Goodbye Axle Wrap Mod

to each his own when it comes to low budget mods and contraptions... lol..

 

The concept made sense tho...

 

Reading the debate from back in 2010, does anyone know if you need the whole set including the whole spring? or just the U clamps?

 

Not sure if this was covered BUT you can go to harbor frieght and back in the towing section look for the anti rattle hitch reciever clamp its 12.99 you will hafta but 2 its enen heavier duty still than that kit.

If anyone needs to see a pic of what im talking about i can send you a pic.

 

Send a picture or link please!

Edit I found it i believe: Anyone used this before?

 

So my .02 having done the mod three years back - it worked for
a while, but gradually the wrap came back. Around Nov 2022 I
decided to just buy a new set of General Springs leaf springs.

Installed them, and it made life better, but not perfect. Given I
have a manual tranny, I've learned to work my clutch out more
gradually while I give it gas to eliminate/lessen any wrap.

That said, a couple weeks after the springs, my head gasket blew.
Didn't know it then, but it sat for about 9 months before one of
my sons took it to task and repaired it. Now I'm back on the
road and still using my clutch/gas to deal with wrap. FWIW.

 

Yes ive had mine on for 2 years. Be prepared though i had to grind lightly on the side of spring for the u bolt to slide on. I like these better cause the steel is thicker an you can really tighten the nuts down. I have the other style on my other first gen. Both work fine.

 

This band aid kit is just that. Quality leaf springs will eliminate this entire thread. Don’t forget your throttle body spacer

Deaver J59 - buy once cry once

Done.

 

If your J59 last 20+ years, it'll be in the same boat as these factory

 

After doing a bit of research I’ve discovered that the Hellwig 2002 traction spring should solve this problem. Since I can’t get Hellwig anywhere in western Canada I’ve had to order them online and will install them when they get here in a week.
I also wanted to install the rough country 3-1/2 half inch lift springs to replace the BDS blocks the previous owner put in the truck but Rough Country is another brand that in Canada is difficult to get because nobody wants to stock it, they just want to make money off of drop shipping them.

The U-bolt/clamp in front of the stock U bolt might clamp the springs together but it doesn’t really spread the load out and I can’t see that lasting very long.
The original post has a helper spring underneath the front of the stock spring instead of on top where a traction spring should go.

I will post results up when the parts arrive and I get them installed
If everything goes smooth, it looks like it’s only a 30 minute install.

 

Just reading back a little bit, but what would the u clamps do without the spring?

 

It would they are clamping that right next to the U bolt that Holds the axle on clamping some of the leafs together.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense really

 

After some internet searching I guess it does make a little sense. Keeps the leaves from spreading out and retains rigidity kind of? I may give it a try to preserve my progressively sagging OME springs.

 

I would think it wouldn’t be long before the rest of the spring took the brunt of it, that’s why I ordered the Hellwig 2002
They are inexpensive.

 

I installed the Hellwig 2002 today
I am not sure why the OP installed his on the bottom of the spring when they are designed to go on top of the spring, but if it works for him, it works for him.
It does make a little difference but with the 4” block and badly worn out springs it probably doesn’t do as good of a job as if the springs were new. I recommend this inexpensive mod to anybody that wants to rid their vehicle of axle wrap especially after putting blocks in their truck.

 

I had replaced my leafs with a Wheelers set that did me good for a while. I run a fiberglass topper and maybe 200# of junk and they started sagging after a few years. I then took both sets and measured each leaf and made up a new set of new set of packs. I had to cut a few down to make them work. Didn’t run the overload and wanna say turned the 4 leaf into a 6 leaf. Can’t find the pics ATM but you get the idea. Got my height back and lost most of the axle wrap. Used the same U bolts and it’s been great since.

You’ll need a set of new bolts for the springs but can be found fairly cheap.