evmo

Once again I did a search and didn't find what I needed so bear with me...

I just bought the Rocky Road 3" Budget Lift for my 2000 XJ. Reading through the directions the installation seems pretty straight forward but I'm wondering if I have to remove my hitch to get the stock shackles out. I can only see the head of the top bolt, will this be a problem?

Also I'm thinking of running 31's is this the max I should go?

Any other advice is also appreciated.

4.3L XJ

Yeah, 31s without fender trimming. They might rub a very little at full stuff though if you are using stock wheels. No big deal. If you use after market wheels you will want to move your bump stops down in the rear.

Not sure about the hitch, but if you can't even get to the bolt with tools, then you will have to remove it.

evmo

Well that's the thing, I can easily get to one side of the top bolt but I'm not sure if it threads into the uni-body or if it has a nut on the other side that I'll have to get to.

Cherokee 4.0

idk bout 31s fit with 7.5

BLKXJ 96

At the rear shackle the upper bolt threads into the body. The lower bolt has a nut on the other side. When I put different shackles on my jeep the lower bolt did not have enough room to come all the way out (too long) with out removing the hitch.

It is very common for the upper and lower bolts to bind in the sleeves in the shackle and leaf spring.

It is also common for these bolts to seize in the uni-body frame rail.

evmo

OK well that's kinda good news. It sounds like if I remove the upper bolt first I can avoid the hitch when taking out the lower by raising the jeep up a bit more (I haven't checked the clearances yet, you and I could have totally different hitches).

As far as the binding goes I started soaking everything in WD-40 today. I won't have a chance to do the install till Thursday so hopefully with daily soaking I can alleviate some of the stuck bolt issues.

claygrassmann

good start with the wd 40 but i would recommend pb blaster it works a lot better

evmo

I've tried lots of solvents that claim to be the best at breaking loose stuck bolts but I always go back to WD-40, it's never failed me. Plus I have five partially full cans laying around that I really should use up.

To be fair I've never tried PB Blaster though so I can't say it works better or not, maybe when all these cans are empty I'll give it a try.

muddpigg

i almost broke a buddy's 3' breaker bar trying to get my rear shackle bolts out. i really wished that i had used pb blaster for a few days before i tried those bolts. i found out that i had no choice but to remove the hitch to get the shackles out, and when i put them back it didn't line up just right - a royal pain in the sphincter!!! coil spring spacers were a breeze, but what should've been a simple 2 hour operation ended up taking around 6. good luck...

jd4x426

I just put my shackles on a couple of weeks ago i didnt have to take my hitch off get the bolts loose while its all together then take out the top bolt first lower down the spring and slide ouyt the bottom bolt when you reinstall the bolt put it in through the outside so if you ever change springs you can just undo 1 bolt instead of 2.And i would definitely recomend pb blaster it works great

evmo

That's exactly what my plan is. Seems so weird that the factory would install them like that. But then again they didn't build it to be lifted I suppose...

And yet another vote for PB blaster...well shucks, I have to go pick up some tools anyway maybe I'll pick up a can after all.

josh jeep

yeah thats all i use is pb its awesome nothin better

mobilecherokee4

PB saved my life when puttin my lift on, i soaked the bolts for a week before i started

evmo

Alright so I caved and bought a can yesterday. Hopefully this will save me some grief.

smtippin

You definitely made a good choice with the PB Blaster. Plus, when it is all said and done, you'll have one great smelling Jeep. I'd go nuts if they sold a PB Blaster perfume.

s