When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
For the body centering, you'll need to keep adjusting your trackbar until the body is centered. It's normal.
Yep. A ratchet strap or two (or three) can get everything centered. Then you adjust the bar until it fits, bolt it in, and take the straps off.
It's a good idea to do an alignment after you're done with the lift just to make sure it drives well.
Originally Posted by Freerider15
SYE...pass on the hack and tap. It's really a second grade option. Installing an actual SYE isn't hard, and is worth the time.
Yup. Getting a quality kit isn't so very expensive and they're easy to install.
Originally Posted by Freerider15
Since he has a 98', doubt he has a 242 unless it was installed after the fact.
Why not? They ran the 242 as an option from 1987 all the way through 2001, and then used them in the Liberty for years after.
Granted, they're pretty rare. Probably less than 10% of XJ's came with it. But it was an option. Both of the 2001 XJ's I've owned came with the 242 from the factory.
Well I caved and ordered the PORC SYE. It doesn't seem too bad to install.
All I have left to do on the lift is re-install the rear shocks, try to straighten the axle, and tighten everything. The bar pins on the RE shocks were ridiculous to install. If I ever buy another set, I will do eliminators or buy a brand that comes pre-fit.
What are the odds I'll need axle shims after the SYE? If its more likely than not, I'm going to order some 4 degree ones now. I'd love to be driving this thing by next weekend and it would suck to have to wait for shims.
Then, all I have to do is replace the power steering lines and I'll take it out for its first trail shake down.
Last edited by FromTexasInColorado; Apr 26, 2018 at 01:17 PM.
Reason: address missed questions
Axle shims should be PRECISELY measured. You can probably get away with guesstimating a shim size to run while you order the correct thickness. But being out 2 or 3 degrees can cause vibrations.
You want the pinion two degrees down from being pointed straight at the TC (inline with the driveshaft). See photo below (you currently have option two, you are changing over to option one). The two degrees down is to compensate for axle wrap when you press the gas. It is assumed the axle will twist upward two degrees when throttle is applied, running down the road.
Axle shims should be PRECISELY measured. You can probably get away with guesstimating a shim size to run while you order the correct thickness. But being out 2 or 3 degrees can cause vibrations.
You want the pinion two degrees down from being pointed straight at the TC (inline with the driveshaft). See photo below (you currently have option two, you are changing over to option one). The two degrees down is to compensate for axle wrap when you press the gas. It is assumed the axle will twist upward two degrees when throttle is applied, running down the road.
The two degrees down is actually to give your just a slight movement in the u-joint. If it's exactly on center, you have a tendency to gall the needle bearings as they sit in the same place the whole time. You want them moving just a hair at all times when they are under load.
Ratchet strapping the body over the axle worked perfectly and was much more precise, I wish I had just done that to begin with.
I'm waiting until this weekend to bleed the brakes and replace the SYE. Hoping to give it a shake down drive sometime this weekend.
Once I've given it a reasonable shake down, I'll replace the tie rod and ends and take it in for an alignment. I'm heading down to Colorado Springs here in two weeks and I'm really hoping I can break it in on the trails right outside of town.
Will do. My tires and wheels haven't arrived yet, so the jeep looks pretty silly in the garage at the moment.
I ordered the tires from 4 wheel parts to be mounted, balanced, and delivered to my house since that saves me a trip to a shop. Unfortunately they are taking forever to ship.
I installed the SYE and new used drive shaft this weekend. I thought it was pretty tough. I'll post up some pictures later today. It looks odd with the small tires and no front bumper. Hope to put the new tie rod on in the next day or two and have it down for an alignment once the new tires are on.
I need to install a new bumper now, the jeep was in a relatively minor accident which caused the passenger side bumper mount to be a little crunched. Its way less worse than some people's I've seen threads about. If I get a bumper with tie-ins further back, how terrible is it to not have a few of the first bolts attached on one side?
Honestly, that part of the unibody seems super weak to begin with and if I pulled it straight to attach the bumper to all the bolt holes, I can't imagine those last few holes add much strength. I would like to install a winch, though.
Any recommendations on bumpers? I'm leaning towards affordable offroad. Seems very stout and I haven't found anything bad about them.
No I don't know how to do that. I don't think its bad enough to really need reinforcement. Here's a picture below. Its just bent some, probably too much more me to get lined up with a hammer but not bad enough for me to be concerned beyond that.
Here's the updated look with the bumper mounted and BFGs. Had to have a shop pull the frame a little bit to get it on - $200 bucks down the drain, but I was dying to have this thing ready to rock for this weekend.
Bumper and JCR steering brace really improved the steering feel.
Running into an issue where my ZJ tie rod hits the pin for my sway bar disconnects when turning hard passenger. Going to look into getting taller swaybar brackets, but I'll need someone with decent metal working skills to help me with that. I don't know how to weld. Someday I will learn. Just leaving the sway bar disconnected for now. I honestly don't really notice that its disconnected. I'm guessing the new springs and shocks are just that much tighter.
The tire rubs little bit on the backside of the passenger side fender when turning right and flexing. I was hoping to not have to cut anything, but I think I'm going to need to need to either cut up or take out the wheel well liner.
Sorry these posts are somewhat rambling! I need to work on my story telling.
The picture didn't load into the thread, but if you click on the link it shows up.
Looking good. There is something screwy about the steering hitting the sway bar. I'm on 5" of lift and have had zero interference of the steering to the sway bar. Are you referring to the bracket welded to the axle? You shouldn't need to modify that. I'm thinking the passenger tire rubbing might be connected to the steering linkage rubbing the sway bar mount. I suggest you check the location of the front axle in relation to the control arm mounts on the frame. Thinking perhaps the axle is shifted to the rear on the passenger side. Was the jeep in an accident at some point?
