ExpeditionXJ

I'm needing some help with a strange issue. I just finished installing a new rear axle, shackles, shackle relocation brackets, springs, and shocks. I noticed that when at full droop with the shocks connected (axle hanging unsupported) the driver side is higher than the passenger side by about 3". Details are below:

-With the shocks disconnected (just springs holding the axle) the axle hangs evenly
-The axle is even when the jeep is lowered to the ground and weight supported by the tires.
-The axle is canted to where the passenger side lower mount points up and the driver side lower mount points down (this could be the cause). Photos 2 & 3 show how the driver side mount is pointing down.
-Installing the driver side shock requires lifting the driver side of the axle ~2.5" higher than the passenger side as seen in the last photo.
-The driveshaft is not connected. I don't have one that's proper length and will fit yet (switched from a d35 to an 8.25). I'm not sure if this is allowing the cant mentioned above.
-The shocks are the same length and I have swapped them but had the same results.
-There appears to be some binding on the side that hangs higher. Jacking up the driver side requires more effort and the shock clunks when allowing it to droop down after being compressed. This happens even when I swapped the shocks.
-All of the leaf spring bushing bolts were left un-torqued.
-There doesn't appear to be any bends or damage to the shock mounts on the jeep or the axle.
-The axle shock mounts measure the same distance from the bolt to the axle tube.
-The same shackle bolt location is used on both sides.
-The brake line is disconnected











Thanks for the help!

caged

prolly those crappy ol man emu shocks. leave those for the land rovers

did you tighten down everything with the weight on all 4 tires? if you tighten things down with the axle hanging, it won't sit right. but since you said it sits fine when on the ground or when shocks are pulled, i would say the shocks have something to do with it.

jbsjunk

It's not the shocks. It's the location of them. One in front of the diff, and one behind. Good thing is, it doesn't hang when you drive it.

cdn_xj

Your are lifted and I assume that you have shimmed or clocked the axle to correct your pinion angle. With one lower shock mount in front of the axle and one behind, when you rotate the axle to correct your pinion angle the shock mount on the rear of the axle is farther away from the upper mount. Conversely, the distance between the mounts on the front side of the axle is less.

What this means is that your shocks are too short and are bottoming out (not good) at full droop. Well, the driver's side is bottoming out.

Solution(s):
1) get longer shocks, or
2) cut-off and relocate the lower shock mounts.

I would go with Option 2. by relocating the lower shock mounts up onto the axle tube you can correct the lower shock mount pin angle, clean up the underside of the axle tube (less hanging down to get caught on rocks, etc.), AND you recover 2 - 3" of shock down-travel.

ExpeditionXJ

Thanks for the reply. This is exactly what I was thinking was happening. My axle isn't shimmed yet so the problem will get worse.

cdn_xj

Yes, it will.

I currently have the opposite problem: My shocks don't bind and don't bottom or top out at all, BUT I still have the stock lower mounts. I had planned to relocate the lower mounting pin onto the axle tube to regain the clearance but doing so with the shocks that I currently have would top out the shocks.

If i were you, I would take the opportunity to re-locate the lower mounts now.

You might also wish to consider TNT's u-bolt eliminator kit. Not only does it allow you to use grade 8 bolts instead of u-bolts but you can correct your pinion angle without shims. AND axle-tube mounted pins are included. You cut off your OEM spring perches and lower shock mounts, position the axle as needed, and weld on the TNT parts.

ExpeditionXJ

I keep thinking about this.

1.)My shocks are the longest available for a Cherokee with a lift under 5". My shocks extend to 24.5". The common Bilstein 5100 for this lift height is 23.8" ~.7" shorter

2.)I'm sitting at 4.25 in the rear, have 5" shackles (shorter than the common JKS boomerangs) and have shackle relocation brackets with higher mounting holes than most (except the no lift brackets).

3.)If anything I should have less downward travel and more shock length than others running a ~4" lift with shackles and relocators.

4.)I just looked at the Bilstein 5100 shock that's recommended for 6" lifts, and is the longest XJ shock they make. It's only 1.4" longer extended than what I have now which is still to short.

This leads me to believe that either everyone else running a similar setup (which is A LOT of people) has the same issue, or something else is at play.

Like I said in my first post, I don't have a drive shaft connected and won't for a while. Is there any chance my axle is able to hang lower due to not having a drive shaft?

cdn_xj

Not likely. Otherwise you'd find a lot of poeple running limiting straps in order to preserve their driveshafts.

In my case, I'm running Warn Black Diamond rear shocks that were speced for a YJ. (I won them years ago at the Osoyoos Jeep Jamboree and never installed them into my YJ.)

The best way to figure out what length shocks you need is to:
1) throw out the application guide
2) make sure your vehicle is properly bumpstopped
3) flex out your suspension as much as you possibly can, while still being safe about it - access to a forklift helps tremendously
4) measure the length between the upper and lower mounts at full compression and full droop
5) Don't forget to give yourself approx 1" margin of error. ie if your mounts are 15" at full compression your compressed shock length should be 14". If your mounts measure 24" and full droop, your extended shock length should be 25".

Tsaani97xj

That OME shock body is pretty fat looking and contributing. At least looks that way from the pic. Many ppl do have this issue with spec shocks they just dont realize it. Bilstein 5100s mount body up no problem and that makes more clearance. With stock location shock mounts and a rotated axle technically your driver side shock would need to be -1" longer extended to compensate.

ExpeditionXJ

This is the route I'm going to have to go. I'll probably end up buying a new set of shocks in the future since I can't drive to a ramp without shocks.

I also need to get my tires and flares on to set the proper bump stopping.

I'm convinced many people have this issue and don't realize it.

This guy has it even worse than I do:

ExpeditionXJ

There's also a chance that once I add bump stops and flex it my shocks will never be maxed out like they are when the axle is hanging unsupported.

93XJeeper

Is that the metalcloak lift? How do u like it? I'm thinking on getting it.

ExpeditionXJ

I haven't finished installing it yet because I decided to go long arm. I the end it would have been better for me to order parts seperatly, but as far as kits go out a great one to get.

Fred/N0AZZ

That sounds like a great idea

ExpeditionXJ

FYI any one who has this issue and doesn't want to mess with welding up new shock mounts to their axle, check these out.







http://www.detoursusa.com/xjstm.php

I'll probably end up going with these or bar pin eliminators to address this issue if shorter shackles don't.