What did you do to your jeep today?

Installed new mopar radiator. Original lasted to 135k. It was just leaking up by the upper hose and has been for a couple years but just in the last couple weeks it's been dripping on the ground. Anyone drill out the rivets on the upper support piece above the hood latch? I put a bolt and nut on one of the holes so far. Hood wouldn't close with that not being secured.


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rockymountain said:

Installed new mopar radiator. Original lasted to 135k. It was just leaking up by the upper hose and has been for a couple years but just in the last couple weeks it's been dripping on the ground. Anyone drill out the rivets on the upper support piece above the hood latch? I put a bolt and nut on one of the holes so far. Hood wouldn't close with that not being secured.


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Ya I drilled mine out and put 2 small bolts with lock washers. Much easier to deal with.

I used self tapping screws on instead of rivets

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I have nothing there. Hood closes just fine.

[email protected] said:

Hoping to start the install of my H&R springs/lift today along with replacing the BJ and TRE dust boots with Energy Suspension polyurethane boots. I will inspect and replace any worn BJ or TRE if needed. Ordered Moog Problem Solver parts ahead of time, but will return if not needed. I like to plan for the worst so expecting the Libby to be down for a couple days.

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I finished installing the front H&R springs and Gabriel Ultra shocks today. Checked the UCA, BJ and TRE while I was at it. The passenger side UCA ball joint had a little play so I replaced it. Wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Replaced a torn boot on the driver's side UCA. Also, cleaned and repacked that UCA BJ and TRE with new grease.

Very pleased with the front springs so far. Sitting at right around 20.5" after the install and a little ride. Expect it to settle in at around 20" and that's just what I was looking for. The springs are definitely firmer than the stock springs, but still a comfortable ride. Feels a little more like a truck now and less like a car. Heck $200 for both front and rear springs and made in Germany I had to give them a try.

Tomorrow I'll throw in the rear springs. Since I only expect 1-1.5" of lift I'm going to stick with the Gabriel Ultra's I installed recently.

Those H&R springs sound like a good gig for those not looking for lift over new factory height.

Just finished up the rear springs. Ended up 20.5" front and 21" rear. Rides just the way I like it, especially after getting the rears in and leveling it up. Couldn't help myself last night though I had to take it for a ride after installing the fronts. Running 235/70R16's Grabber AT3 at this time but will go one size taller and "maybe" one size wider. I prefer taller over wider if I need to choose one over the other.

$217 for the springs
$127 for the Gabriel Ultra's

$344 total for a 1.5"(20.5" Front/21.0" Rear) lift I can live with that. If I ever feel like going any higher I'll add a 3/8" clevis(or stamped clevis) and an additional top rear spring isolator.

Dropped off at the local Les Schwab: 2 front coil springs, 2 struts, strut mounts and isolators. Hope to pick up the coil-over assemblies tomorrow. Getting real close to the lift job. Guess I better get the pre-lift comparison measurements and photos soon. :gr_grin:

Got realigned. Tires rebalanced. Still not within spec. Tried again to mount the front tow hooks without removing the front bumper to no avail. Add rear D ring receiver hitch (well that's easy). Removed roof rack so truck will fit in the garage door. [emoji44]


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Had new studded snow tires installed and a front end alignment done. Toe was way off after the lift. Camber was slightly out on one side as well, probably due to the new UCA on that side I just installed, but they were able to bring everything back into the green. They even realigned it a 2nd time when they realized the steering wheel was a little off center. Local VIP impressed the you know what out of me.

Jim McClain said:

Hope to pick up the coil-over assemblies tomorrow.

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That was supposed to be today. I didn't get the phone call, so I drove down there a little after 4PM. All my boxes of stuff were still sitting on the floor waiting to be assembled. DAMN, I hate it when people give you an ETA and then don't even call when they know they won't make it.

I've never assembled this stuff, but from the looks of it, if I had a floor-mounted spring compressor, this would be a < 30-minute job for the pair. Am I right? :whymewhyme:

Jim McClain said:

That was supposed to be today. I didn't get the phone call, so I drove down there a little after 4PM. All my boxes of stuff were still sitting on the floor waiting to be assembled. DAMN, I hate it when people give you an ETA and then don't even call when they know they won't make it.

I've never assembled this stuff, but from the looks of it, if I had a floor-mounted spring compressor, this would be a < 30-minute job for the pair. Am I right? :whymewhyme:

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Took a local mechanic about an hour here (and that was generous). We went to lunch then went back and got them.

I don't necessarily recommend it, but I assembled mine using the OEMTOOLS 25550 MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor. I planned to have them assembled by a local shop or to borrow my brother's shop quality wall mounted unit. Got bored one day and had a little time to kill so decided to give it a try. It was a little nerve racking but I took my time with the impact and made sure to lube the threads. It was a little tight but the H&R springs had just enough room to use the tool. It would never work with the stock springs though. I'm overly cautious and always treat struts and coilover assemblies like a loaded gun.

The OEMTOOLS 25550 MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor also came in very handy while installing the rear springs. I needed about one more inch of clearance and I was about to remove the ball joint pinch bolt from the top of the differential housing bracket until I decided to try the compressor on the rear springs. It took very little torque with the impact to compress the rears to the point that they slipped in without much effort.

I can only say, when I had my struts assembled for me, it took trips to 3 different shops to find one that as comfortable with the forces involved, and that one deals with heavy duty vehicles constantly. His spring compressor was significantly more substantial.

I agree. Was talking with a local Monroe shop manager the other day and he told me the arm on their commercial strut compressor let go not long ago(cracked). Glad I wasn't the tech using it at the time. We're talking some serious forces here especially with those heavier OME springs. Guessing my H&R springs were more in the range of the lighter 926's.

Jim McClain said:

That was supposed to be today. I didn't get the phone call, so I drove down there a little after 4PM. All my boxes of stuff were still sitting on the floor waiting to be assembled. DAMN, I hate it when people give you an ETA and then don't even call when they know they won't make it.

I've never assembled this stuff, but from the looks of it, if I had a floor-mounted spring compressor, this would be a < 30-minute job for the pair. Am I right? :whymewhyme:

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Yeah it is, and I had that exact same experience with a shop here that did them.

the shop in my area said they couldnt do it :emotions34: , i used the threaded spring compressors for the hd ironmans and it was one of the most scary and dumb things ive done. also the hooks that grab the springs dont come out once you have it all assembled....its like a time bomb. of course after i cheated death my old man showed me the new floor mounted spring compressor in the barn :blah:

I made up a rig that attaches to my high lift jack worked a treat still a little nerve racking though till you learn that all will hold ok


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watched the snow pile up , 75 car pile up on I-90 close to me. Took the KJ out for a spin and not disappointed with the first snowy trek with the new tires and wheels that havent seen snow yet. Most roads were shut down and i couldnt make the big brick slide even if i wanted to

I have a set of those for some jobs. work great in stock springs on the stratus, shadow, neon, and even the jeep. no way in ****ing hell are they strong enough to tackle the 790s. When I tried I could actively see the screw starting to bend. I decided it was a bad idea, turkey. The shop that eventually did the assembly for me used something like this...