JBA 4inch lift kit

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AdamP

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Is anyone here running this kit on their KJ.

I was hoping to chat with someone that could shed some light on some issues I am having with this lift kit.

The main issue is with the steering tierods. When I installed this kit I had to load the wheels in order to attach them. Unloaded the were a good 1.5-2inches away. I want to know if this is the same on all installs and if anyone has run into an issue with damaging the steering rods or steering rack by unloading a side?

As well I am wondering if anyone has run into issues with the pinion angle causing any shuttering on acceleration or deceleration.

I am in a spot where Marlin tells me that the kit should be fine but my installer and alignment guy both say it's not safe.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam
 

tommudd

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I've been waiting for pictures and more information before answering
assumed you would post up more over on LOST
There should not be an issue except of course you have a CRD
I've ran over 4 inches of lift for over 7 years, two different lift setups, and a ton of miles
No I don't have the JBA lift so actually you should be better in some ways
Of course due to the way an IFS suspension is you will have the wheels being pulled in somewhat when you have no weight on them, nature of the beast
Have you installed everything and had a good alignment done?
Toe will need to be adjusted out about 1/4 turn roughly so there is a little bit
 

AdamP

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Hi Guys,

Sorry I haven't been more clear.

I had the kit professionally installed and aligned as close as they could get it to factory specs.

Here is a list of the parts I put in (All from JBA):
4" Adjust-A-Struts
JBA Upper A-Arms
4" 5100 Rear Shocks
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Rear Y link extension
Front and Rear bump stops
JBA Cut down CVs

Here is a link to a video of the bounce in the back. Maybe it's just me but that doesn't look right:

Suspension bounce - YouTube

Here are some pictures:
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rockymountain

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i'm sure it just needed adjustments/aligned. would you mind giving us your measurement from the center of your hub to the bottom of the flare? Also, how about a picture of the whole jeep? I wouldn't worry about the tie rods. How does it feel?

...and yeah that bounce looks bad. should bounce once and hold. That would be the shocks. Show Marlin and see what he thinks. If they are adjustable maybe they are all the way soft or something.
 
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TwoBobsKJ

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Based on your pics over on LOST it would appear your rear shocks are on upside down. :freak3:

Others will tell me I'm nuts if I'm wrong...

Bob
 

AdamP

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Sorry for running two threads I really want sure where to post to.

According to the instillation instructions the main valve body is at the top when installing the shocks. Here is a pic from the instructions:

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I showed Marlin the bounce video he told me I could upgrade to the 7100 shocks. I am still waiting to find out what that is going to cost me. Even so it doesn't seem that those shocks should bounce like that and if they do why would you sell them like that?

The measurements from hub to flair are as follows:

Front Passenger: 22 1/8"
Front Driver: 22 1/8"
Rear Passenger: 22 3/4"
Rear Driver: 22 3/4"

Here are some more pics of it.

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I am really appreciative of any help you guys can offer.

Thanks,
 

tommudd

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So 3 inches of lift in front
Shocks are OK actually most of them I think can be mounted either way if you read through the Bilstein info
regarding the rear shocks, you should get no more than one bounce meaning if you push down it will come up and stop , now some on first bounce they may go an extra cycle but then no more
 
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AdamP

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Thanks Tom,

Do you really think the load on the steering system is not to be worried about?

Thanks,
 

tjkj2002

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Go for the 7100 series shocks and go no less then 278/78 valving.There are 6 valving choices for the 7100 series shocks with the 278/78 being the 5th stiffest and what I run now(had 255/70's,way to soft) and there still a bit soft for my liking but my KJ also weighs 6000lbs.

heck if needed I have a spare set of brand new 7100 series short body 12" travel shocks with 278/78 valving I'd sell for cheap(well $250 for both plus shipping).
 

AdamP

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Thanks guys,

How did you go about setting your pinion angle? Has everyone running a 4 inch lift upgraded their diffs and changed their gearing? I was planning on running the recommended 265/75/16. What tire size do your guys recommend?

Thanks,
 

AdamP

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Sad question, but how much of these issues would be resolved by just switching to a 2.5inch lift?
 

tommudd

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Thanks guys,

How did you go about setting your pinion angle? Has everyone running a 4 inch lift upgraded their diffs and changed their gearing? I was planning on running the recommended 265/75/16. What tire size do your guys recommend?

Thanks,

From what you said you're at an actual 3 inches of lift ( like I stated over on the last page so going to a 2.5 inch lift will not help that much if any . You're not at 4 inches of lift. To be at 4 inches your measurement from middle of wheel to bottom of flare would be over 23 inches
So no need to set the pinion angle
If you are going to larger tires than 245-75-16s then yes regearing to 4.10s will help a lot. 245-75s is the breakover size, that size and below you can get by with stock gearing, over that need to redo
If you don't want the expense of regearing stay with 245-75s

every lift we do here we set them up to be at 3.25-3.50 inches after they get broke in. None have any issues . Only difference is that yours is a CRD model with shorter CVs on the drivers side
 
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AdamP

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Here is my alignment spec sheet. It seems pretty far off of stock, but I don't know what limitations the kit made.

What do you guys think.

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Sorry for all the questions I am learning as I go and feel a bit like a fish out of water on this.

Edited so you can read it better.
 
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Cardhu

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Hard to read, can't read. your lift is similar in height to mine.

I could not match caster even close to what makes it green. as on a few other posts, set camber at -0.4 both sides, caster will be at 2.5 to 3 range, toe set normal spec. cross caster less then 0.5 deg.

My alignment sheet is in my albums and have 22 inches on front fender like yours; only difference being height in rear and being Gas instead of CRD but the CV shaft length should not come into play.
3342-around-6-months-after-lift-1-month-after-new-wheels-tires-%7Ejuly-4-2012.jpg


Forgot to mention set camber first then adjust caster. the priority is tirewear with cross caster keeping drift minimal.
 
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rockymountain

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Your alignment is completely Effed!

Take it somewhere else and tell them this:

set the camber on both sides as close to -0.4 degrees as possible, not more (as in more negative) than -0.4 if possible

caster where ever it lands but the cross caster must be within 0.5 degrees.

5-3 degrees of caster is plenty,

Camber is always more important the caster.

I'll add that this is what happens when you add al's a-arms and the alignment guy still tries to go by stock specs. You need to tell them what I have above or else you will never get it right. I've already gone through this and until they understand that they need to listen to the above advise, they will fail.

It looks like they just scratched their heads and set the toe and gave up.
 
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Ry' N Jen

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It's been my experience that most shops here in the lower mainland don't have a clue how to "Professionally" install a lift on a Liberty!
One shop in North Van in particular are a bunch of F:favorites68:ing idiots.
Forgot to install the lower coil spring isolators on the front shock assembly on a
fellow members KJ!:happy175:
http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f203/steering-wheel-twitch-after-ome-lift-48262/ (Post # 17)
Another North Van shop doesn't consider the KJ a Jeep so I wouldn't even take
it to North Shore 4X4!
So it doesn't surprise me the shop that did the install on your KJ doesn't know
what the hell they are talking about!

Although our KJ runs a Frankenlift that's modded to give over four inches of lift when it was new (about 3.50" now), we've never had any issues with anything mechanically on our KJ.
 

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