Basslicks

The list is getting a little shorter....

Basslicks

Got some new feet for my rockstar today...

Swapped my Pacer D-windows back on to it. I can turn it lock to lock without rubbing the LCAs and swabars again. FINALLY!



Now I just need to work on getting my brake lines on so I can get the lift under it.


By the way... if you're in the Ocala/Marion County area and looking for a good deal on tires and good service. Check out Soggy Bottom Wholesale Tire. Great bunch of guys who are real down to earth, do great work, and charge a MORE than fair price on service and tires. I can't say enough about these guys. I won't disclose the price I paid because I may have gotten a discount because of a group I belong to - but even if not, just the service alone was excellent. One wheel I have is slightly bent... I asked him to put it in the back to avoid death wobble. He did... but I can't tell which wheel 'cause he balanced it out so well. They'll also unmount the tires and rotate their position on the rim to use the least amount of weight possible. My jeep rides smoother now w/ steel wheels on mud tires than it did before with aluminum rims on the same tires. Very very impressed with these guys.


Ok... I'm done now.


**The set of 4 TJ Canyons are up for sale if you're in the Ocala area. I'm in the process of removing the rest of the plasti-dip off of them. PM me if interested.**

Basslicks

Pulled the trigger on the lift. Started around 7... this was as far as I got in two hours.



Stupid hardlines gave me hell. Couldn't get the nut loose to save my life. Tried open end wrench, then fuel line wrench, then when those two BOTH failed, I used the holy grail of no-no's on important parts.... vice grips. No dice.

So I gave up and went ahead with the rest of the lift. I'll relocate the hard lines tomorrow for a temporary fix until I can get new hard lines.

Here's a few more pics.



4" Bumpstop Spacers



I can already tell I'll be trimming those down. We'll see though.

With the wheel back on and on its own weight...



What the other side still looks like...



I think it's safe to say I'll be snagging a set of 33's next go 'round.



Some comparison pics just for those in wonder.

The stock coils next to the lift coils.



Forgot to get a pic comparing the stock shocks to the lift shocks... but I did get one comparing the stock shocks the OEM JK shocks. About 1.5" difference. Would be good for someone considering a 2" BB - especially if they added a 1/2" spacer to the shocks.





Still have to do the pass side, the rear AND bleed the brakes. All before my friend from work gets here at 1 in the afternoon for me to work on his headlights for his Caliber.

Desertfox1023

She's Growing Up!

Outlaw Star

Basslicks

Got the front done yesterday morning and decided to take it for a spin.

Death wobble.

"okay" I thought, "I haven't lifted the rear yet, so the geometry is all thrown off. I'll wait until I get the rear in the air, maybe that's what's throwing it off.

So then I lifted the rear. Got everything all button up, took it for a spin.

Death wobble.



I didn't install the trac bar drop bracket yet -or- install the "new to me" trac bar that I painted red either.

I'm also still running stock LCAs so I think the biggest issue right now is my caster. There's an adjustment screw on the frame-side LCA brackets, right? Maybe I can run that out and correct the front axle angle?

Finally got the brake lines off on the front and put the YJ lines on. They're good enough for now, but I don't really like how it's not all rubber. The hard line kinda takes some flexibility out of the line, but it will work until I can save up for some SS lines.

Didn't get to the rear brake line yet.

Didn't reattach the bumper or the hitch. The hitch is a PITA to get on because I don't have nutstrips, I'm using bolts w/ square spacers that aren't quite big enough to do their job inside the frame... and of course since the bolts aren't welded to those spacers, you wind up pushing the bolt "up" out of the spacer when you go to put the nuts on.

Let me back up. The reason for "uninstalling" the hitch and bumper when lifting the rear.

This...



...is the type of trailer hitch you need in an XJ. The mounting rails are facing outward, which provides a narrower width of the hitch itself that allows for no interference between the hitch and shackle nuts.

This...



...is a hitch for a ZJ. The mounting rails face inward which winds up being juuuuust narrow enough to clear the shackle bolt head if you flip the bolt around so that the bolt faces the middle and the nut is on the outside. Which means that in order to get to the shackle bolts - you have to drop the hitch.

I was out of energy and out of pretty much all will to do anything else to the jeep yesterday after working on it all day long in the hot sun, 80% humidity, 93* temp, and heat index of about 109 yesterday.

Then, of course, to drive it and find out I had DW, I was done.

Couple more pics...

