96 Front Suspension Help
#1
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96 Front Suspension Help
Hey folks! First post here.
Got into a fender bender w/my 4x4 ZJ(?). I'm fairly new to the Jeep world but to my untrained eye all I could see that needed (non-general maintenance) repairing was the lower suspension arm.
The rest of the suspension components, although articulated far left, seem ok. A new arm was $70 but I managed to junkyard one for $20. New bushings would have been nice but that's a project that will have to wait.
Here's my problem:
I'm obviously not lining up. The bolt holes are roughly 2 - 3" off. I'm unable to physically push the suspension at all to get it lined up. So here's my question: is it the dampener seen here that needs to contract back into itself to allow the give I need?
Aaaaaaand if so, could I place a scissor jack like this to push the sucker back in?
I appreciate your guys' help in advance. Really need to get this guy back on the road pronto! And I apologize about all the pictures but I figured the better picture I painted the better my little blunder here would get across.
Glad to have found a Cherokee forum!
Got into a fender bender w/my 4x4 ZJ(?). I'm fairly new to the Jeep world but to my untrained eye all I could see that needed (non-general maintenance) repairing was the lower suspension arm.
The rest of the suspension components, although articulated far left, seem ok. A new arm was $70 but I managed to junkyard one for $20. New bushings would have been nice but that's a project that will have to wait.
Here's my problem:
I'm obviously not lining up. The bolt holes are roughly 2 - 3" off. I'm unable to physically push the suspension at all to get it lined up. So here's my question: is it the dampener seen here that needs to contract back into itself to allow the give I need?
Aaaaaaand if so, could I place a scissor jack like this to push the sucker back in?
I appreciate your guys' help in advance. Really need to get this guy back on the road pronto! And I apologize about all the pictures but I figured the better picture I painted the better my little blunder here would get across.
Glad to have found a Cherokee forum!
Last edited by gus.; 09-10-2010 at 03:46 PM.
#4
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can't tell if the sway bar is bent, but I did notice he's installing the LCA upside down. I've always used a come along to "wench" the axle forward or back what ever it my need.
#5
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You have the arm upside down, and that one bushing looks pretty bad. I got two lower arms from ebay for abot 70 bucks. The upper arm might be tweaked too.
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Ha! You're right! I made sure it was good horizontal... but not vertical. I'll give that upper arm a good eye. Thanks man.
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#8
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For how bent that LCA was, my guess is that the upper control arm is bent a little too, keeping the axle too far back to mount the LCA.
Edit: Upon looking at the pictures again, I'm almost 99% sure that your passenger side UCA is bent.
Edit: Upon looking at the pictures again, I'm almost 99% sure that your passenger side UCA is bent.
#11
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^Busted, I really wish I could man but I have but a few bucks to get this thing driveable.
SO... You know, once there, w/the scissor jack in place and pushing away mm by mm I couldn't help but chuckle at the situation I was in.
But it did the *job!
UCA, thankfully, looks ok. Filthy, but straight.
*I get the wheels back on ready for a quick around-the-block shakedown and... CLICK CLICK CLICK. Deaaaaaad battery. What luck! It's over at the auto parts store getting trickle-charged overnight. BLUGH. So uhh... I haven't driven it yet.
Thanks for all the input guys. Will let you know how it faired.
SO... You know, once there, w/the scissor jack in place and pushing away mm by mm I couldn't help but chuckle at the situation I was in.
But it did the *job!
UCA, thankfully, looks ok. Filthy, but straight.
*I get the wheels back on ready for a quick around-the-block shakedown and... CLICK CLICK CLICK. Deaaaaaad battery. What luck! It's over at the auto parts store getting trickle-charged overnight. BLUGH. So uhh... I haven't driven it yet.
Thanks for all the input guys. Will let you know how it faired.
#13
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Crap. I didn't really think to check that. Kind of figured it was just flexing. I'll have to take it off and check it out. Thanks Troy.
#14
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The swaybar links on ZJs have some sorta ball joint on them, unless that flex ripped the joint apart it's probably fine.
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