Hi everyone, new to the forum, did a search on this and couldn't find anything.

I just installed the smittybilt front winch bumper onto my stock 97 XJ and the rear most mounting bolt is hitting my sway bar when the suspension compresses slightly. I have an old man emu 3" on the way which will help with this, but I feel i'll still hit these if I compress the springs enough.


Do I forgo the rear most bolts?
Do I extend the swaybar?
Do I thread the mounting plate and bolt in from the other side?

I also noticed the exhaust vibrates on the transfer case bracket when I turn the jeep on, probably due to the dip in the front due to the weight, I supose the OME suspension will help with that and also getting a new transfer case mount and exhaust bushing.




Smittybilt Bumper installed



Pass side



Pass side



Pass side



Pass side



drivers side



drivers side



drivers side

 

Ok, 1st things first......the exhaust noise...not so sure how it can be from the change in attitude due to the weight of the bumper...the whole jeep moved, including the exhaust.

The heavy front bumper is bolted to the frame...the engine is bolted to the frame, the exhaust is bolted to the frame and the engine/trans crossmember, which is bolted to the frame................so if the frame dropped due to the weight, so did the engine, the cross member, and the exhaust.

Now, that extra weight DID cause you to have less room between the suspension & frame...but unless your exhaust is touching the upper control arms, it shouldn't cause any new noises.


No, I wouldn't leave the rear bolts out. You could possibly drill new holes and mount the bolt slightly higher


Can't really extend the sway bar (wouldn't recommend it anyway due to how it works), but you can lower the brackets mounting it to the frame to buy you some room


Not sure how you would put the bolts in from the other side easily and the plate isn't really thick enough to hold much pressure if you thread it.

 

Drilling a new hole and moving that bolt seems to be the easiest method, thanks for that suggestion, I'll go ahead and do that!

The exhaust noise was there previous to the bumper, but I think the bumper somehow made it more severe. But it doesn't make sense that the bumper would change anything back there...

 

That's what I was trying to get at....maybe you are just more sensitive to it now cuz you are listening more

Mine makes the same noise at the same place, but only when I turn on the A/C at idle....but that makes sense due to more load on the engine

 

While I have you here, I also have this play on my rear wheels. If jack the back up, one wheel at a time I can tug on the tires/wheels and there's some in and out movement.

Here's a video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/27h4obwuqy...0play.MOV?dl=0

Is this normal or a bearing/diff problem? I also feel like I can sense this while I'm driving via a slight left and right shift in the car going down a straight road and hitting bumps.

 

This is just a guess. Are you sure you installed the bolts in the right places. I just put factory front tow hooks on my '00. While almost everything was bolts there was one torx head in each bracket. Just like in your set up. The torx went where you have the bolt that is rubbing. While not fond of torx and really wanting to change it to a regular bolt I did not figuring it would create a problem like you are having.

 

Can't get the vid to work, but some play is normal. How much tho, not sure what you are getting.

The way the wheel bearings work, and the center pin inside the diff, you could have as much as 1/4" and still be good.

Not sure what the spec is to be honest.

Make sure your axle u-bolts are tight, and there is no excessive play in the bushings for your leaf spring shackles.

Mine developed a feeling like you said, of shifting side to side, and it turned out it was the bushings in the spring shackles, they were toast.



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