Rear axle alignment off after installing Lift blocks. Could use some guidance :)

Happy mothers day to you all! Hopefully, I am posting under the correct thread. I have a 2007 Tacoma Prerunner Access Cab that I'm having issues out of.

Last summer I paid a local shop to install a maxtrac 6" spindle lift on my truck. After numerous issues with the rear driveshaft (pulling out of the carrier bearing, destroying u-joints, horrible vibrations) I realized that this so-called "professional shop" installed my lift blocks in the rear BACKWARDS. I have flipped the blocks around and the truck drives 1000% better with no driveshaft issues.

Now, I can drive the truck about a quarter-mile before I look in the side mirrors and notice the axle is running "crooked" with the truck body. I got home and realized that the ubolts have actually slid forward and inch or so on the passenger side. Realigned the axle, tightened the ubolts, drove another quarter mile.... same issue... kicks right back out of alignment. The blocks i have actually have 2 holes in them (one is supposed to be used for double cab trucks) as far as i can tell i have both blocks lined up in the correct holes.

Any guidance would be much appreciated... it has been one thing after another with this truck, Keep your truck stock or don't cheap out on the installation xD

I will post pictures as soon as my roommate gets home, dealing with a broken foot currently

Thanks in advance!

 

My first step of advice to you:

Remove the blocks

My next step of advice to you:

Install a AAL. Mod it right and you won't have these sort of issues in the first place.

If it's sliding around already, just imagine how dangerous that crap is in an emergency braking situation or worse, an accident.

 

It's still odd about the blocks, and that issue needs to be addressed. OP may not be able to do anything for awhile, especially with a broken foot. So could the blocks shifting be a symptom of U-bolts not torqued appropriately?

 

They probably are not tight enough indeed.

A small temporary solution he could do in the meantime is go out there or someone for him since he has a broken foot with a 19mm (or was it 21mm?) Socket and large rachet or cordless impact gun and tighten the nuts on the u bolts some more.

 

German torque value: guttentite

 

Whats odd to me about the whole situation is, Theres so many things the axle has to "Fight" to kick itself out... I've torqued the ubolts to the specs of the part manufacturer every time but it also actually has to force the driveshaft forward to even kick out

 

What part manufacturer? Toyota?

It's been long suspected that the "37 ft/lbs" as Toyota recommends is a misprint, and should be "73 ft/lbs".

 

You might be on to something lol, I want to say it was 37ft/lbs.. I can't quite remember if the maxtrac installation instructions mentioned the torque specs or that's something I looked up

 

I do mine to 80-85

 

I've never had good experiences with blocks, but this situation is strange. However with a 6 in lift anything can happen. If you can remove it I would. It's hard to find issues when so many variables have changed. start with new u bolts if you want to keep the lift, then make sure you are not getting any axle wrap causing more stress on the leafs.

 

Also you should be tightening them in a Criss cross pattern, similar to lugnuts on a wheel. It'll allow them to all be tightened evenly. You should have roughly equal thread showing on each one.

 

Lift rear of the vehicle without using the rear axle, loosen the u-bolts and reset everything to where they should be, and then tighten the u-bolts. @LoveableWerewolf has a great suggestion about getting new u-bolts of the appropriate length if you haven't already, and I'm like @EatSleepTacos, I tighten mine down to 85ft/lbs.

 

Very very true.

 

37 ft lbs seems very low, I just did an AAL yesterday and it said 72-80ft lbs. If you driven on them and they have shifted, I would just get new ones, wouldn't hurt and they are sorta cheap.

 

This sounds like a good move, The shop i used actually cut the bottom of the ubolts off with a bandsaw so i can't even tell if one is "tighter" than the other.... let alone get the nut off and completely remove them. I think ill order new ubolt's and start from scratch.

 

Just remember the whole goal is to be safe sounds like you have a good start and we'll in hand.

 

I think you're heading in the right direction. New u-bolts are cheap considering their function. We'll be here to answer any questions you have when you get them in and are ready to install them. Just make sure the bolts are of ample length and don't be afraid to go longer. You can always cut if needed once you are sure they've been installed correctly.