Hello all
I have an 01 XJ with a budget 3” lift from the previous owner. I’ve got it jacked up as I was in the midst of trying to install bump stops & 1 3/4” coil spring spacers and I discovered the PO has CUT the steel column where the bump stop is supposed to be! My main question is it unsafe to install the spring spacers now as there is no steel support inside?

Passenger side

1 3/4” spacer only.

Spacer + coil seat/insulator. This is my concern, hollow insulator.

 

You'd need to address the bump stop post before running those spacers. If the suspension drooped out just enough the coil spring would defelct and come out which wouldn't be good. Looks like there's not even enough metal to even install the coil without it potentially pushing through the very beginning of the spacers.

If you got yourself a section of tubing that fits snug into the material that's there like a sleeve and extended down like it originally would have you'd be fine. I'll share a pic of what this would look like in just a few minutes

 

There is a propper approach to why you would lengthen this post in relation to suspension travel for limitation.

if you just want it to work without much forethought into your bump stop mounting then prolly a few inches below the bottom of your coil spacers would be enough material to serve the purpose.

Otherwise there's a different conversation involved in how you would determine your ideal bump stop location

 

Thanks a ton, TJG, appreciate it and it validates my initial thoughts on what I’d need to do to “re” extend the bump stop tube.
I installed a new coil spring spacer (doubled up actually), what are your thoughts on it please as it’s not a few inches below as you’d suggested? I’m certainly terrified of a coil spring droop & shoot!

 

A good way for you to trial and error would be to use a cherry picker/engine hoist if you have good recovery points up front and lift the jeeps front end up until the front wheels come off the ground.

If fully suspended and the coils still feel firmly in place then you'd be ok. If the coil spring shifts around under the isolator then you'd want to limit how far the suspension can travel to keep it from happening. Typically the shocks can do this depending on their length.

No engine hoist/cherry picker then lift the front end up with floor jack via your front axle, remove the wheels and install jack stands under your unibody rails right behind the lower control arm box's to suspend the jeeps axle high enough when you let that jack down the lowest parts of the axle are still off the ground *likely your rotors/bottom of knuckles

 

Great, thanks! I’ve not got a hoist but the Jeep is currently set up exactly how you’ve suggested to do a jack test!

 

Figuring out your ideal limiting points for up travel and down travel is really simple but can be complex depending on your versatility to fab new mounts or adapt universal parts.

There is most commonly a 1" rule to either direction. You would setup your limitation to start atleast 1" prior to a desired limitation point to allow for stretch or compression.

I have Ruffstuff specialties limiting straps at each wheel and then autozones universal cone bushing in the front as you see in the picture above and then I have a combination of factory comanche rear and a set of Timbrin rubber towers in the rear