Issues with lift

[Pete M]

note the bends in your track bar.  if your steering arm had some minor tweaks to it (not even as extreme as the track bar), the angle of the heim joints wouldn't be as extreme.

 

is that heim joint bolt in the pitman arm taped to fit the arm, or did you need to drill it out? 

[Jesse J]

I needed to drill it out same with the knuckles plenty of meat left on both. good point on bending

[Jesse J]

Got the rear perches burned in. time to let it cool off and measure for shocks and driveshafts! my rear one needs to be lengthened as well

[Jesse J]

where should I order billsteins that is gonna ship fastish too me?

[Pete M]

literally no clue on that one.  in this crazy economy you gotta call around to see who has what in stock.  and make sure they are in stock, meaning on a shelf in that building before ordering.    

[Jesse J]

that is very smart pete! 

 

How critical is it for the tires to be on for shock measuring it seems like it adds weight. could I add weight to simulate tires?

[Jesse J]

any good write ups on driveshaft measuring? should I just get the shafts I have now modified or buy completely new ones

[Jesse J]

ok so I am also a little stuck on shock measuring. I don't have forklift at my disposal. fully extended is simple but how do I measure full up travel??

[Pete M]

pick up one of the rear tires until it gets to where your new bumpstop extension will stop the up travel.   

 

front should be simply ordering a shock for an MJ/XJ with X amount of lift. 

[Jesse J]

done! ended up measuring the front as well. God that was way to sketchy never again

[Jesse J]

don't have as much flex as I wanted. For front I got 21 3/4s to 28 1/2 rear was 18- 24. Do I get a shock with exactly those measurements or one that includes those measurements?

[ghetdjc320]

39 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

don't have as much flex as I wanted. For front I got 21 3/4s to 28 1/2 rear was 18- 24. Do I get a shock with exactly those measurements or one that includes those measurements?

Are those the measurements from full droop to your bump stops? I normally get a shock about 1” shorter than the length needed at full stuff (when the bump stop is compressed/bottomed out). Sounds like a 10” travel shock should work for you. You’ll always get more droop though when flexing on the trail with the weight of the truck shifting around.
 

As for where to buy the shocks, Amazon is where I’ve gotten them in the past after looking up the part number in the online Bilstein catalog for the right length. Summit stocks almost all of them also. Accutune is also great if you’d like to have the valving adjusted for your rig right off the bat. They tune both fox and bilsteins and have them in stock. As for which valving to pick on your own, you’ll have to guestimate based on the weight you’ll be carrying and the road you’ll be driving frequently. 

[Jesse J]

so I just get a 10" travel shock and thats it?

[ghetdjc320]

You’ll have to search the catalog for bilstein and look at 3 main items. The shock mounts on each end (stem vs eye), the extended and collapsed length and the valving

[Pete M]

Quote

not as much as I wanted

 

 

are you posing for a magazine cover?    lockers and driving skill are far more important than flex.    that extra couple inches of flex means nothing in the real world.  

 

also, distance traveled measured at the tire will be more than distance traveled measured at the shocks.  

[Jesse J]

6 minutes ago, Pete M said:

 

 

are you posing for a magazine cover?    lockers and driving skill are far more important than flex.    that extra couple inches of flex means nothing in the real world.  

 

also, distance traveled measured at the tire will be more than distance traveled measured at the shocks.  

your right. I forgot that I don't have crazy custom suspension. I will be tru traced up which will help a lot

[ghetdjc320]

Even 6-8” of suspension travel is plenty if you learn how to pick your lines. Did you get your drivers license yet? 

[Jesse J]

26 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

You’ll have to search the catalog for bilstein and look at 3 main items. The shock mounts on each end (stem vs eye), the extended and collapsed length and the valving

how does one guesstimate properly?

[watchamakalit]

1 minute ago, Jesse J said:

how does one guesstimate properly?

Very carefully most of the time.

[Jesse J]

4 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Even 6-8” of suspension travel is plenty if you learn how to pick your lines. Did you get your drivers license yet? 

I passed my test on thursday at school I turn 16 sep 9 and I have a dmv appt for the 10

[ghetdjc320]

Just now, Jesse J said:

how does one guesstimate properly?

Bilstein 5125’s come on 3 valving options typically. The one you’ll have to pick will be based on the weight you plan to carry in the bed as well as how much extra weight your adding up front (bumpers, winch etc). I think I went with 255/70 up front. The valving numbers represent the compression and rebound. To those that really know their shock valving (definitely not me) you select yo ur valving based on speed, load and road. This is why there are so many varieties of shocks. Bilstein 5125 keeps is fairly simple. You can grow from there

[ghetdjc320]

Just now, Jesse J said:

I passed my test on thursday at school I turn 16 sep 9 and I have a dmv appt for the 10

[Jesse J]

[Jesse J]

wow I have a really cool truck

[Pete M]

It's an MJ.  you've always had a really cool truck.   now you have a much taller really cool truck.