Howdy. Okay , as I am replacing everything possible on the front suspension on 2000 Cherokee xj , I am at the point of only having to remove the upper and lower control arms and shocks ( coil springs still intact with 2" budget lift ). I will use two floor jacks and lower the housing and put it on two steel 8' horses to clean and paint + axle bearings . My question is ......... when I lower it will my coils have enough force to cause me danger ?. I'm also thinking while I have it benched , I should change ball joints and install the new Power Stop rotors and new calipers so I don't have to crawl on the floor/
What do you guys think ?

 

No, the coils will not spring out at you with force.

With the vehicle supported on jack stands you will have to lower your axle slowly out from under the Jeep. The coils are held to the axle by the small coil retainers and will most likely want to fall off the jeep themselves.

Now will be the time to change any parts on the axle. Ball joints would be good to do as well as the upper control arm bushings.

 

Thanks , you reminded me about the retainers. I have new upper and lower control arms in fact I have everything that can be replaced .... new and painted. With the housing on the bench for paint and upgrades it will be a good time for me to change the rear main seal and new oil pan, oil pump + tranny filter and pan , starter and all u joints. Then the same to the rear. I am doing new from front to back and then some. I'm going broke ! haha

 

Is there an issue with engine oil pressure? If so a new pump probably won't fix it.

 

No , I am just replacing anything I can while it's tore down. What sucks is that I ordered a new tranny oil pan from Morris 4x4 and it's the wrong one ! it has a 45 degree angle on the one corner and mine is rectangular and I can't for the life of me find one other than Mopar and it's like 130.00 so I will try to true the stock one and hope for the best. Somewhere down the line someone torqued the crap out of both the tranny pan and oil pan. I have a new oil pan so I'm good there.

 

When I drop my front axle or springs I do it in the following order. Makes for a smooth operation, no surprises.

1. Vehicle on jack stands, jack under axle.
2. Unbolt following from axle: track bar, sway bar, steering, shocks, calipers. Should just be control arms bolted to axle at that point. Leave the retainers bolted to the springs at this point.
3. Lower the jack slowly. Nothing radical will happen. Having the control arms still bolted up controls the arc of the axle. The springs will drop away from the upper mounts.
4. Unbolt the retainers, pull the springs. Start popping control arms loose. Start with the uppers and let the axle roll forward on the lowers. At this point you're going to want a helper to assist wrestling the axle off the lowers and dragging it out from under the jeep.

 

Thanks for the detailed process. Please tell me why I shouldn't put a floor jack under each knuckle and two floor stands under the axle housing , unbolt the bottom control arms and slowly drop it ?. then I can unbolt the control arm with the housing out. If there is to much presume on the springs I can torch them if need be. I'm not concerned with the housing rolling or why should I ?. Hech , I can strap it back if need be. I have no one to help me , I have to do this on my own.

 

The way I outlined, you end up with the axle laying on the ground. From there you can drag it out. Doing it as you suggest, you then have to get the axle off of the stands. I would suggest you find a helping set of hands for the final removal of the axle, that bugger weighs around 250 lbs or so. I got mine to the point of popping the LCAs and grabbed someone. I only needed them for around 10 minutes.

How are you planning to get it from the jack stands to the work bench?

 

With my cherry picker. I'm only worried about the tension on the springs not roll over.

 

Hell, if you're scrapping the springs, I would say torch them and yank that axle in any way that's easy.

 

HaHa ! " yank that axle " That's my way of doing things ......... Here is my " cherry picker ,

 

Wheels/tires off, calipers off, rotors off, steering off, track bar off, shocks off.

Drop the axle to full droop as low as it will go, pull the coil retainers, pull the coils out. Remove the upper control arms, remove the lower control arms and youre done.

I did it by myself in about an hour. Helps if you have an impact.

 

Thank you !