tommudd
Moderator
There is a double thickness of metal there, but like I stated above, just pound them over some and they will be fine
DWM Seeks AJP For Wild Weekend, Maybe More
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There is a double thickness of metal there, but like I stated above, just pound them over some and they will be fine
profdlp
Circling The Drain
Thanks! I went back out and test fit a few things together and it seemed pretty obvious, but I am glad to hear it from a real authority.
I'm taking these to the place that I mentioned kept losing parts off my old Tracker. I'm figuring for spring compression he'll either get it together or he won't, but I want to make sure he doesn't get stuff out of order.
There are two heavy duty washers with the shocks. One on either side of the strut mount just like in the diagram from Bilstein, right?
Right!
profdlp
Circling The Drain
The parts to be compressed were dropped off this morning. The guy told me he'd probably call back sometime after lunchtime. i called them at 5:30 just before they closed and he said it would be tomorrow.
Three day weekend, beautiful weather forecast, rest of the stuff sitting here...
...they better not mess me up... :Violin:
Three day weekend, beautiful weather forecast, rest of the stuff sitting here...
...they better not mess me up... :Violin:
Good luck!
profdlp
Circling The Drain
Last minute stuff I should have asked last week:
Any last-minute advice would be appreciated!
- What tools do I need?
- What socket sizes do I need?
- How long should this be expected to take if all goes fairly well?
- What are the smart little touches to add as I go along?
- What are the dumb things I'd better not do?
Any last-minute advice would be appreciated!
KJ604
Full Access Member
Good luck with your struts. I tried one shop that tried and couldnt do it and had another shop give me a crazy $230 quote. The jaws on the compressor can be different from machine to machine i guess. The shop with the right machine charged me $60 and im guessing it took them half an hour.
there aren't any real specialty tools. the DS UCA is the trickiest bolt to get to I used a swivel on a 1/2" rachet with 12-15" of extension. Also the nut on the new UCA is a 1" nut. my socket set stopped at 15/16. depending on your jeep you might also need a rachet strap to align the bottom of the clevis on the LCA when you are putting everything back together.
there aren't any real specialty tools. the DS UCA is the trickiest bolt to get to I used a swivel on a 1/2" rachet with 12-15" of extension. Also the nut on the new UCA is a 1" nut. my socket set stopped at 15/16. depending on your jeep you might also need a rachet strap to align the bottom of the clevis on the LCA when you are putting everything back together.
profdlp
Circling The Drain
They quoted me $80 for the pair, so that's not too far off. $230 is crazy. The guy at the shop where I'm getting the springs done said he'd INSTALL them for $240.
Guess what? Same here... :emotions34:
I wish I owned stock in Harbor Freight. They must be sitting pretty these days.
1. Socket set (1/4",3/8",1/2" drive), breaker bar, torque wrench, pry bars, hammer, drill/bits, maybe ratchet straps
2. I sent you the sizes of sockets you need already as well as the torques in my last email.. you'll obviously have to go get a set with bigger sizes than what you've got because first off the lugs are 19mm and the UCA ball joint nut (in the knuckle) is 21mm
3. With arms being installed and everything going perfect I'd say realistically around 4-5 hrs since nothing really ever goes perfect when dealing with this kind of work (for me anyway)
4. No smart little touches just get that s*** in there already!
5. Let that whole assembly dangle while you work, put something under the LCA or you'll have some torn boots
I've already told you everything I feel you need to know in my emails, just without the A-Arm instructions
Don't get frustrated with stuff because the suspension will win every time, think of different approaches if one thing you try doesn't work
You'll get this done no worries, it's just time consuming and really isn't hard at all
Once you get done, you'll say "Wow, that wasn't so bad.. Now I must preach to everybody about how I am now a certified professional KJ lift installer" like most of us do :happy175:
It's always nice to have new people come to the lifted family and I hope your install goes smooth
If you get stuck just ask on here, many of us will be able to help out
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tommudd
Moderator
*Don't let the caliper hang down and stretch the brake line
** if doing UCAs then make sure you only tighten them after full weight on the ground, and wait until full weight on the ground to attach the sway bar links
Not hard to do at all, one of the easier lifts I've done on vehicles in over 40 years of doing them so no issues really
1/4 inch socket set? Never used one of them doing a lift so don't worry about that
You'd get by with just a 1/2" drive set for this, the 18MM for the coilovers in the engine bay you'll want a deep well socket. Other than that, if you have a set that goes up to 20 or 21 plus the 1" socket you'll be ok. Get some extensions and a breaker bar too.
You guys have a 3/8" or 1/2" drive socket that is small enough for the cruise servo nuts? And you use a 1/2" drive socket for the 10mm battery terminals? Battery tray nuts also?
