Lift party for Daystar install?

Video Guy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 08, 2006 2:50 pm

My flaky brother up in South Bend hasn't gotten back to me about helping install my lift, so I'm turning to my L.O.S.T. compadres. My Daystar KJ09123 spacer lift will arrive any day now. The kit consists of only coil spring spacers and boots; there are no strut plates or extensions, so hopefully with the right tools and your suspension experience, we can knock out this job in 3-4 hours. I have a 3-ton jack, pair of jack stands, and common tools. I do not , however, have a torque wrench, strut compressor, spring compressor, or ball joint separator. Would the loaner tools from AutoZone be good enough?

There's beer/soda and Papa John's pizza coming to anyone wanting to do this with me. In general, I'm clueless about anything beyond changing oil, checking fluids, and air filters, so I need all the help I can get. Let me know if you're available and when. I'd like to say let's do it Saturday morning, but All J did not provide a tracking number for my order, so I don't know exactly when the parts are coming.

I really want to be lifted before Thanksgiving and the busy holiday season. We're all busy between Turkey Day and New Years. Thanks in advance for your consideration.

T.J.

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:01 pm

I can offer another set of hands but no technical expertise. I will keep an eye on this thread to see when you decide to do it.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:02 pm

Your place is a little more than 5 hours from mine, otherwise I'd volunteer. I'd be looking at at least a 16 hour day and $100 in gas to help you out.

I would Recommend taking the front assemblies to a Pep Boys or similar place and having the spacers put in. Should cost you around $50. The back will be simple as pie. The front takes a little monkeying, but isn't bad either.

It realy is a lot easier than you'd think if you are at least a little mechanically inclined. I can offer as much over-the-phone technical advice as you need. PM me for my cell # if you like. Good luck!

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:06 am

Well if your brother is out of South Bend...you definitly cant be too far away from me.

I know I will provide nothing for this project...but I'd be willing to stop by if I had nothing going on the day you plan to do it...just to see how it goes and for future reference for my lift...help as much as I could if possible...talk about KJs...do whatever!! I have a torque wrench...how big of one is needed to get the job done?

Video Guy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:47 am

For out-of-town folks, Westfield is a small town next just north of Indianapolis. I'm about 10 minutes north of where I-465 meets US 31/Meridian Street. In other words, my home is 2.5 hours from Dayton, 2 hours from Cincy, 2.5 from Niles, MI, and 90 minutes from the Badlands park. About 4 hours from Louisville, KY.

Don: I don't expect you to come from Chicagoland. That's quite a hike! As for PepBoys, their closest store is 35 minutes from my house. I imagine I'd need to schedule this in advance, especially on a Saturday. Is this something I can do as a walk-in customer?

Jeff: Thanks for the offer. I'll PM Skymech and a few other Indiana L.O.S.T. to hopefully find someone who's done one of these before. I hope to have at least one experienced person on board.

My older brother Ed offered to install the lift for beer money last month. Don't know if he's checking voicemail. :roll:

If he helps, the lift will be installed in his garage in South Bend -- much closer to any Chicago or Michigan people who want to help and/or observe. If he's available, we won't need Pep Boys.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:04 pm

You can walk in to pep boys for sure. They may ask you to come back in an hour or something to pick them up, but they'll take it as a walk in.

I wouls not recomment trying to do it with spring compressors. The KJ front spring is really tight and hard to get the compressor into. At the shop they have a hydraulic setup that makes life much easier.

You should be able to take them into any shop that advertises doing work on struts. An independent shop would be able to help you just as well as a pep boys and probably cheaper as well.

Video Guy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:24 pm

FastTRX wrote:

Well if your brother is out of South Bend...you definitly cant be too far away from me.

I know I will provide nothing for this project...but I'd be willing to stop by if I had nothing going on the day you plan to do it...just to see how it goes and for future reference for my lift...help as much as I could if possible...talk about KJs...do whatever!! I have a torque wrench...how big of one is needed to get the job done?

I've been to Walkerton. I used to live in Lydick. Went to Warren Elementary School grades K-5. My older brothers graduated from Washington H.S. in South Bend in the early 1980s. I went to middle and high school in SC, then moved back just in time to graduate from Mishawaka. I'll spare you the boring details. If we do the lift at my brother's house, I'll let you know. You should definitely join us.

T.J.

