[Bad Rat 414]

I want to stiffen up my axle without lifting it up more. I did a axle flip kit a couple years back and I'm thinking that's one reason my tranny shifts so hard, because the way the axle is mounted to the leaf springs. I put my cell phone under there once and drove around with it. When it shifts the rear torques, but because of the flip kit you can't put leaf slappers on it. I've even toyed around with the idea of welding some kind of bracket on the axle and mounting a front shock to it. Any ideas?

 

[TomA]

Install an anti-wrap bar. I got my kit from RuffStuff, but there are a million different ones available.

 

[bk2life]

I want to stiffen up my axle ......my tranny shifts so hard,

why would the axle movement cause a hard shift? If anything it would soften the shift due to loss of hp/tq through twisting the leaf springs.
all axles twist under load, cut a piece of 1/2"plate 2 inches wide by8 inches and bolt that between the axle and leaf springs. that will help prevent axle wrap.

 

[Bad Rat 414]

Your solution would raise it 1/2" which I don't want to do. The end is already higher than the front.

 

[bk2life]

Your solution would raise it 1/2" which I don't want to do.

ok, then cut off your leaf spring mounts from the axle, and weld on longer axle wrap preventing perches. something such as these from amazona https://www.amazon.com/ANTI-WRAP-LEAF-SPRING-PERCH-PAIR/dp/B01N8RKYJ1

 

[Bad Rat 414]

I'm not going to cut off my spring mounts. I've already modified and beefed them up.

 

[2.2s101995]

Not sure if this is what you mean but a $60 pair of universal overleaf helper springs from the autozone really helped to reduce sagging and stiffen up the rear end on mine.

 

[TomA]

This will totally solve your problem.

RuffStuff Specialties Anti-wrap Bar Kit

 

[Bad Rat 414]

OK let me show you what happened. This is the first axle with the flip kit.

Then I fixed it.

After several months of snatching and twisting it gave up. This is the axle after the drive shaft was throw out in the street. Do you see anything missing?

Then I replaced the entire rear end and beefed up the spring perches on both sides and re-enforced the original weld. This is why i can't go back and remove the flip kit unless I remove the spring mounts and replace them.

 

[TomA]

Can't you just weld new spring perches on top of the axle and lose the "flip kit"? Perches are not designed to be loaded in the way yours currently are. You don't even need to cut the old ones off if you don't want to.

Also, it looks like you could still use those if you wanted to put the axle back on top of the springs. You would just need to drill a hole for the spring center pin.

 

[Bad Rat 414]

Can't you just weld new spring perches on top of the axle and lose the "flip kit"? Perches are not designed to be loaded in the way yours currently are.

you are very correct. it was never designed to be used this way. Yes, I could put new mounts on the top of the axle. I just concerned about getting them in the correct place.

 

[TomA]

you are very correct. it was never designed to be used this way. Yes, I could put new mounts on the top of the axle. I just concerned about getting them in the correct place.

I always bolt the axle up with the new perches not welded, then use a digital angle finder to set the pinion angle. After they're tacked in place, I remove the axle and weld them properly.

 

[Lonnie P]

I see a lot of issues....

Your u-bolts are too large in diameter, they should closely fit the axle diameter.
They are not tightening properly the way they are currently.

Also the brake line is between the u-bolt & the housing.... another bad thing to do.
If the kit was made this way, it is a poorly designed.

Weld a set of perches on top of the axle & do it properly before you or someone else gets hurt.

 

[Bad Rat 414]

The U bolts are fine.

 

[jimmykicker]

The U bolts are fine.

Kinda have to agree bro. Those U bolts need to much closer to the circumference of the tube, or it'll "walk" around when torque is applied and you will never get it straight.