Rusty's lift w/MTR's = trimming & vibration??

[tylerlsch]

Hello all! This week I put a Rusty's coil lift on my '03, and I had a couple of questions for everyone. I hope you guys can help.

First, I am getting a bunch of rattle from the rear end at slow speeds (maybe at high speeds too, I just can't hear it then). It sounds like the damn thing is loose and about to fall off, but I've had it checked out and supposedly it's all tight. Anyone else experience this??

Second, I put on new Rubicon wheels and tires (245/75) as everyone seemed to suggest on here, but they rub like crazy in the front. All over the fog light covers and pointy-triangle-plastic-cover-thing-that-sticks-out (you know what I mean) at the rear of well. I just went to trim it, but if you trim the fog light covers then the wiring and back of blub will be exposed to the elements, and if you trim the pointy plastic then this jagged metal seam will still out (and still rub on the tires). What is the deal? Are these the same areas you guys trimmed? If I do trim the pointy plastic piece, won't the tires then just rub on the bare metal??

Thanks very much for everyone's input. This didn't work out like I had hoped. Last question - If I can't fit 245/75's, how the bloodly hell do some of you fit 265/70's on there??

Thanks again.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Bigger lifts. Some people beat that pinch weld down. Cut the plastic off of it and beat it over with a hammer. Cant tell ya what to do about the fog light door.

 

[pixeldzn]

Did you do a clevis lift in the front to give that little extra boost and level the KJ off? That may help the rubbing on the fog light door. I'd still hammer down that pinch weld though.

 

[tylerlsch]

Thanks for the reply. I've always accessorized/modified my cars, but I'm not a car guy. I have read y'all talking about the clevis lift thing, but would have no idea how to do it. I don't even change my own washer fluid. And smack down the weld with a hammer? Wow, I didn't think I would come to that, but if it has to, it has to...

Any idea about the back end rattling (on both sides)? Thanks again.

 

[pixeldzn]

Thanks for the reply. I've always accessorized/modified my cars, but I'm not a car guy. I have read y'all talking about the clevis lift thing, but would have no idea how to do it. I don't even change my own washer fluid. And smack down the weld with a hammer? Wow, I didn't think I would come to that, but if it has to, it has to...

Any idea about the back end rattling (on both sides)? Thanks again.

Go over to lostkjs.com for more clevis lift info than you could ever want. As for the rattling, Rusty's shocks are notorious for that. That's why everyone upgrades to the ranchos.

 

[tylerlsch]

Thanks!! It's the shocks that rattle??? I've noticed people talking on here about the Rusty's shocks as being "bad" - I just selectively ignored it I guess and hoped for the best.

So I should go to the Rancho RSX? But what length do I ask for (since I assume it needs to be longer than the stock OEM part # Rancho may have for an '03 Liberty rear shock)??

Please help me out with this last piece. Thanks SO much for your assistance!!

 

[fouros]

RSX 17004 rear shocks

the rancho site will say they are for a durango but fit a lifted kj fine

 

[camper]

a reply to your rear rattle....

I have the rusty's coil replacement lift on my '04 sport...I installed it myself....the complaints about the rear shocks being poor quality are overstated....

if you think the rattle is coming from the install of the rear shocks, it may be that the shock eyes where the bolts go are slightly narrow for the mount locations....all you need to do is go the lowes or home depot and purchase a handfull of fender washers....5/8" inside diameter, about 1 3/8" outside diameter.....maybe all of 10 cents apiece....remove the top bolt and slip one or two washers inside the mount to take up some of the slop....do the same for the bottom mount if needed....this is something you can do yourself with a jack and a couple wrenches....

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I noticed this small difference in fit when I installed my kit so I put the washers in at that time....I have never had any problems or noises with my rusty's lift....I've been to moab, jeep jamborees, and local trail rides and the kit works fine....I have 245/75/16 bfg at/ko's with no rubbing and no fender well modifications....over 20k miles.....

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adding a couple washers is entirely within the range of expectations when working on any kind of machine, especially a modification of a jeep....people who say the product is bad are more than likely just repeating something they've read and the issue gets accepted as fact....I recently installed a very popular kit that came with rancho shocks for the rear on another liberty ('02 model) and it had the same loose fit....we put one washer in the top mount....

I'm sure that the rancho shocks are a great product but you don't need to regret having your kit....almost all shocks are made by the same tenneco corporation....monroes, ranchos, and probably the ones rusty uses...they just have different design specs....

a clevis lift is just a modification to the install of the front strut/coil assembly....the bottom of the strut is slipped into a clevis yoke and clamped tight....if you want to steal a little more upward lift, then don't slide the strut all the way down into the yoke....notice the "yellow" gap in the next picture....

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this stuff isn't high tech....it's just something you haven't done yet....don't overlook the fact that you also switched tires.....you may need to have the balance checked on one or more of them....

 

[UKKJ]

Brilliant Post Camper!!

What torque did you use on the clevis lift to prevent it slipping??

Cheers
M

 

[Bennett]

Nice write up! (biggthumpup)


Clevis should be 110 pounds on top bolt and 100 pounds on lower bolt.


Bennett

 

[tylerlsch]

Wow, thanks Camper!!! That was probably the most informative and logical post I have read! I was thinking about bailing on the whole Rusty's kit, but maybe now I'll think differently. I definitely don't want to do damage to my Jeep first and foremost, but I agree that it is hard to tell on here who really has had a mechanical problem with a lift kit, and who is just repeating hearsay.

If I could fix the darn rattle, I wouldn't be that unpleased with it. And since the funds are already irrecoverable, I may as well ride it out for a few thousand miles and see how things go. Changing the shocks outright is illogical from a cost/benefit standpoint, as the whole point with getting a Rusty's kit is to save the $300 between it and the Frankenlift.

Thanks again for everyone's help, and hopefully I will return to the forum with a picture and a positive comment, rather than a negative one!!