Hm, I have every size drive for all of my sockets
I use the 1/4" drive for the smaller nuts, 3/8" for almost everything else and the 1/2" for the lugs and whatever else has a bigger sized nut or that I need to use my breaker bar or torque wrench for
Hm, I have every size drive for all of my sockets
I use the 1/4" drive for the smaller nuts, 3/8" for almost everything else and the 1/2" for the lugs and whatever else has a bigger sized nut or that I need to use my breaker bar or torque wrench for
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tommudd
Moderator
I do as well, (have every size from 1/4 on up), but rarely use the 1/4 inch.
No need to drag out extra tools for a few nuts
As far as the battery tray and servo nuts I use 3/8 inch drive, a ratcheting wrench on the battery itself.
Fewer tools out, fewer to clean up and put away:gr_grin:
Plus have done so many of them, most of my tools I do use jump out of my tool box when they see a "unlifted" KJ/KK pull into the garage !:happy175:
So your 3/8 inch drive doesn't go down that small?
It does somewhat, I just find it easier to have a couple sockets for each size drive so I don't have to switch the sockets out as often
Just use one, grab the other and use it then switch sockets if needed
It is more tools out at the time but less time for me to fiddle around trying to find the socket I want
I knew I was only going to be working on my suspension once so no worries about having a little extra out I guess
x2
The KJ doesn't require that many sockets, mostly 15mm, 18mm and 1" .
I use 3/8" drive for the battery tray and cruise servo, battery. 1/2" mainly for the suspension.
1/4" drive for guitar tuners :gr_grin:
profdlp
Circling The Drain
Soooo....
Phone call this afternoon. My struts are ready! Fiancee picks them up for me and...
THEY FORGOT THE LOWER ISOLATORS!!!!!!! :favorites68: :flamingdevil: :Rant: :893Chainsaw-Smilie- :biggun: :throw: :chair:
I knew these people were incompetent so I not only provided them with a diagram but an actual picture of what they were supposed to look like when assembled. So easy a child could do it. Guess I should have found a child and had them do the work instead. :emotions34:
So I twist the owner's arm until he has a different mechanic do it all over again.
Quick question: He used the heavy washers which came with the shocks and not the washer which came with the new strut mount. This is cool, right? If not, Bobo will be getting to do them over again. :blah:
Phone call this afternoon. My struts are ready! Fiancee picks them up for me and...
THEY FORGOT THE LOWER ISOLATORS!!!!!!! :favorites68: :flamingdevil: :Rant: :893Chainsaw-Smilie- :biggun: :throw: :chair:
I knew these people were incompetent so I not only provided them with a diagram but an actual picture of what they were supposed to look like when assembled. So easy a child could do it. Guess I should have found a child and had them do the work instead. :emotions34:
So I twist the owner's arm until he has a different mechanic do it all over again.
Quick question: He used the heavy washers which came with the shocks and not the washer which came with the new strut mount. This is cool, right? If not, Bobo will be getting to do them over again. :blah:
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tommudd
Moderator
They will be fine, no worries
profdlp
Circling The Drain
Would it be safe to say that as long as I can get the stuff in there and don't tighten down the UCA until the weight is on it, the order of things is not all that critical?
Which end is easier? I'm assuming the back because there is no big fancy red control arm to deal with.
Which end is easier? I'm assuming the back because there is no big fancy red control arm to deal with.
Pretty much. Some things have to be done in a certain order to get at things, but it's intuitive.
But stuff like disconnecting the sway bar end links, tie rod ends, can be done as you need to.
I'd knock the front out first. That's just me. One tip on the rear- rent some spring compressors. Makes for less jacking. (or maybe you like jacking but that's none of my business) peepwall.gif
You'd compress the rear spring (via jacking up the axle on that side) put the compressor on to hold it and then release the jack and it'll fall right out. Then for install, jack the opposite end of the axle up and it'll go in with minimal compression.
But stuff like disconnecting the sway bar end links, tie rod ends, can be done as you need to.
I'd knock the front out first. That's just me. One tip on the rear- rent some spring compressors. Makes for less jacking. (or maybe you like jacking but that's none of my business) peepwall.gif
You'd compress the rear spring (via jacking up the axle on that side) put the compressor on to hold it and then release the jack and it'll fall right out. Then for install, jack the opposite end of the axle up and it'll go in with minimal compression.
Jim McClain
Full Access Member
I woulda never given these people the chance you did.
Anyway... are you keeping the first post up to date on the parts list? I am anxious to get my KJ lifted (2½"), but am a long way away from affording it. So, I just ordered the Upper Control Arms and the Y-Link Extension. It'll be months before I can get all the parts together, so I'd like to keep referring back to that first post each time I want to order a new part.
I don't have the physical ability to do the labor, so I'll be farming it out. But, like you, I want to plan the whole process to make the conversion as painless as possible - I don't want to be without transportation for more than a day or so. This thread will help me prepare. Thanks.
Jim
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