ride172

one more question... can you visibly tell the difference between metric ton springs and regular springs??? Like is there an extra leaf or a different wrap on the eyes??? I want to know because my 86 (that is the donor of the d30 and amc20 with 4.10s) has a silver metal amc build sticker in the glove box that has the info stamped into it... On this sticker everything is correct like the engine, trans, transfercase, but it is listed as the d35 with 3.55 gears (I think, not looking at it now)... Now I know both axles i have are 4.10 geared because I turned the pinon 4 and what I guessed would be a tenth and my mark on the rotor was top center again on the d30... plus it has the plate on the diff cover stamped 4.10... So since I have an AMC 20 in it with the lower gearing on an automatic that leads me to think the springs would be the heavier duty models... but the tag in the dash makes me think someone switched in axles later, or the dash was switched, or it was an upgrade at the dealer???? :dunno:

I am leaning toward the RC long arm 6.5 for the front... Anyone have any experience with RC springs and the new 2.2 shocks... Also, will the belly pan for the xj work with MJ and do you I have to cut off the lower factory mounts??? Hubbell has me rethinking my whole plan... Thanks for putting me through this torture again bud :cheers: ...

How do you feel I'm being cheap... I made a decision based on holding and looking at both drops... The RRO brackets are cheaper and beefier... That's called a better deal... The RE brackets are probably made in India and more expensive the RRO are made in USA and cheaper... Seems like an easy choice to me... The brace on the RRO dops engages the unibody on the mj as well as the 16 gauge oem support piece... here is the pic again http://www.rocky-road.com/media/comanch ... _drop2.JPG look closely at the passenger side... see how it hooks up to the unibody rail too... Also if you are so worried about how weak the 16 guage oem support piece is why would you want to use the RE drops that rely on that weak piece to support them, or you can cut the support piece off and spend way more money to use the RE drop brackets and braces... That is just plain stupid... :shake: :doh: I got a bridge for sale in California if you are interested, it's made by RE.... It is a little bit more expensive but way better trust me....

My vote goes for the Iron Rock Offroad double shear for $189... I have the RE track bar with the TRE style bolt and it sucks, it creaks all the time and I can't for the life of me keep it tight enough... So no matter what definetly go with the double sheer design...

Stronger? How do you figure? I feel it is stronger due to the one piece drop bracket... It is solid and doesn't come in two pieces like RE's drops... RE's use the bracket that goes into the unibody mount and then another piece that ties the upper arm to the bracket... RRO drop bracket comes one piece and includes braces... All for $205 on a xj and $215 on a mj... RE wants $269 for just the bracket and then another $100 for the brace... I have seen and held both drops in my own hands.. The RRO drops are beefier and cheaper... Just because it says RE doens't mean it is always better... They do have some nice handling stuff, I know from experience.. But what I don't understand is how people can think evertyhing they make is better just because it is RE... They don't even make most of their own stuff... It is outsourced to foriegn countries... So they can make it cheaper and charge more... I'm not going to just buy everything I need from RE... I have read some bad things about RRO too... But I have nothing but good things to say about the things I ordered from them... It was shipped fast, cheaper than I was quoted over the phone, and I had it in 2 days... I got no personal complaints about Rocky Road Outfitters, in fact I suggest thier drop brackets all the time... As for they man who couldn't get the braces on, maybe the unibody was a little tweaked... or maybe he didn't tighten them up correctly.. It took some thinking on my part to get everything pulled tight with the brackets on my xj... I had to put it all together loosely and then tighten everything evenly... They fit perfect and work great... I am now thinking of ordering some RC stuff... But just like you have heard bad things about RRO I have heard bad things about RC... I have seen pictures of their new track bar in someone's hand and the bar itself is as skinny as the man's finger... I wish I could drive a 6.5" RC long arm kit and compare that to the ride of my RE lifted XJ... Just pisses me off that I can buy two MJ's for the cost of lift and tires for one of them... Look at the steel and moving parts that each MJ has, not to mention running engine, transmission, transfercases, etc etc... and a simple lift cost more... seems crazy to me...

I have thought about it that much also, just not as long... I'm a stay at home dad this winter with my 6mo old... I have all day to try and decide what I am going to do, and then another day passes and I change my mind, and then I look for another day and decide something different... I just want a good ride... I think what I need to do is call a few companies and see if I can edit a few parts and splice in what I want... Like a custom MJ happy meal... Please let me know how you like your lift...

Did you get the Rough Country kit or did you get just the longarms from rough country and the RE coils and shocks that I want?

That is what I was starting to think but I just don't want the ugly bracket hanging down with out the brace... I'm gonna check and see if I can order the kit without the drop brackets and then buy the RRO drops... I just like them better... That is what I have on my XJ... They are very beefy... Also, what about the spring perches... Is it worth the money to get antiwrap perches vs. regular perches... Is spring wrap gonna be a problem without lengthened perches?

I have heard of the drop brackets breaking off the factory mount but not the actually brackets themselves breaking... I have the 4.5 RE Superflex on my XJ... The bushings would oval out and start banging in less than a week... I went through two sets in less than five months... The last set couldn't get changed out because RE had a bushing issues with the supplier at the time... So they got so bad I couldn't even drive the Jeep... When I finally got my "new" supplier bushings I already had the drop brackets waiting to be put in... That was in October, seems alot better now but the 45 degree control arm angle I had before the drop brackets couldn't have helped those bushings much....

