Spring issue

[noJeepshere]

I rebuilt my rear spring packs last week to install an add-a-leaf, and now it seems like my truck is dogtracking (kinda sideways) going down the road. I did some careful measuring underneath and the driver side of the axle is 1/16th of an inch closer to the front than the passenger side. Will that little difference make a noticeable dog tracking situation like I seem to have? The centering pins seemes to be perfectly perpendicular to the springs so I'm a little stumped.

 

[bowtiefreak]

Are the U bolts shifting the axle at all?

 

[SunlitComet]

it is probably because of the axle shifting. it is easily fixed with a thrust angle alignment. That should have been after you put everything back together. a 1/16" of an inch at that axle lenght is about 0.6° of thrust angle and that can make a difference. hit everything with a heavy rubber mallet to help seat it in place a little bit and re-tighten everything. then head to the shop.

 

[bowtiefreak]

I've never had a problem with mine, I guess I'm lucky. I even make my own center pins as the tahoe has a tendancy or at least had one of bending the centering pins to the point I had to beat them out of the springs or take the whole pack apart to get them out

 

[noJeepshere]

Are the U bolts shifting the axle at all?

I do need to get back under there and retighten the nuts on the u-bolts, I had to cut the old ones off. But this was immediate and the steering wheel sits slightly to the right when traveling straight. I also did a tire rotation at the same time so I will swap the front wheels across and see if the wheel goes the opposite way.