10. Tack weld cross member or clamp to hold into place. The small ‘ears’ on the top of the cross member is for
additional welding up the side of the frame. If there is a clearance problem with your steering box remove the
inner ‘ear’ on the driver’s side.
11. Remove front leaf spring rear hanger brackets from the frame and clean frame thoroughly for welding purposes.
12. In this next step, you will need to locate your new rear shackle hanger. To do this, there is no set measurement.
Because every brand of spring is going to vary in length, you will need to fine tune your hanger location to get
your most ideal shackle angle.
13. As a basic quick start reference, clamp the new shackle hangers to the frame somewhere between 44”-45” from
the front cross member mounting holes to the center hole in the shackle hanger. This measurement is completely
arbitrary and is simply to get you started in locating the hanger.
14. Tack weld the frame bracket to the frame, or ensure that it is very tightly clamped into place.
15. Install the leaf springs into the front cross member and bolt the new H shackles to the rear of the leaf spring.
16. Push the bushings into the shackle hanger, and bolt the other end of the H shackle into the shackle hanger.
17. Lower the axle onto the leaf springs and measure your wheelbase. If needed, move the front cross member until
your wheelbase is once again correct.
18. Once the cross member is properly located for wheelbase and tacked
into place, install your u-bolts and re-install wheels & tires. Lower the
vehicle back onto the floor so that the full weight of the Jeep is now on
the springs.
19. With a load now on the springs we can check your shackle angle. Using
an angle finder, measure the angle of the shackle. Your ideal angle will
be pointing forward 8-10 degrees. You will need to raise the vehicle and
adjust as needed to gain that shackle angle. The image shown here
displays what the proper shackle angle should look like.
20. Once you’ve got your shackle angle set, raise and support the vehicle
once again, remove the tires, unbolt and raise the axle, and remove the
leaf springs. With everything cleared and out of the way, the brackets
and cross member can now be welded into place and any bare metal
painted to prevent rust. Weld the rear hanger brackets in the pattern
shown in this diagram. If not properly welded as shown, no warranty on
the bracket will be honored.
21. With all brackets welded into place and painted, re-assemble the leaf
springs into the brackets, and fully re-assemble the axle, u-bolts and
wheels/tires. Be sure to grease all polyurethane bushings during
assembly.
22. Go over all nuts and bolts a second time to be sure everything is tight
and torqued. You can now test drive your Jeep. Be sure to periodically
re-check all bolts. Also frequently inspect welded areas for any failures
or fractures.
***ALL WELDING MUST BE DONE BY A CERTIFIED WELDER***