Homebrewing 3" of lift

[mjeff87]

I'm shooting for about 3" of lift when I swap axles. I don't want to mess around with front axle geometry at this point (although I will take those adjustable LCA's from you Pat :D ) Here's my plan so far:

 

front -> ZJ V8 coils plus 2" spacers (replacing 2WD springs)

 

rear -> new-to-me 4WD MJ springpacks (again, replacing 2WD beat to snot packs), either Chevy drop shackes or 2" CJ shackles, and mixing in an extra MJ main spring with the eyes cut off.

 

New shocks all around, not so much that I need them for the lift but they're just plain old Gabriels I put on about 50K miles ago.

 

Does that all sound about right? An extra main leaf would function just about the same as a full length AAL, no? I won't be upset if it had a slight rake to it if that's how it comes out, either. I do still use it as a pickup, and I haul some heavy crap in the bed from time to time.

 

Jeff

[Pete M]

I don't want to mess around with front axle geometry at this point

 

Adding lift is messing with the front geometry. Do you mean you don't want to fix the front geometry that you'll be screwing up with the lift? :hmm:

[mjeff87]

No, I mean by only going up to 3" I can keep all the factory stuff and just get it realigned. No need for adjustable CA's, drop brackets, track bar, pitman arm, blah...blah.

 

For now, at least :roll:

 

Jeff

 

 

edit: you wanna see some "geometry"??? Ask cmcolfax to post up some pics of his YJ that we lifted 4" (suspension) this weekend :D The front's not bad since we installed a drop pitman arm, but you GOTTA see his rear driveline as it sits now. TC drop is next....

[Pete M]

I promise you'll never need a drop pitman arm.

 

An AAL has more curve than the stock packs and forces the leaf pack to arch upward. An extra main leaf will have the same arch as the leaf pack and merely adds carrying capacity, which in turn will probably lift about an inch.

 

Personally, I would go with just the ZJ coils and 4wd leafpacks (with the extra main leaf). You'll gain a couple inches over your current height and be able to fit 31s. Be aware that lifting can bring about the death wobble. Have funds available.

[87manche]

what about trackbar? 3" of lift will offset the axle? I took the cheap way out and drilled a new hole in the trackbar bracket on the axle side. It's an option, and got me mostly centered up, it's off about 1/4" inch.

[mjeff87]

Well, my *plan* is to do the rear first and see what I get, then match the front height. Hopefully it'll work out about even.

 

I didn't think 3" would shift the axle far enough to warrant a trackbar adjustment...damn. Maybe I should just get an adjustable and swap it in while I have it all apart, JIC I wanna go more later. It'll be one less thing to worry about.

 

Jeff

[Bounty Hunter]

At 3" you'll want to redrill the lower mount for the front trackbar, about 1/2" toward the drivers side to recenter the axle.

 

The rear sounds good, but can't use CJ shackles. Have to stick with MJ or GM shackles.

 

For the front, run the caster all the way out and you should be okay, thus making the lower control arms as long as possible.

[87manche]

also, if you're swapping axles.

GET NEW LCA BOLTS!

that's all I have to say.

they cost about $25 for the set at the dealer. I had to cut two of mine out, and broke an upper.

I can't imagine that your truck isn't rusted like mine, so be prepared to fight with those ones. Make sure you've got about 6 sawzall blades, those mothers are hard, and eat the teeth right off of them.

[pingpong]

Jeff I have a set of fixed Lca's that came off of Casper. For that matter for the right price you can buy my whole lift and axle setup :eek: I need some coin to buy link ends and coilovers :wrench: I will make you a sweet deal and help install everything :D

[cmcolfax]

No, I mean by only going up to 3" I can keep all the factory stuff and just get it realigned. No need for adjustable CA's, drop brackets, track bar, pitman arm, blah...blah.

 

For now, at least :roll:

 

Jeff

 

 

edit: you wanna see some "geometry"??? Ask cmcolfax to post up some pics of his YJ that we lifted 4" (suspension) this weekend :D The front's not bad since we installed a drop pitman arm, but you GOTTA see his rear driveline as it sits now. TC drop is next....

 

 

 

:eek:

 

-cmc-

[pingpong]

Thats a lil ugly :eek:

[cmcolfax]

Thats a lil ugly :eek:

 

Ya... it's not actually gonna DRIVE like that... just holding it together to push it in and out of the garage.

 

Swapping in another t-case and a t-case drop next week to get it drive-able.

 

Needless to say, Jeff and I :cheers: and :rotfl2: whenwe looked at it.

 

OK... Jeff can have his "homebrewed lift" thread back now...

 

-cmc-

[mjeff87]

 

An AAL has more curve than the stock packs and forces the leaf pack to arch upward. An extra main leaf will have the same arch as the leaf pack and merely adds carrying capacity, which in turn will probably lift about an inch.

 

 

Would there be any worthy donors out of the junkyard that could supply a leaf with a bit more arch than an MJ main (i.e. like an AAL) that I could pull and slip in the pack instead of my old 2WD MJ main leaf?

 

Jeff

[Pete M]

MJ packs have a lot of arch. But there might be some fullsize trucks that have similar arch, but a stiffer leaf. Someone posted a while back about finding some Ford truck leafs that looked like they had a lot of arch. Problem is that it's a pain in the butt to try different combos out. :(