Installing the new 6.5" Iron Rock 4 link lift in a WJ.
 

It's my friend's Jeep, '04 Overlander, he bought the kit and I'm doing the install. It's the first one they've sold and it's been an interesting process. The front half has been around, but the 4 link rear is all new. We've probably put about 14 hrs. into it, mostly just me as he's not mechanically inclined. The instructions are unclear and/or confusing on a few things and that cost us a lot of time figuring stuff out. Re-installing the rear arm bracket that we put in upside down cost some time too. There is a photo of the rear components in their relative positions, but he misunderstood it. Their photos aren't very clear, dark low res black & whites, and the instructions really could be much better. The first part of the instructions is pre-assembly of several components, first up is the rear shock bushings; dead simple I thought, till we read the process and nothing made sense. I finally decided to skip that and figure out what parts fit when it came time to install them and it worked out fine. I emailed them last night and if they contact me I'll be talking to them about the instructions and a couple washers I had to source myself for the crossmember.

The parts seem to be well made and beefy. The rear arms are radiused high clearance arms. He thought the front was also high clearance but it's not, I don't know if that was his mistake or theirs that we wound up with the regular front arms. The amount of droop it allows is amazing, enough that the supplied front brake line bracket spacers aren't enough and the hoses would become limiting straps, not good so I unbolted the brackets for now 'till I figure out what to do. In the rear there's currently no place to secure the brake lines/cables since they they used to attach to the upper control arm that is gone. I don't yet know if or how they'll all be re-secured, the instructions don't address that. At full droop the left brake cable is right at the edge of ok, pulls it tight but but I don't think it's to a point of damage; I'll have to see what it does in a twisted droop. Assembling their joints, kinda like Heim joints, is a bit tricky. On the rear arms the nuts are pushed against the arm hole pretty tight, the front was worse and I had to grind one of the nuts down as there was no way it would go on straight. I haven't put the truck on the ground yet to adjust the rear arms, but it currently appears that the uppers are a bit too long.

It's fairly close to done, I hope, and I'll update as it finishes coming together and if I end up talking to IRO.

It's not done, but at least it's on the ground. Front up travel is just a hair over 2" and rear a bit over 4" to the shock stoppers. This is before installing skid plates, sliders, bumpers, etc. I suspected they would be too long, now confirmed. I'm guessing all the extras are gonna drop it at least an inch, assuming the springs don't drop some just from being loaded, leaving almost no up travel.

Talked to Joe Kennedy at IRO this morning. The shocks are intentionally chosen long to limit up travel to keep the tires from pushing too far into the wheel wells and tearing stuff up. I also realized the Jeep was a little twisted when I took my measurement last night, it's got just over 2 1/2" inches to the stops and Joe says the stops will compress an inch. Once the big tires are on and everything is trimmed I'll see if there's room for more travel.

I want pictures.

I would if I knew how. It looks like the only way to post them is having a place to host them and I don't.

Just click on the yellow picture image at the top of the message form you use to post. You can post pictures from your computer.

Ahh yes, I'm a computertard. We're supposed to do a twist test this weekend with my forklift, if we do I'll snap a few shots. If we don't I'll grab the photos we have.

Alrighty sweet

I've forgotten to update. It got 35" Hankook mud terrains. He wanted MTRs but they're back ordered. The hankooks have great reviews and were cheap. The road manners of the Jeep and tires are great. Had a bad experience with 4wheel parts, it was taken in for a 4 wheel alignment and all the guy did was a tape measure toe. On top of that he put the over knuckle tie rod under the knuckle and changed the washers to "the right ones". After talking to the manager everything was put back and they refunded the charge so at least they did take care of us. The mechanic was a bit of an *** and it wasn't his first similar offense, it sounded like they were going to take care of him. It didn't pull and everything seems square so my buddy decided my driveway alignment is good enough and not going to try again. I'm pretty sure it has a little excessive caster, I had to guess at it and more is better than not enough. I trimmed the front bumper, trimmed the back of the fenders, and folded the pinch seam in the fender. It came out pretty clean for not really trying and has tire clearance to full lock, haven't tried compressed to lock but looks like it should be clear. The rear should have no issues. He hasn't gotten back over to twist it and photogragh, but when it happens I'll post. He's loving driving it daily and it'll be off-road for Thanksgiving in Ocotillo Wells.