Thread: S3 leaf spring angles - is it possible to 'twist' an axle housing?

I've got a series 3 lwb ute running a Toyota 13bt and 5spd gbox. It sits on the ****, the driver's side being about 50mm lower than passenger side. It probably doesn't help that the 2 batteries (24v) are under the driver's seat. Replacing the springs has been on the to do list since buying the truck last December.

However I just noticed that the perches where the front leaves are clamped to the axle housing are at slightly different angles. Could my axle housing have twisted somehow? Or is it just a manufacturing fault, or even a designed feature?

The truck has extended shackles, and I was intending to fit wedged shims with new leaves to try and correct the pinion angle and hopefully improve my steering feel. Should I be looking to use 2 different angled wedges on the front to correct the different perch angles?

I tried taking some photos to show what I'm talking about. After leveling the truck with a jack, the passenger perch points at a point on its rear tire at least 50mm lower than the driver's side. Possibly up to 100mm difference.IMG_20180812_160359.jpgIMG_20180812_160418.jpg
These photos might have got shrunk too much by the file uploader to see.

Also, I noticed with the rear of the truck siitting roughly level, the shackles are at different angles. Is that something I should be worried about?

Series Landrovers have long travel suspension, and no sway bars. Since the weight is not distributed evenly side to side, they depend on having a different set on right and left springs to sit level, and even then rarely sit exactly level.

Since springs are different left to right, having the wrong springs on the wrong side, or aftermarket springs that are the same set both sides, will automatically introduce a lean (usually to the right).

Apart from this, the usual reason for a lean is one or more worn spring bush. And there is always the possibility that the chassis is twisted as the result of repairs!

Note that because the rear springs are further out on lwb vehicles (S2 on) the rear springs will have a greater effect (they are also usually higher rate).

I don't think it is possible to twist an axle, but there is the possibility of either manufacturing tolerance or slightly bodgy repairs. Extended shackles should only ever be used with extended spring hangers. If you want to retain these without the extended hangers, then wedges would be feasible to improve both prop shaft performance and steering geometry. Fitting them to the back would improve rear prop shaft performance.

Hope this helps.