I'm still going to use the RE springs and the monotubes... everything else in their kit can be changed and still have same ride quality if not better... Like the IRO track bar.. same articulation, and strength but it has bushings on both ends instead of a johnny joint.. RE control arms aren't gonna make it ride or handle anybetter, they may be more durable but in the end they all will do the same job... I personally wouldn't want to weaken the unibody mount... I just don't want to cut on my nice California rust free MJ... I hear what your saying about the RE lift Rob.. My XJ rides smooth as silk.. And has been tough as nails (except control arm bushings)... That is why I'm going with their springs and shocks...

I know they have a brace but it won't fit the MJ...If I could get the RE kit with the cost of the drop brackets taken off... I would order it today... Maybe without their arms...

The brace angles from the bracket to the unibody and extends to the crossmember... Everything I've read says the brace is a must... From experience on my XJ they look pretty important... Here is a link to the RRO mj drops http://www.rocky-road.com/media/comanch ... _drop2.JPG See what it would be with out the braces... Just a box mounted below the old mount... Looks like it needs a brace to me Notice the factory control arms and how level they are.... Looks like a 4.5 inch lift to me.... Why would I want to cut off the factory brace just to use the RE Drops... I'll just get the RRO drops for $215 way cheaper and stronger than RE...

How about a comanche club supporting vendor?? Anyone know a good one... Maybe I could call them up and get the RE kit without their drop brackets... I really don't like their control arms either... I couldn't keep bushings in them fast enough before I got my drop brackets... Now it's better but I don't like having to order special bushing from them... I like being able to get my parts at the local stores if I need to... I'm so confused now... I was thinking I'd post my recipe and everyone would be high-fiving saying "that's the best SOA lift I have ever seen" :cheers: :clapping: ... Well now I'm totally open to ideas... I was wanting RE springs and shocks because that is what I have on my XJ and it rides pretty nice but it is all I've ever known of lifted jeeps... Money is a factor for me, but I don't want junk that is gonna make me mad later... :doh:

But the braces don't... I would just have the bracket hanging down right???

I even thought about going rough country for 900 and getting the drop brackets from RRO but I'm just worried about the quality of their shocks, trackbars, and springs.... Now I'm second guessing myself.. I've already gone crazy getting this list together...

I did look at the RE 5.5 Extreme duty for the MJ but with the monotubes it is a little bit more that $1300... Not to mention that RE includes the drop bracket without the braces.. I don't think the braces work with an MJ... That spells breakage way faster than stock arms...

Everything I have read says to take 4.5 inches off the "chart" to get arm length so I would be at 1 inch of lift... That doesn't require longer arms.... I have the the RE Control arms for my XJ with the 4.5 on it and when I put my drop brackets on I had to adjust my uppers to stock length and my axle is definetly pushed forward due to the longer lowers...

I'm gettin drop brackets, did you read to the end or just to factory control arms... I was wondering how long it would take someone to say this... oh yeah I want factory control arms for a smooth ride, and less vibrations to the unibody...

So I'm getting my prices and parts list together so I can order the parts I need in about a week... My plan is a SOA lift on my 88 MJ... Here is what I have so far... If you have any suggestions or know of better prices, let me know... Or if some supporters of Comanche Club have some of these products please let me know... Front 5.5 RE XJ Coils- $179.00 (jeepin outfitters) Factory Control Arms Upper and Lower- $135 (quadratec) Track Bar and 3/4" Drop bracket- $189 (Iron Rock Offroad) will get a zj Pitman arm if I have bump steer or steering and track bar not parallel Quick discos- $50 (rough country) Control Arm Drops- $215 (rocky road outfitters) Rear Antiwrap spring perches- $40 (4 wheel drive hardware) U-Bolts- $40 (RE from east side custom truck) Spring Plate- $40 (4wd factory.com) Shock mounts- $18 (rustys offroad) Shocks RE Monotubes- $320 (jeepin outfitters) Brake Lines front and rear- $90 (crown industrial from quadratec)

Thanks for the info boss... The only reason why I want to swap before lifting is so I can sell the 86 to get some money back to use on the lift... I spent my wifes December commission on the 88 so I have to pay her back at some point... Maybe I'll just keep spending till she divorces me...

I was planning on either spring overing the rear and matching with the front... or getting some new leafs with lift built in... I'm wanting about 5 inches of lift when I'm done... I know i'll prolly have to lengthen the shaft then... Just wanting to avoid it now... Since we are on the topic how do you feel about bolt on spring over kits, are they strong and durable?

Stock height, maybe sagging a little but all suspension is original...

The measurement is............... 1986 2.8L v6 np 3spd auto np207 amc 20 rear========53"

I can get the length of the LWB 2.8L TourqueFlight np207 amc20 rear axle today... But then I'll need someone to tell me a few things about the slip yoke and driveshaft lengths... I'm going to swap the axles from my 86 2.8l torqueflight np207 amc 20 into my 88 4.0l aw4 np231 d35c.... My question is will I be able to use either rear driveshaft in either truck after I'm done switching axles without having it lengthened or shortened??... I don't know how much length the slip yoke has to it... :dunno: If there is a an inch difference either way can the shaft still be used unaltered?? I'll have that measurement in a few hours once the babysitter (grandma) gets here...

I live up north in Loveland... Moved here without knowing where I was going... I love Colorado, don't think I'll ever leave... :D :D