Cradle Drop

[ptsb5a]

Has anyone considered doing there own cradle drop? I was thinking some 3/8 or 1/2 plate + the plasma cutter might make for some homemade shims. Four for the cradle and two for the t-case crossmember shouldn't be too difficult to make. Other than the fan shroud are there any other "complications" I might come across? Other than my time, which I have a bunch of, this isn't going to cost me a thing and I was thinking that it would help with alignment problems after another lift.

Crap, forget this ever happened. I just finished up the thread search and got all the answers i was looking for. Except for the length of the bolts. Just waiting on Ryan to give me an earfull for not using the search first.

 

[incommando]

We should be able to delete or own posts...........

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I take it I can delete this?

 

[ShafferNY]

I take it I can delete this?

Nah not just yet. Let him look like a fool for a little while longer. It's his punishment for not using the search feature first. lol Just kidding.

 

[LibertyFever]

(popcorn)

 

[JeepINgeek]

(deadhorse)

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Has anyone considered doing there own cradle drop? I was thinking some 3/8 or 1/2 plate + the plasma cutter might make for some homemade shims. Four for the cradle and two for the t-case crossmember shouldn't be too difficult to make. Other than the fan shroud are there any other "complications" I might come across? Other than my time, which I have a bunch of, this isn't going to cost me a thing and I was thinking that it would help with alignment problems after another lift.

Crap, forget this ever happened. I just finished up the thread search and got all the answers i was looking for. Except for the length of the bolts. Just waiting on Ryan to give me an earfull for not using the search first.

Nah,Ryan won't give you an earfull!
Keep me posted with this though Ian.

 

[JeepINgeek]

despite my joking....

its nice to know that im not the only one that does that lol

 

[ptsb5a]

You guys are killin me!!!! No HJ, don`t delete it until everyone has had a chance to ridicule me. It`s cool, I`m OK with it. I think I sort of deserve it.

 

[JeepINgeek]

did i hear sticky? ya i think i heard sticky?

Sticky Sticky Sticky!!

we will make an example of you!!! ( better you than me)

 

[ridenby]

For what it's worth,believe TJKJ posted the bolt length on here somewhere,not recalling OP.

 

[eyehatetofu]

Free post.

 

[ptsb5a]

1/4" cradle drop complete.

Alright, I went ahead and did it. I dropped the cradle 1/4", if I need to drop it more I'll go in 1/8" increments until I need longer bolts.

Brought my KJ to the club and set myself up...

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Dropped the trans crossmember a bit.

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Put the 6"x6" plate between the frame and the crossmember and pushed the crossmember back up. Used metal marking chalk to mark the holes.

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Poked the plate with my center punch and then drilled a 1/8" hole. Graduated to the stepped drill bit and proceeded to make the holes bigger.

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Installed the plates.

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Dropped the sway bar to gain easier access to the front cradle bolts

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Loosened the cradle enough to jam a piece of cardboard between the frame and the cradle to get a rough idea of the conture of the frame cut out for the springs.

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Transfered the cardboard template to the plates and cut them out.

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Made two that looked like this.

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Stuffed them in and torqued everything down tight.

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Finished by reinstalling the swaybar, skidplates and torqueing it all to spec. Then cleaned up my tools and packed it up for the night. All told it took about 3 hours to do the job including a couple of pee breaks and some idle chat with other club members.

 

[ridenby]

Interesting. Is the goal just a little height? Are you headed.....where? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[ptsb5a]

More to improve my odds of a successful alignment. The cam bolts are nearly maxed out. I figured, after speaking to a mech eng friend of mine that lowering the LCA mounts would change the relationship between the LCA and UCA enough to pull in the LCA ball joint in in relation to the UCA balljoint and............. it took my buddy the mech eng a few tries and a white board to explain the geometry. You guys on here aren't retards. Besides, it's cool spending quality time with the KJ.

 

[tommudd]

Interesting, you must be way up there if your cam bolts are almost maxed out?? Can't remember if you are running aftermarket arms or not?

 

[ptsb5a]

Interesting, you must be way up there if your cam bolts are almost maxed out?? Can't remember if you are running aftermarket arms or not?

Tom, I have the RRO upper control arms.

 

[tjkj2002]

More to improve my odds of a successful alignment. The cam bolts are nearly maxed out. I figured, after speaking to a mech eng friend of mine that lowering the LCA mounts would change the relationship between the LCA and UCA enough to pull in the LCA ball joint in in relation to the UCA balljoint and............. it took my buddy the mech eng a few tries and a white board to explain the geometry. You guys on here aren't retards. Besides, it's cool spending quality time with the KJ.

Actually your odds of getting a better alignment are worse now.

Tom, I have the RRO upper control arms.

That there is another issue that is not helping your alignment.

 

[tommudd]

Funny I have never had a problem with an alignment, with stock arms for 75,000 lifted it was pretty much as far as they could get it back in, then swapped out to JBA's and have lots to play with.
Hope we don't lose you, have seen a few do cradle drops and then after a few weeks they are never heard from again!

 

[ptsb5a]

Funny I have never had a problem with an alignment, with stock arms for 75,000 lifted it was pretty much as far as they could get it back in, then swapped out to JBA's and have lots to play with.
Hope we don't lose you, have seen a few do cradle drops and then after a few weeks they are never heard from again!

Whadya mean lose me? I'm not going anywhere. If it doesn't help the alignment, I'll order some JBAs and yank out my crappy little shims and the RRO arms. Too easy. Trial and error Tom, that's how I learn. Mind you, I'm a little slow sometimes, working on ex-wife number 2. Thought I'd of learned the first time!!