Swapping in my Dana 44. Factory SOA spring perches are 3" wide and my YJ 3.5" leaf springs are 2.5" wide?

Does the difference matter? Will the springs slide laterally due to the difference?

Should I use a 3" wide u-bolt plate to compensate? How about this ghetto fix: jam some 1/2" thick metal in between the springs and the u-bolts to compensate?

Should I cut them off and weld on a 2.5" perches on? (This will be a pita b/c I don't have a welder yet...but I could take it to someone and have the work done.)

Any other suggestions?

That is how my front is. I made my spring plate 3" wide out of 3/8" plate. It has worked fine for 2+ years.

I would personally get it fixed the right way...if you grind or torch off the old pads yourself and mark where the new ones will go then it would cost hardly anything to have someone weld them on for you...do you want to worry about if it will work...instead of knowing it was done right???

what kind of front axle is it I've never seen a factory front with 3" wide perches. If the perches are just welded on cut them off and out on the right ones. If the perch is an integral part of the housing maybe try a plate shaped shaped so the nuts sit next to the spring kinda like a upside down U that goes over the spring with tabs stickingout for the U-bolt to go through

Its a Ford F250 D44...mine was 3 inches as well. I sue all the standard 2.5 plates, etc, but I torched off orners on the perches so the ubolts set square and even. Works perfect.

Originally posted by NE-RokToy
what kind of front axle is it I've never seen a factory front with 3" wide perches. If the perches are just welded on cut them off and out on the right ones. If the perch is an integral part of the housing maybe try a plate shaped shaped so the nuts sit next to the spring kinda like a upside down U that goes over the spring with tabs stickingout for the U-bolt to go through

Uh . . . my d60 front has 3" wide perches and so does my d44 front.

J. J.

I would'nt worry about it. I have 2" springs on 2.5" perches.
The pin keeps them centered.

Originally posted by CJ-Jeeper
I would'nt worry about it. I have 2" springs on 2.5" perches.
The pin keeps them centered.

Just make sure your $hit is bolted good, dont trust a center pin to hold it all that well. Trust me when I say it is really stupid and pisses you off to change a center pin half way up walkers hill ;)