Explorer Rear Axle-Leaf Spring perches??

[IN2FORD]

When I bought my truck the Explorer axle was already installed. Since I have taken it down to the frame and bringing things back together, I am finding some issues. It seemed the Explorer rear axle swap was a bolt in deal. But when I attempt to bolt it in on my new leaf springs, it seems the holes on the perches are about a half inch off to the inside. Leaf springs are wider than the axle perches and the perches are the original Explorer stuff. So I am trying to figure out how to handle this and while fixing this figuring out the pinion angle as well. 2 thoughts:

1.) open the hole up to one side about 1 half of an inch so that the locator on the spring will hit the hole and just weld up the other side of the hole so it does not slide back and forth. Do this on both sides of the axle

2.) cut the perches off and weld in new ones in the right location.

So with the axle out of the frame, can you confirm the correct pinion angle? Even with the axle in the frame, with no weight on the frame how would you figure this out? Or is the factory perches already in the right place for the pinion angle?




Barry

[IN2FORD]

Thinking this through some more....what if I had the rear end on jack stands upside down so that the leaf spring perches are facing up. Measure and mark where the others should go 1/2 inch out further. Remove old perches, put the angle finder on the pinion flange reading 5 degrees down, put the leaf spring perch level at the measured location and weld. Wouldn't that give me the 5 degrees up when installed on top of the springs??


Below is a pic of the stock perches. With the pads level it shows about 10 degrees of angle which doesn't make sense. I was thinking that Ford did all of them at 5 degrees. Am I thinking about this wrong?




Barry

[IN2FORD]

Alright after talking with my buds at American Powertrain and reading up on this at the site below, I am going at this backwards. The only thing I need to do is remove the pads for now set the rear in place with new pads but not welded. Once the truck is basically together measure the angle of the trans driveshaft and pinion and get them the trans and rear axle as close to 3 degrees as I can and weld.

http://www.wolferacecraft.com/pinionangle.aspx

Barry

[rumblin46]

I used the stock mounts, "man-handled" the axle into place. No vibrations or driveline issues.