FastTRX · **Posted:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:44 pm

Video Guy wrote:

FastTRX wrote:

Well if your brother is out of South Bend...you definitly cant be too far away from me.

I know I will provide nothing for this project...but I'd be willing to stop by if I had nothing going on the day you plan to do it...just to see how it goes and for future reference for my lift...help as much as I could if possible...talk about KJs...do whatever!! I have a torque wrench...how big of one is needed to get the job done?

I've been to Walkerton. I used to live in Lydick. Went to Warren Elementary School grades K-5. My older brothers graduated from Washington H.S. in South Bend in the early 1980s. I went to middle and high school in SC, then moved back just in time to graduate from Mishawaka. I'll spare you the boring details. If we do the lift at my brother's house, I'll let you know. You should definitely join us.

T.J.

LOL...small little town huh? I actually live probably 2 miles out of walkerton..but I have a walkerton address...I actually live in a different county than Walkerton! Yea pretty retarded. Anyways...keep my up to date...if you guys do it close I would definitly like to attend. I'd like to meet more midwest LOST people!

Thanks!

Video Guy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:14 pm

UPDATE: As long as my lift kit arrives by Friday, my brother Ed and I will install it in South Bend either Friday night or Saturday. I can't wait! Heather from All-J said Daystar shipped the package on 11/6/06, so I expect it between today and Friday for sure. (Never got a tracking number. Is this typical for them? Not the level of communication or service I'm used to getting from merchants. Bummer.)

FastTRX (and anyone else curious): You're welcome to hang out and observe. We might need another set of hands, anyway. I'll be providing beverages and grub (probably pizza or subs). Just PM me for details Friday morning.

T.J.

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:36 pm

I can not wait to see the before and after shots! Good luck....

Video Guy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:38 pm

Although I ordered it on Halloween, my lift kit still hasn't arrived yet, but Quinn at All J was told by Daystar this morning that they are overnighting it for delivery tomorrow. I'm still waiting for a tracking number. If I don't get this done Saturday, I'll probably have to wait until after Christmas. With work, school, kids, and the holidays, I don't have a spare six hours to kill.

My wife has started calling me Charlie Brown.

Video Guy · **Posted:** Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:06 pm

My wife just called me at work to say a box from Daystar arrived. Time to ROCK'N'ROLL! Thanks to Quinn at All J for lighting a fire under Daystar and getting my parts overnighted on time.

Oh yeah, as for the Mopar front skid 82209026 -- we're gonna drill that S.O.B. down. If other '03 KJs use that part, I'm gonna use it because it provides more protection than the discontinued 52129092, at half the price. Screw the stealership and their "wrong part" line of horse poop!

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:12 pm

Photos!! We want photos asap!!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:33 pm

Science_Guy wrote:

Photos!! We want photos asap!!

Ive gotta ask, are you at school teaching right now? :lol:

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:05 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Science_Guy wrote:

Photos!! We want photos asap!!

Ive gotta ask, are you at school teaching right now? :lol:

I think I was :oops:

Video Guy · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:45 am

Science_Guy wrote:

Photos!! We want photos asap!!

Before lift:

After lift (yeah, that's me):

Playing around afterwards:

These pictures do not do the lift justice. After I wash the KJ, I'll take more. The installation took me, my brother, and my cousin 5 hours using a pair of manual strut spring compressors borrowed from Auto Zone. I'm glad I did it myself because I learned so much. At the end of the week (500 miles), I'll tighten things up as Daystar recommends. Other than compressing the springs, the other time-consuming task was figuring out how to pop out the air box. Overall, it was a good day!

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:09 pm

Very nice!!!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:10 pm

Science_Guy wrote:

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Science_Guy wrote:

Photos!! We want photos asap!!

Ive gotta ask, are you at school teaching right now? :lol:

I think I was :oops:

Ohh what I would of given to have a teacher like that in the 7th grade. :lol:

Do you students ever say anything about your jeep?

Lift looks awesome Video Guy! Glad you didnt have any trouble and the spring compressor worked!

Oh yea, to get the air box out, just pull up..

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:11 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Do you students ever say anything about your jeep?

Most are not into cars enough in 7th grade to really notice the jeep. There are a few that have asked some questions but it is rare. Most are far more interested in my l33t video game skills. :shock:

Lift party for Daystar install?

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