OK so I finished installing the 3" RC/Bastard Pack lift last night! Have some issues to finish tonight still but I just had to take it out and see how it was first.
Biggest issue is I need to redo the rear springs. On the drivers side I built my BP using:
Stock XJ main spring/Dakota main cut down/Dakota/Dakota/XJ helper spring.
Netted a touch over 4" of lift.
Passenger side I was planning on doing the same but the center pin just would not come out of the XJ springs (got the main leaf off but the other 3 were fused solid). PB Blaster and a hammer/punch ended up cracking all three springs in half. Stupid center pin was still held in solid!!! So I put it together without a helper spring, but the back end does not sit level, obviously. I need to decide if I want to pull the helper from the drivers side and be done or add the Dakota helper to each side (will give me 4.5" or so). I didn't want to go that high with the front end only 3" but I found a pair of stock spring isolators on CL last night for $10 and it is right by my house. 3.75" front and 4.5" back I think will be cool (I like the rake it has now, but want the rear end level).
Not sure what I should do.
The other small issues are:
Need to relocate track bar, but gotta decide what to do about the front/rear first.
I also need to install the new steering stabilizer (didn't want to hide any driveline shake or issues so wanted to try it without first).
Drove fine- had it up to 70MPH and no shakes or anything (and that was 70MPH on the dash, probably higher with the 31s).
Will take some pics tonight, but I didn't get done until after dark last night.
I did drive it to work today- figured the rear is less than 1/2" difference and it drives fine so what the heck!
So should I raise the rear 1/2" and the front 3/4" or drop the drivers side down and be done with it?
~K
Biggest issue is I need to redo the rear springs. On the drivers side I built my BP using:
Stock XJ main spring/Dakota main cut down/Dakota/Dakota/XJ helper spring.
Netted a touch over 4" of lift.
Passenger side I was planning on doing the same but the center pin just would not come out of the XJ springs (got the main leaf off but the other 3 were fused solid). PB Blaster and a hammer/punch ended up cracking all three springs in half. Stupid center pin was still held in solid!!! So I put it together without a helper spring, but the back end does not sit level, obviously. I need to decide if I want to pull the helper from the drivers side and be done or add the Dakota helper to each side (will give me 4.5" or so). I didn't want to go that high with the front end only 3" but I found a pair of stock spring isolators on CL last night for $10 and it is right by my house. 3.75" front and 4.5" back I think will be cool (I like the rake it has now, but want the rear end level).
Not sure what I should do.
The other small issues are:
Need to relocate track bar, but gotta decide what to do about the front/rear first.
I also need to install the new steering stabilizer (didn't want to hide any driveline shake or issues so wanted to try it without first).
Drove fine- had it up to 70MPH and no shakes or anything (and that was 70MPH on the dash, probably higher with the 31s).
Will take some pics tonight, but I didn't get done until after dark last night.
I did drive it to work today- figured the rear is less than 1/2" difference and it drives fine so what the heck!
So should I raise the rear 1/2" and the front 3/4" or drop the drivers side down and be done with it?
~K
Senior Member
haha that centering pins a pain.we took it to a tire place and they took 20 min with a air tool getting it off.
Well both my center pins on the Jeep broke, but the drives side came out with a punch and hammer in a couple minutes. The other side the springs were pretty rotted out and cracked in half in about 1/2 dozen hits with hammer!
I did get all four upper rear shock bolts out without breaking any, so I guess something else just had to be a PITA!
Still gotta figure out do I go higher front and back (and maybe have to do a TC drop) or just drop the helper spring from the drivers side...
I did get all four upper rear shock bolts out without breaking any, so I guess something else just had to be a PITA!
Still gotta figure out do I go higher front and back (and maybe have to do a TC drop) or just drop the helper spring from the drivers side...
Well I like the rear end a bit higher than the front but if I put the Dakota helpers in there my rear end will be quite a bit higher than the front. The rear already sits a bit higher and the Dakota helper springs are a good 1/2" thick themselves.
Figure if I do the Dakota helpers then I should add a 3/4" spacer up front.
I think that is what I am going to do. Taller = Better, right? ;-)
Figure if I do the Dakota helpers then I should add a 3/4" spacer up front.
I think that is what I am going to do. Taller = Better, right? ;-)
Well I met the guy from CL who had the isolators- he has a 95 XJ with 7" lift running on 32s (has 33s coming soon). Got the spring isolators (stock 3/4" or so), a rear wiper blade and a JEEP insert for a 2" hitch, all for $15.
Went home and did the rear drivers side - removed the old XJ helper spring and put in the Dakota helper. I checked the XJ helper out after removing it and it was cracked in the middle too. I also replaced the rear shock bolts with grade 8 bolts with anti-sieze. Have family plans tomorrow all day but should be able to get the other 3 corners done Sunday. Hope to get the radio figured out as well as the CB installed too.
My radio is new but I have two issues with it- I am getting engine hum through the two speakers that work, the drivers side speakers do not work at all. I figure I have a crappy ground, but if that doesn't help I'll get a filter for the power wire.
Went home and did the rear drivers side - removed the old XJ helper spring and put in the Dakota helper. I checked the XJ helper out after removing it and it was cracked in the middle too. I also replaced the rear shock bolts with grade 8 bolts with anti-sieze. Have family plans tomorrow all day but should be able to get the other 3 corners done Sunday. Hope to get the radio figured out as well as the CB installed too.
My radio is new but I have two issues with it- I am getting engine hum through the two speakers that work, the drivers side speakers do not work at all. I figure I have a crappy ground, but if that doesn't help I'll get a filter for the power wire.