Ironman lift installed...with pics

[tlrtucker]

Installed my Ironman lift over the weekend and I'm loving it for the most part, but I'm having an issue with front ride height.

For starters, I bought the kit off a guy from Craigslist for $300. It has never been installed, no scratched paint, bands still on the rear shocks. I double checked the numbers on the springs and they all matched JBA's website. Didn't see any numbers on the shocks to check, but they matched the pictures at least.

I added a 1/4" top plate up front, and an extra upper iso in the rear. In the rear I'm right at 22.5" hub to fender, so I'm good there. Up front I'm only at 20.5" - I was thinking I should have been closer to 22-22.5", right? Is it possible I have the correct springs, but the shock is too short??

Anybody have any thoughts? I'm not too crazy about the amount of rake, and would like it an inch higher in the front. I don't have any rubbing, so that's good. Plus it seems like the front coils are too close together (see pic)

I love how it rides, wont be doing any ******** wheeling with it, but I'm just worried I have a pair of front springs that are no good. I dont mind throwing on some clevis rings, but I'm worried something isn't right with the springs...

Any thoughts? I'm really frustrated here - I literally spent hours and hours researching everything and here I am with a problem, lol...

Install was a snap, started at 9 am and was driving by 530 pm and that includes the time for the shop to mount the tires and do an alignment.

Pics...

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The spacing between the top of the clevis and the bottom of the isolator flange doesn't look right...

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Poser shot...

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[CactusJacked]

I added a 1/4" top plate up front, and an extra upper iso in the rear. In the rear I'm right at 22.5" hub to fender, so I'm good there. Up front I'm only at 20.5" - I was thinking I should have been closer to 22-22.5", right?

Never mind, brain fart

 

[tlrtucker]

After seeing this pic I think I got the wrong shocks, or something is installed incorrectly...

My shocks dont have the spacer circled in red...

 

[tlrtucker]

Just got off the phone with Marlin at JBA - he couldn't figure it out either. He believes the shop that assembled the strut/spring assembly did something wrong (I didn't think there was more than one way to do it). Yes, I had a shop assemble the shock/spring assembly, started fiddling with the spring compressor but felt like it was too dangerous for me, lol...

Looks like I'm going to pull the lift off tomorrow and figure out what's going on...

 

[John3seventeen]

Thats a half inch spacer. You can just use 4 conduit nuts 1/8" each = 1/2" . That will give you another 1" of lift. Doesn't make sense though. I know of one person running those thats setting right around 23". And all the shocks are the same length pretty much. The Ironmans are just a small amount longer.

 

[tlrtucker]

It's not a clevis spacer, its part of the shock body. I'll post more tomorrow evening after I sort it out.....should've waited a day or two to post this thread, lol. Ah well, I'll post what I find out tomorrow evening...

 

[tommudd]

After seeing this pic I think I got the wrong shocks, or something is installed incorrectly...

My shocks dont have the spacer circled in red...

Can't be wrong shocks , all are the same for the KJ/ KK
All Ironman are close together like shown, Now you could have the weaker / lower rated springs, buying them used you have no idea now.
Picture shown looks like one of mine when I tested the ironman IF so then you may not see that part as much since I modified those some when putting them together
The set I tested are on 501s now and with top plate and clevis he is close to 22.75. I did use some of the rings that boost the springs another 150 lb though

 

[tommudd]

It's not a clevis spacer, its part of the shock body. I'll post more tomorrow evening after I sort it out.....should've waited a day or two to post this thread, lol. Ah well, I'll post what I find out tomorrow evening...

If you have ironman shocks they all look the same , are you sure they are Ironman
And why should of you waited to post? Don't like our comments or what??:happy175::happy175:

 

[tlrtucker]

That pic is one of yours...I stole it. Not sure why things aren't working but I'll figure it out tomorrow.

And I meant wait to post so I don't look like a tool, lol....

 

[72specialized]

I just installed my ironman lift. Check "ironman lift" thread by me. There are pictures there of my springs to compare against. I bought new from JBA. I have the 0.5 clevis spacer and the top plate spacer as well. The clevis spacer would give you the extra inch of lift but your spring coils do seem very close to each other.

Alan

 

[tlrtucker]

72 - your thread was one I followed before the install, thanks.

Like I said, I'm not sure what the heck is going on. Hopefully when I pull everything apart (probably tomorrow) it will make sense. And hopefully the springs dont get trashed being the way they are for another day...

 

[tlrtucker]

Would anybody happen to know the proper length of the coil/shock assembly with the ironman set up? Gonna be tearing the jeep apart this afternoon...

 

[John3seventeen]

The length of the shock coil assembly shouldn't effect ride height. The strength of the coil springs is what provides the lift. Unless you were provided shocks for another vehicle. Which would be unlikely in that everything probably wouldn't have went together.

 

[tlrtucker]

Well, got everything disassembled today. Got the strut assembly completely apart and everything appears to be correct. What was interesting was when we got everything reassembled my hub to fender measurement was right at 22". But then over the course of about 10 minutes just sitting under its own weight its sagged back down to 20 .5 inches.

So it only makes sense that I have weak springs. Right?

 

[tommudd]

When you have the front wheels off the ground and then lower it , they will be higher until everything settles back down and then the wheels spread back out ( when jacking the front up the wheels come in)
My guess is the person bought the lower rated springs. IF you knew his name Marlin maybe able to look up what he bought for sure

 

[tommudd]

Just for reference the maroon one belongs to 501, we installed the Ironman on his after I had it on mine and tested it. Its sitting with a top plate and 3/8 inch clevis on 245-75-16s, mine is sitting at 4.25 inches of lift on 265-75-16s just so you can see the difference. Last I measured his it was still in the 3.75 inch range.
Of course everyone we do comes out taller ! :happy175:

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[tlrtucker]

Yep. I have the exact same set up as 501's but without the 3/8" clevis and I'm at 20.5".

The fact that I got this kit second hand and the fact that he said he has had it for 3 years, tells me I have some old springs. I don't what else it could be...

 

[tommudd]

Yep. I have the exact same set up as 501's but without the 3/8" clevis and I'm at 20.5".

The fact that I got this kit second hand and the fact that he said he has had it for 3 years, tells me I have some old springs. I don't what else it could be...

3 years?? interesting Trying to think when it was that they first came ashore

 

[tlrtucker]

That's what he claims. I get what you're saying about the front suspension settling after being jacked up, but I've never seen a vehicle just slowly settle like that before. The springs are the only thing that makes sense to me. Gonna talk to Marlin Monday, see what he thinks...

 

[tjkj2002]

That's what he claims. I get what you're saying about the front suspension settling after being jacked up, but I've never seen a vehicle just slowly settle like that before. The springs are the only thing that makes sense to me. Gonna talk to Marlin Monday, see what he thinks...

With IFS when you lift the wheels off the ground the suspension goes to full droop.When you let it back down it will settle to one spot making it look like it has more lift but the tires will "slip" and it will settle to where it should normally be at.I see it everyday at work,be it a Honda civic or Jeep Liberty.