's no vibes there, there shouldn't be when the truck has more weight on it. I'd say you measure after you put the constant load, but only if it's a true constant. I take my RTT off when I can and over winter, so I don't consider it constant. If you leave yours on, then there's no need to measure with it off.

 

I used this post to help me measure, but ultimately the test comes down to if you have vibes or not, numbers can only show so much.

 

That’s what I was thinking, I know my constant weight will probably fluctuate by 50-100 lbs depending what tools I need for work purposes. Otherwise the constant weight will be around 600-700lbs

 

Dang that's a ton of weight. What adds up to that much that doesn't come off the truck? What leaf pack are you going with?

 

Cap, decked drawers, all my tools inside the decked drawers, onboard air with a 5 gallon tank, spare tire, hi-lift... my truck sits at about 5500lbs without me in it

I just got some Deaver U402 stage 2 leaf packs

 

Yeah that stuff doesn't come out easily lol I'd leave it all in there when you check for vibes.

 

I’ve read in different places on how to measure the angles and here’s what I was going to do: I have a digital angle gauge that I will zero on the bottom of the transfer case then measure the driveshaft between the transfer case and the carrier. Then I will zero the gauge on the rear differential and measure the driveshaft between that and the carrier. Does that sound about right?

 

Yes, but I'm not the expert. Go by the post I linked above. I used that to check my numbers.

 

Yeah, I’m slowly reading through that novel right now

 

Rule of thumb is 1 degree of angle per inch of lift.

I travel with ~400 - 450 lbs of constant added weight (winch, winch mount, sliders, 3 skids, hi-lift jack, bed cover, junk). OME 95R leaf springs. I added 2 degree shims.

 

Did you need those shims or did you install them at the time you put the leaf pack in? I had MD Dakar, then converted it to a HD pack, and never needed shims. It seems a lot of people don't need shims with Dakars but I can't prove that.

 

I put them in at leaf spring installation. They were cheap enough. My springs do squeak. Greasing them is on the to-do list.

 

I just put this on my springs at the ends. Can't comment on how it holds up, but fixed my squeaks for now. My dad uses this everywhere on his boat and says it stays put no matter what, so I'm hopeful.

https://www.easternmarine.com/johnson-evinrude-triple-guard-grease-775776

 

While I do agree that it depends on if you have vibes or not, the numbers will tell you exactly what you need to know (if measured correctly/accurately). The vibes are coming from the angles on the ujoints (or misaligned angles) and so to eliminate vibes, the angles need to be correct. The numbers will show you everything you need to know to truly eliminate vibes.

 

Yes that is true. In my case I didn't even bother to take post-lift measurements since I didn't have any vibes. I took them before the lift and still have them, but no vibes for me.

 

Reading that thread is starting to make my head hurt

 

So are steel or aluminum shims perfered ?