Potatowalker

I recently got a RE 3.5 super ride kit for my 99 XJ. It gave me a total of almost 4.5" of lift in the rear, with the new leaf packs. I've got bilstein 5100s on for shocks and I think that model says for 4" of lift. I've been waiting for the rear to settle out before making any further changes but one thing has me a little worried. When I'm driving and the rear axle drops suddenly, as in when pavement ends and gravel starts but the gravel is a little lower than the pavement, there is a loud clunk in the rear. It sounds almost like the shocks are reaching their full extension and hitting the stops. I don't wanna rip my shock mounts out or kill my new shocks. I'm gonna check everything else back there like the u-bolts on the springs and stuff, but if I can't find anything would it be possible the shocks are a little too short? And if so, would installing a bar pin eliminator kit help solve that problem? If the shocks weren't brand new I'd say it sounded like the bushings were worn but they don't even have 300 miles on them yet. It also still has the rear sway bar on there so maybe that's hitting its limit? I had a shop put the lift on since my work area is buried in snow and they were supposed to take that off so I'm kinda angry that's still there. (they won't see me again.) I was planning on removing it come spring anyway so maybe I'll just get rid of that one warm(er) day here soon and see what happens. What do y'all think? Anyone else run into this with the RE 3.5 and bilsteins?

Tom95YJ

I don't have that issue at all with mine and I am running he same setup as you. I'm hard on my Xj to I've taken it prerunning I mainly rock crawl with it I have no issues at all

MuscleHead

Shackle hitting the spring mount maybe.

TheBatJeep

I know you can make bar pin eliminators out of your rear sway bar mounts you have to push out the bushing but its pretty easy http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/.../Rear_BPEs.htm

Potatowalker

Hey, thanks for that link about the swaybar bracket turning into a BPE! I had read that a year or two ago and totally forgot all about it. I PM'd Tom95YJ who is running the same lift/shock combo as I am, and he doesn't have a clunk like I do and he has his rear sway bar off - so I'm gonna go there next. The next time it goes over 10deg F, I plan on removing mine like I had asked the shop to do when they put my lift on originally. If that doesn't fix it, and I trace it to my shocks hitting their stops at full extension, I'll already have most of what I need to do the BPE mod. I'll be sure to post what the outcome is in case anyone else comes across this with the same setup. Awesome, thanks again!

I checked my shackles (stock length) and they are actually sitting at about a 45deg rear angle (\) and there are no signs of hitting the frame bracket. If the springs settle much more I'll probably have to get some extended ones or relocation brackets but I'll worry about that when the time comes if need be...

TheBatJeep

If you look around on that page there is some bump stops on there too. If you can't find it let met know. That sounds more like your issue to me, but again I'm 11 in to a 12 pack

Hamster

Ahah! "NOTE! DO NOT EVER RUN YOUR XJ ON THE STREET WITHOUT THE FRONT SWAYBAR! YOU ARE A DANGEROUS AND STUPID MORON IF YOU DO."

I'll have to show that to one of my co-workers. He drives a 92 XJ with no front sway bar, to and from work.

Tom95YJ

No swaybars on my Xj and it gets driven on the street. To and from the ohv areas. I also ran with out swaybars and track bars on my Yj for about 7 years

94XjSport94

I didn't have my sway bars on once and I died

Potatowalker

I'm only talking about removing the rear swaybar here everyone, calm down, the front is staying on. In fact I recently ordered new bushings for it and will be putting disconnects on it as soon as I get some longer front brake lines. I frequently swerve, so I want that front swaybar to be there when I do. I don't wanna be rolling my jeep into a ditch cuz one of the 1000 wild animals around me decides to play in traffic. Maybe once I get around to making my sharpened, "steakmaker" front bumper/guard I'll take the front swaybar off, cuz then I won't be swerving when a bunch of steaks run out in front of me!

My problem is a clunk and early stop in the rear axle travel before full extension of the suspension. It's either short shocks or the sway bar cuz I can feel it through the frame and the shackles aren't hitting. I'll know in a day or two cuz it looks to be warming up to where I won't have to torch the bolts to defrost them before removing them!

94XjSport94

Ditch the rear sway bar, its fine...

straightsixjeep

A crazy **** with road rage swerved thebatjeep on the highway causing him to jerk the jeep over at 70mph. He has no sway bars and it reacted fine. Im not saying to go out and do this, get a feel for your jeep before you go trying anything stupid. Its highly recommended to get sway bar disconnects. You will have no issues ditching the rear sway bar, the leaf springs are supportive enough that you will hardly notice a difference, if any, after removing the rear sway bar.

Potatowalker

reviving this because I forgot to post what I figured out. It was the rear sway bar. I took it off and promptly died a horrible death. Then I took it for a drive on the highway and dirt roads and swerved around over a lot of pot holes and such. No more slamming noise plus it rides a lot smoother back there. Why do they even come with those?

Rockhead

they're not on all Cherokee's. Cherokee's with the up-country package don't come with the rear sway bar, that's a shame because the mounts make great bar pin eliminators.