WTF (with pic) 96 stock suspension

[my65289stang]

Quick update:
This is on a 96 XJ 4x4 pretty much stock. I have put on all new tie rod ends, ball joints, u joints, track bar, steering stabilizer, UCA and LCA bushings...i think that sums up the front end. I have been feeling movement somewhere in the front end over bumps (on the road, not 4x4) etc. I just changed my oil and saw this:

So what must be happening is the UCA is hitting the tranny line and it has pinched it to the point where it is almost broken (luckily its not summer here in AZ but the tranny probably hasn't been real happy). How is this possible?

Any help appreciated

 

[xcm]

Happens ALL THE TIME....

As your front bumpstops wear, and/or fall apart, they allow excessive uptravel, which causes this.

Happened to me leaving an In n Out parking lot. Leaked trans fluid the entire way home.

 

[my65289stang]

Well son of a Be-otch. I did some quick searching on bump stops, it sounds like I have the press in type. Without removing the coil springs, can I get the rubber out and some how press the new ones in?

 

[xcm]

hrmm... I havent deal with the press in type, but I highly doubt it!

 

[stroked88]

no, but you can cut the old rubber ones down flush with the metal lip, and use some hockey pucks to set your new bump height

 

[xcm]

flush with the metal lip... would mean metal on hard plastic contact.... not desireable for a properly working suspension, BUT it would keep the UCA's out of the tranny lines.....

 

[my65289stang]

Pucks are actually vulcanized rubber, not hard plastic just FYI(15 years of hockey under my belt ). That sounds like a nice quick fix but im not sure I want to go that route. Im wondering if I could lift the jeep by the frame, place the new bump stop in the sleeve, shim the remainder of the space with pucks(or something similar) and then set the jeep back down. Do you think they would "press" far enough in using the weight of the jeep?

 

[xcm]

true... true... but theyre still rock hard compared to regular bumpstops... those who use them, use them on the bottom, the top is still soft cushy rubber.... if you did as stroked88 says, it'll be metal on VERY HARD, vulcanized rubber =). Im just sayin... you wont be happy after a few speed bumps.

I dont think what youre talking about will work... just not enough room to get the new peices into the coil, then line it all up, then press it. If im wrong, i want an autograph, cause thats some Houdini shit!

 

[wheeling365]

If the bumpstops are the same on your 96 as on my 00 you can pull them out of the mounting cup by hand. Try lifting the body so the axle droops out and it "should" open the coils up enough to get them out. Try greasing the new ones up before you go to install them and they can be pushed back in. I've used a long flat bar as persuasion in the past also.

 

[xcm]

having stock front coil springs will help with that, as the coil is thinner, and wound more loosely... equaling more room between the coils... forgot about that.

 

[my65289stang]

Alright thanks for the help guys. Ill order some from quadratec and hopefully have them in before the weekend...or maybe just after the weekend. Ill let you know how it goes. Thanks again

 

[souske]

Prothanes and don't look back

 

[my65289stang]

Anyone know the total length of the stops? Or have a PN? Im going to try NAPA and a few other places tomorrow to see if I can finish this tomorrow. Thanks

 

[kastein]

While you are under there reroute those lines over the engine mount with 3/8 oil cooler hose and AN fittings (think they'd be AN-6?) so it doesn't happen again.