When we did a friend of mines we used a bottle jack to push the axle down. Just don't bend anything. He put 3 inch taller springs in also,took about 5 min per side once the old ones where out. I did the same thing when i took the spacers out of my zj and installed my ACOS. HaHa took longer to get the jack out from under the back seat than to install the ACOS.

 

Thanks I may try that if i cant compress them enough

 

The spring compressors are nice. I tried shoving in 2" springs by tilting the axles as far down as they can go but there was just no way to do it. The lower control arms bottom out and hit the shock mount plate and won't go down anymore. Out came the spring compressors. Dropping the axle to install springs can be a PITA. If you disconnect any control arms to do this, it was be very difficult to align them back up once the springs are on. I spent 1.5 hours fighting with the arms trying to get them to line up. Next time i will connect the arms first and install the springs with a compressor.

Today i had to remove and reinstall all four new control arms and also remove the bushings from the front 30. I thought it was gonna be hard but it was easy. I pressed out the center of the bushing and then took a screwdriver and hammer and pounded out the metal sleeve. Took about 30 min to do both upper bushings. After the new arms went on, the jeep drove a little strange. The steering was sensitive and i had a bit of bumpsteer. Not alot but enough to notice it. I'm gonna get a complete alignment and have my caster adjusted as much as possible with stock arms. The annoying clunk was gone though

 

Had to wait all day for the stupid Direct TV guys to come change my dish and my DVR to the high def type. They said they would be here between 8-4, but to stay by the phone. So the number they needed to call was the house phone. Thus I got nothing done outside of my house today. No work on the Heep. No Fire extinguisher install, no skid plate install, no headlight install. Nada!

 

put in a wood grain dash got it started and fried a head unit

 

Mounted a factory gas tank skidplate.

 

You got pictures to share with us?

 

took off the front sway bar.

 

Yep!!!
I found this at a place called Yark Automotive in Toliedo Ohio while doing a parts search, Chrysler has put these NS1 or "discontinued". NS1 parts get marked way down, I got this for $125
I had to cut it in a few spots and drill out the holes in a different spot to make it fit because it is for a 97 xj and mines a 96.

 

Thanks

 

Ouch. That's a drag
Hope you get aroud to some mods when time permits

 

"Tomorrow I'll do it", my famous last words.

 

In preperation for it getting painted I removed the factory badges and pinstripes, cowl, and roof rack. I'm also doing the headliner so I finished removing all the interior trim.

And, I continued passing along the life-long infection known as "Jeep ownership" to my son. He's already convinced that this one is his...



He spent over an hour the in garage with me yesterday morning and stayed focused working on "his" Jeep the entire time.

 

Teach him about eye protection, or they will be callin' him patch or cyclops or some gawd awful name. You know how cruel kids can be to a one eyed classmate.

 

Good point!

I typically do have him wear eye protection, but simply forgot yesterday because it was such a simple task. Thing is, those are the ones that always get you in the end.

Thanks for the reminder.