3.5" lift... what all does it affect.

[rckymtnguy]

Thanks, I used a tie rod puller and pulled them out hole.

 

[rckymtnguy]

Setting up the new adjustable RE trac bar, do i just take a measurement from the stock one and add 3/4" or is there a better way?

 

[xj-grin]

you need to get the axle under the rig, measure it to ensure it centered at ride height, and then set your adjustable trac bar to fit. No standard measurement way to do it, you just have to fit it to your rig.

 

[rckymtnguy]

Next... straightening the steering wheel and centering the axle,.
I have not driven the Jeep yet, I only pulled it out if the garage and turned it around to back it in and begin the rear work.

I have the RE adjustable track bar.
Once I got the front end all back together. I can visibly see that the axle is sitting farther to the passenger side a few inches, maybe more, so do I need to pull the trac bar at the axle mount and turn it so that its shorter to pull the axle towards the drivers side?

Also I know this will move the steering wheel some, but its completely upside down right now, what else can I do to adjust the steering wheel to center ? What about adjusting the drag link distance to change the steering wheel position?

 

[in4aride]

Your coils look pretty straight but yes make it shorter to.move to driver side.

to adjust wheel adjust the dragging. should be the two 15mm nuts. then adjust to find.center on wheel. adjust about half the distance you need. then roll the jeep and go lock to lock with steering. then straighten tires again and finish straightening the wheel.

 

[rckymtnguy]

Thanks, I'll give it a whirl tomorrow night.

 

[xj-grin]

get the axle centered before you work on the steering wheel, its going to get wonky again when you move the axle anyways.

 

[rckymtnguy]

hmm.. what do to next ? Cut it? or pull the hitch? The front eye bolts are kickn my arse big time too... no impact here.

 

[time2getdirty]

Sawzall.... Bolts are cheaper then time sometimes

 

[rckymtnguy]

i ended up pulling the shackle bolt... it was not as bad as I thought.

 

[rckymtnguy]

Let the fun with the front eye bolts begin! pretty sure they are both seized in the sleeve and the sleeve is broken away from the rubber bushing. So it's time to get the angle grinder or sawzall out. HastaHasta

Why anyone would reuse these rusty ass old bolts is beyond me. I think RE should just include them in the kits, it can't be that much more cost.
The only bolts I have reused were the upper control are bushing bolts, because they came out clean.

 

[rckymtnguy]

Spring eye bolts SUCK! both front bolts seized in the sleeve. Ended up cutting one side out. Still working on the other and I am afraid I may have stripped the nut in the body because the bolt seized just shy of a few threads from being all the way out of the nut... I wont know the damage until I get the whole thing off.


Meanwhile I am setting up the new springs to go in with the axle shims. Does this look right? with the left side being the rear? Would you threadlock these bolts and how much torque?

 

[in4aride]

Yes looks right

no don't thread lock

not a lot of umph. just snug enough to hold em tight

 

[rckymtnguy]

f'n jeep

 

[xj-grin]

yep -- most of us have been there and done that -- cut a hole on the angled piece of sheetmetal big enough to get a nut and wrench in there, and use a new bolt and nut to put it back together...

 

[rckymtnguy]

Thinking about trying a heli-coil insert first. The nut is still welded in place. :flamemad:

 

[rckymtnguy]

For those that have cut a hole in the pocket to get to the welded nut, Doesn't cutting a hole in the pocket affect its strength?

 

[Hypoid]

I would say yes, but that is just my gearhead intuition. When I had to cut mine, I had a welder, and a plan. I would think that if you were to cut a flap open across the bottom (and it gives you enough room to work on the nut), it would be sturdy enough to get you to a welder. I had researched threads here, and tried going through the floor pan on another four-door. I'll never go that route again!

When I did mine, I cut the panel across the bottom, then, up the side. I'm pretty sure I cut along the bends.

I used an old bolt to hold a nut in place while I tacked it. After remoing the bolt to make sure I didn't bugger the threads, I put the bolt back in, to hold the nut in place, while I folded the flap down for welding.

EDIT:
I used the stock hardware from the shackle end of the spring, including the flanged nut. That nut is what I tacked in place for this repair.

I took one of your pictures and drew lines where I would cut to extract your nut. The reason I cut soo much on mine, is that the nut still had some bolt sticking through both ends.

Once you get the Jeep mobile, the flap can be folded back down, and welded in place.

On to the picture whoring.

 

[rckymtnguy]

I used a heli-coil insert to repair the threads. Ended up costing me about $25 for the kit and $20 for the 19/32" drill bit.

 

[Frank Z]

Use Anti-Seize....and lots of it!