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Drop Brackets QUESTION:


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Any of you guys have any problems with the bolts loosening up?

 

I may be just jumping the gun here, but tonight I got under the MJ to check all CA and bracket bolts. I found a number of them loose, a couple really loose. Both of those where bolts that hold the bracketry in factory holes. (One upper and opposite side lower frame side) As a matter of fact, only the bolts in factory holes, the onces with the nylon spacers, where the ones that where loose. I am suspecting those nylon spacers that keep the brackets from compressing to be the issue. I was very careful with orig install to get all hardware tight so I am fairly confident I didn't miss anything on the instal.

 

Past couple days I have noticed some rattles, which prompted my looking tonight.

 

This is the first since the install, so it may be nothing. Just figured I would ask...

 

CW

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your are supposed to retorque all fasteners after the intial lift install after about 100 miles of driving, than re check them every 1000 or so.

 

I don't know about every thousand or so...but your absolutely correct about 1-200 miles. I'll recheck them at every oil/oil filter swap.

 

I only mention this because of how loose the two where... I am gonna say 6-8 complete revolutions to make them tight. :eek:

 

CW

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hey could we get some pics of the brop brackets please?

WELL... a man requesting pictures... I think I may have some here some where....

 

 

Humm where did I put them...

 

 

OH here they are!! :D :brows: ;)

 

 

 

 

CW

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I've been running drop brakets for about 3 years and 2 different vehicles and they have held up tremendously well. I don't have a heavy foot like some people, but I did manange to roll my old XJ twice, and both times the brakets never loosened.

 

Lock tite helps, so does torque'n em down every now and again.

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CW, since you have had these in hand, how hard do they look to you to fab? I've gotten pretty damn good at fabbing (not that I'm cocky...), but did you notice anything that's not well reproducable with a welder and basic cutting tools?

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CW, since you have had these in hand, how hard do they look to you to fab? I've gotten pretty damn good at fabbing (not that I'm cocky...), but did you notice anything that's not well reproducable with a welder and basic cutting tools?

 

I am sure you could do it. There are some fancy bends and specfic angles thats are required.

 

For the trouble and what these cost, I would just buy them. Remember on the MJ you don't need the angled braces like the XJ's do. So, this takes 1/3 of the cost right off the top!! jamminz.gif

 

CW

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CW, since you mentioned angle braces I assume you have the RE drop brackets rather than the Trailmaster ones. My MJ had the Trailmaster, and one of the little things we discovered when I removed them was that, although the stock suspension mounting bolts (UCAs and LCAs) are metric, the holes Trailmaster put in their brackets were sized for SAE bolts. That explained why there was always some creaking and banging going on, even though I never had the bolts loosen up.

 

Is that also true for the RE brackets? (SAE holes for metric bolts, that is.)

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While I am guilty to having tacked a few nuts in place, I'd not suggest welding those things on...

 

A guy might want to take them off sometime... And be able to resell them.

 

 

Go buy some stovers. Or nylocks. Or red locktite works alright.

 

 

 

 

And Eagle, I'm not framiliar with the design of these things, but the extra clearance in the holes shouldn't be an issue as long as everything is done up tight enough.

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CW, since you mentioned angle braces I assume you have the RE drop brackets rather than the Trailmaster ones. My MJ had the Trailmaster, and one of the little things we discovered when I removed them was that, although the stock suspension mounting bolts (UCAs and LCAs) are metric, the holes Trailmaster put in their brackets were sized for SAE bolts. That explained why there was always some creaking and banging going on, even though I never had the bolts loosen up.

 

Is that also true for the RE brackets? (SAE holes for metric bolts, that is.)

 

They are the RE brand DB's. They supply you with most new bolts you will need, you do need to drill out the factory upper CA holes. The only factory bolts I used where for the LCA's. I had some new UCA's for the axle side. All remaining where supplied with the "kit".

 

 

the extra clearance in the holes shouldn't be an issue as long as everything is done up tight enough.

 

Agreed!

 

Dirty,

This kit comes with both stovers & nylock bolts for all bolts. I think whats happening is some "seating" of the facyory UCA cups. This is where I found the most tightening needed. There is nylon spacers that go in where the factory CA would have been. I think they are compressing a bit. I really socked them down and the noises are all but gone.

 

CW

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