Did a search couldn't find the answers for
my questions.

1. What is the most angle for shims ???

2. I know steel is better than aluminum,
who makes steel shims ???

3. Full on weld to the perch or just a
heavy tack at each corner ???

I'm running Rancho front springs with
shackles 2" longer than stock.
Have a really bad pinion angle going on,
need to remedy this before I do some
damage to any of the front end parts.

Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

Superlift makes aluminum degree shims. They come in 3 degree and 5 degree--maybe others I don't know. Degree shims are just a band-aid cure...avoid them if you can. I have an '81 with a 3-inch Downey front spring pack and a 3-inch extended shackle. It is true that the '79-'83 front driveshafts are too short, and the front u-joint can bind when the truck is lifted. I had my driveshaft re-done with a higher-clearance yoke and stub-shaft. Unitrax in Anaheim, Ca. took care of it. My front driveshaft angle is still bad, but it doesn't bind. I would rather stress the front u-joint than have all the bad handling that degree shims cause. I used 3-degree shims for a while, but took them out later. I am planning to lengthen my drivetrain (longer tranny or crawler box or both) to get a better drivetrain and driveshaft angle. I also plan on cutting and turning the knuckles, and fabbing a link-and-coilover front suspension. 4x4 wire has a great article about cutting and turning a Toy axle. A lot of work, but worth it. I guess that's my .05--too long a reply for .02!

Originally posted by Baddawg775
who makes steel shims ???
Roger Brown (http://4crawler.cruiserpages.com/4x4/ForSale/Shims.shtml#CustomAxleShims)

I run 4* aluminum shims with my 7" Skyjacker springs without any problem. The shims are bolted to my spring packs, not my perchs.

Originally posted by Baddawg775
1. What is the most angle for shims ???

2. I know steel is better than aluminum,
who makes steel shims ???

3. Full on weld to the perch or just a
heavy tack at each corner ???


1: I can make up to 10-12 degrees for steel shims out of 1" thick material.

2. I make steel shims, either bolt- or weld-on:
http://4crawler.cruiserpages.com/4x4/ForSale/Shims.shtml

3. If the shim is thick and the center bolt head won't reach to the hole in the spring perch, then a heavier weld is probably better.

For the front axle on a street driven rig, the best bet is to get the front caster angle checked and only correct the pinion angle to the point the caster angle remains useable. If you need more pinion angle correction, either rotate the knuckles, get a high pinion diff, or install a 2nd transfer case to fix the angles. I run around 6" of lift and have high pinion plus dual case and have a nearly ideal pinion angle w/o shims.

With a 2" longer shackle, you can probably use a 2-3 degree shim to tip the pinion up without killing the steering.

:D Thanks for input, now I have
an idea of what to do next. :D