Jeep AAL install + Few Tcase Questions

[Highmiles]

Most of us aren't self respecting mechanics. If he is like me a few others. We are weekend (hope we can get it done by monday mechanics). Its a hobby, not a job.

Thanks - exactly correct. I've seen plenty of "professional" mechanics pry things apart with screw drivers, use regular sockets on air tools, etc.

The right tool does make the job easier, but if you're like me, sometimes you need to make do with what you have.

 

[Highmiles]

I'm not sure what year XJ you have, but here's my experience...
I have a '99 XJ Sport with 171,200 miles - daily driver with LONG commute.
RE 1410 Full length AAL's - advertised 2 1/2" lift, actual 3 1/2" (sits at 20 1/2" measured from center of hub to factory fender flare)

The new leaf spring clamps go about where the old ones came off. I had three on my old leaf pack and now use only two. I used a C clamp on the sping clamp to help mold it around the leaf spring.

I had vibes after this lift, especially during accel. These were due to the pinion being pointed too high.

I added 2 1/2* shims to correct the pinion angle, but still had some vibes. I believe this was due to the drive shaft angle being more severe than stock.

My solution was the shims with a 1" transfer case drop. Now I am vibe-free up to 80 MPH, when I stopped the test.

You should be prepared to do some testing with shims and the transfer case even with a "mild" lift. My ACE Hardware had an good selection of spacers to experiment with. My transfer case bolts were metric - 10mm X 150 pitch. The transfer case bolts / studs came out relatively painlessly. I heated the studs to break the lock-tite then used a nut and lock washer backed againest the factory nut to back the stud out.

 

[armchairkrawler]

My experience:

I did a RE 3.5" AAL superflex kit about 2 weeks ago on my '00 XJ 2-door. I bought the new leaf spring eye bolts, fully intending to install them while I had the leaf packs off, and then got scared after trying to remove the front spring eye bolt on the driver's side. I had a 24" breaker bar on it and it wasn't moving (estimating 200-300 ft*lbs of torque there). So I stopped, and thought about it for a minute and just clamped the spring pack with a large c-clamp, and cut the center bolt off with a die grinder and cutoff wheel. Opened the c-clamp, and put the AAL in, pulled the pack back together with the c-clamp using a long drift punch to keep the center bolt holes in each leaf aligned. When everything was pulled tight, dropped the center bolts in and snugged them up.

I had a supplier to the shop I work at make me some new U-bolts: 1/2" dia. by 7" long (from the inside bottom of the curve to the tip of the threads for a C8.25" axle) which turned out to be 7 3/4" long. Plenty of room for shimming! Like Highmiles did, I'll be using a 2-2.5 degree shim to lower the pinion angle, at lease 'till I can afford the SYE and CV shaft. I'm also going to replace the factory spring pack and AAL with some full leaf packs (4.5" currie jeepspeed stuff, maybe?). My AAL setup sags about a half inch on the driver's side, probably due to me(250 lbs), my toolbox(75 lbs), and my inside-mounted full-size spare(only a lowly 235/75/15, like the other 4) all on the driver's side of the jeep. Overall lift in the rear was 4" initially.

So far, I've shimmed the t-case x-member down 1", putting it at 6.5 degrees downward angle. I have a very slight vibe at 40-45 mph, and I think that dropping the pinion angle ( currently at 8 degrees upward angle) will shut every thing up. I used stacks of 1/16" fender washers to find the amount of drop I needed, not necessarily believing all the manufacturers of 1" drop t-case x-members, but sure enough that's the ticket. I'm now looking to either buy one of the rusty's or tntcustoms x-members, with 1" of drop and overall under body clearance gain of like a 1/2".

 

[Highmiles]

For what it's worth, I went with Rusty's 1" transfer case drop over the puck-like spacers. I figure that the solid aluminium bar will spread the torque over a greater area than the smaller pucks. Plus, it was $20 vs $30. Hard to justify making one when I can advertise Rusty's for $20.

 

[jeepsrock]

Well my jeep is a 94 with 110k miles on it and i really hope i dont get vibes with the lift. I basically dont know anyone who has rustys 2' inch aal so we will see what they yield, i hope it isnt much more han 2'. As far as the the aal where does it go and i read something about removing the last spring...clarification ??

sorry for all the Qs...just rather ask now than when i am doing it.

pete

 

[w_howey]

Doesnt seem that hard -I didnt have a chance to get to it this weekend maybe next weekend. It seems easy basically pull it apart with clamps...and reinsert with clamps.

As far as tighteneing the u bolts i heard you are supposed to tighten them when the jeep is on the floor anyone have any ideas about this since i am not clear about this ?

Hey howey which aal do u have ? How is it ?

ohh and i already have two center screws from rusty and a pair of spring clips...put in the front or rear ?

pete

I snugged my u-bolts with the Jeep in the air, and torqued them down with the Jeep down.

I have the full-length AAL. I don't do any towing with my XJ.(except other Jeeps)

I used Rusty's spring clips on the fronts, I made some for the back.

I have an 88, but had absolutely no vibes whatsoever.

 

[theschwarz1]

One thing though, I followed Rusty's directions removing the second longest leaf. My pack sagged down in about 4 months. I put the leaf back in, and now its been almost a year with no sagging.

I have been reading, I took out that leaf too, fortunately I haven't installed the packs that I put together. I think I am going to replace the leaf I took out with the ones in the packs I am riding on now.