I was a little concerned when I got the stock leafs out and compared them to what I have. I could tell the axle location was going to be pushed forward and the main leaf was about an inch shorter in unsprung length.



I kept the overload spring on just too see what the performance was like AND since I don't have bumpstops in the rear, I figured that might help in keeping the tires from contacting the body.



I'll try to remember to get better pics tonight when I get home



YAAAAY FOR STUPID DEATH WOBBLE!!!

Desertfox1023

Don't let it get you down about the DW.

Most likely it's because of the Steering Geometry.
Get the Track Bar on, Do a drive way alignment, and check for worn components.

Once Everything checks out get it professionally aligned and enjoy

Basslicks

Yeah, I'm not completely gut-punched about it. Was just a little bit of a buzz-kill to do all that work over the past couple of days and then not be able to drive it... well... I CAN drive it, just really don't want to with it like that. Doesn't seem safe to me, but I know there are those that do.

I know I'll get it figured out though.

no rdplz

Looks good! DW pretty much a given when you lift an XJ, especially without doing a track bar. IMO, get IRO's double sheer. it's pure beef and way better than one with a heim or TRE at the top.

As for the LCA's, send me your address so I can get those sent to you.

Basslicks

PM Sent!

Looking at the angles of the drag link and the track bar, I can't really see how the track bar relocation bracket is supposed to solve anything. Seems like it's going to throw the angles off and (if it even solves DW) will solve one problem just to create bump steer.

ANYONE PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

Definitely considering an adjustable track bar ASAP though. I do like the idea of the double sheer... but I still have to make this thing 4wd first. I'm not wheeling it hard (yet) so hopefully a quality adjustable single-sheer bar will do the job just fine.

Again... correct me if I'm wrong. New to this part of the game.

Basslicks

OH! Update...

Did a driveway alignment last night. Reset the toe to zero. This seemed to help a bit. Still GET the DW but it's not as violent and it takes more to make it happen.

Attempted the writeup on go-jeep to adjust caster angle, but it's already as far forward as it can get. I'm not even sure how you're supposed to fit shims where he's saying to fit them. Maybe this is a 2wd thing, I don't know. I was able to squeeze about 1/8" out of the passenger side by adding a homebrew aluminum shim. Really had to hammer it in there though.

Also discovered the pass-side UCA is slightly bent. Not totally wrecked, but it's got a bend in it for sure. Didn't have the time last night to take it off and attempt to bend it back.

I really gotta hand it to my wife though. She hasn't complained once about me spending all my time in the driveway and garage getting this thing lifted and trying to fix the DW. She's been a real good sport and really supportive. Even made the comment "well, if you need to buy some parts this weekend to fix it, just get what you need".... guess I'll have to buy her something nice this weekend. Don't tell her though guys

Desertfox1023

Wow if only I could keep mine happy. She'll get mad if I think about touching the Jeep sometimes....


Typically because she knows it'll take x2 along as I say it will.
Then will usually involve some extra dirty laundry that may stain her clothes.... Oops.

no rdplz

^^TRUTH!!!!

Big thing with steering geometry is that the drag link and track bar need to be parallel to each other. It may mean having to drill out a new hole for the axle bolt of the track bar to move it to the passenger side about 1/2". At only 3" you shouldn't need a relocation track bar bracket. Once you get to 4.5", yes, it is a good idea to have one, but not for anything less than that.

The bent UCA is definitely a possible contributor to your DW too. Make sure to check the bushings on those. If they're worn or binding at all you've got at least part of your answer as to the cause.

Basslicks

lol... hey, this is definitely not the norm. I'd have to say about 2/3rds of the time, my wife reacts the same way. And yeah, 2 or 3x as long as what we estimate. That's what JP Editor Vern Simons calls "Jeep Time".

Awesome. Thanks for the help guys, sounds like I'm on the right track.


OH! Finally got some daytime pics of the lift on too.



Ignore the exhaust that looks like it's about to fall off. Already fixed it (temporarily).




Yup... Shackle angles are verticle



Also. Went ahead and got the V8 ZJ Tie rod today. I'm not a total hero in that regard, I didn't spring for the Moog (139 bucks just for the long side itself), no I cheaped out and got the off-brand. BUT the off-brand carries lifetime replacement and still feels heavy and beefy. We shall see. All three pieces came to about 80 bucks.

dukie564

Looks good man.

Lemme know how installing the TB goes