Freshly Frankenlifted! (56K ouch)

Sapien · **Posted:** Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:47 pm

Frankenlift on the floor...

Jeep floating in mid air! (actually Charles and Kevin (Thechucklesstart and Corwynn) were helping me install the lift. Thanks guys.)

Poser shots!!

fiend · **Posted:** Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:50 pm

looks great! was it difficult?

Sapien · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:04 am

Was it difficult? The rear I could have done with my eyes closed (just take out the old stuff, and get a big person to stand on the hub while you drill the hole for the bump stop, then shove the new spring in there while the person is still standing on the hub, push the bump stop through the spring, and bolt it down, then install the new shock, (easy)...)
The front is quite a different story though. here's a quickie...

*Remove the battery, unbolt the battery tray, push it out of the way.

*Remove the airbox (pull up and it will come loose of the mounts, no unbolting required.)

*unbolt the cruise control mounting servo, and then you should have access to the upper bolts on both sides of the car.

*Jack up front of vehicle, put it on jackstands and remove the wheels.

*Spend all day trying to break the ball bearing joints loose for the upper and lower control arms, and then call it quits when it's starting to get dark and you've only managed to seperate the upper ball joint on the right side, and there's three more ball joint bolts to do.

*put the whole jeep back together, including the air box and battery stuff.

*call your local fourwheeling shop (Desert Rat Truck Center)

*drive around for two days with your stupid end of the jeep sticking 3" higher than the front.

*have the people with the right tools do the job for only $120 plus tax
OR
*know what you're going to do to get the ball joints seperated before you try to tackle the front.

I hope that was helpful

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:13 am

I thought the SkyJacker rear springs were red? Did All-J switch springs in the kit?

Sapien · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:44 am

yup, from now on, OME all around on the frankenlifts. BTW, the rear looks a bit low, I think that's because of the OME rear springs as opposed to the skyjacker springs. I think I'm going to throw some 1" spacers in the back. Just have to find 'em.

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:22 am

Anyone mind explaining the reasoning behind the switch?

Is there a problem with the Skyjacker rear springs we should know about?

nails023 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:10 am

My understanding it was a supply issue from Skyjacker. They were having a hard time keeping up with the demand or something like that.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

Sapien wrote:

Was it difficult? The rear I could have done with my eyes closed (just take out the old stuff, and get a big person to stand on the hub while you drill the hole for the bump stop, then shove the new spring in there while the person is still standing on the hub, push the bump stop through the spring, and bolt it down, then install the new shock, (easy)...)
The front is quite a different story though. here's a quickie...

*Remove the battery, unbolt the battery tray, push it out of the way.

*Remove the airbox (pull up and it will come loose of the mounts, no unbolting required.)

*unbolt the cruise control mounting servo, and then you should have access to the upper bolts on both sides of the car.

*Jack up front of vehicle, put it on jackstands and remove the wheels.

*Spend all day trying to break the ball bearing joints loose for the upper and lower control arms, and then call it quits when it's starting to get dark and you've only managed to seperate the upper ball joint on the right side, and there's three more ball joint bolts to do.

*put the whole jeep back together, including the air box and battery stuff.

*call your local fourwheeling shop (Desert Rat Truck Center)

*drive around for two days with your stupid end of the jeep sticking 3" higher than the front.

*have the people with the right tools do the job for only $120 plus tax
OR
*know what you're going to do to get the ball joints seperated before you try to tackle the front.

I hope that was helpful

I just found once you remove the nut off you just get a regular hammer and hit the control arm a couple time right by the ball joint and they come right out. The vibration knocks them loose pretty easily. I've probably disconnected my upper ball joint countless time that way. Too bad I could have been there to help. Surprisingly 120 is not that bad to get the front installed. I always liked desert rat.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:17 am

nails023 wrote:

My understanding it was a supply issue from Skyjacker. They were having a hard time keeping up with the demand or something like that.

Having a tough time keeping up with demand? That has got to be a good one. We need to get the word out on that so other companies will think, "Hey! There's a demand out there for KJ mods!"

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:46 pm

Now all ya gotta do is ditch them stocker tires for some real meat! Have fun wheelin the Franken!

SethX9 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:25 pm

Looks great! When did you get the parts? I've had an order in for about a month and haven't seen the product yet.

Gringo Loco · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:00 pm

Sapien looking real good.

Steakgoddess · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:14 pm

Lookin good!

Cards81fan · **Posted:** Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:10 pm

So the Frankenlift is now basically an OME lift with Rancho shocks/struts??

Sapien · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:43 pm

thanks guys. I need to find a spacer for the rear though. I need another 1/2 inch or 1" in the rear, the front is actually lifted more than the rear.

I'm buying wheels tomorrow, and then when they get here I'm going to the local cosco to get my all terrain T/A's installed. I had the guys at cosco roll up a 245/75/R16 wheel next to a 31"x10.5" R15 wheel, and they are the same height, I'm going to get the 31 inchers on 15" wheels though. Later. -Nate

Renegade363 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 3:15 am

Looks Good

raceinfan · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:41 am

why is the front higher than the back :?:

spring change maybe :?:

jelohead · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:25 am

re: the front being higher on a frankenlifted kj, i havent purchased my lift yet, but, when i spoke to quinn about the lift he mentioned that the front tends to sit higher. personaly, i dont like that look, i'd rather have the rear higher like it is stock, or have both ends level. as to why it points skyward, i dont know, i'd be inclined to look into some kind of small spacer for the rear to level things out.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:30 pm

Get yourself an ARB or Trail Ready bumper and add a winch and you will enjoy the look of a lower front end. Perhaps they planned it to sit higher so an aftermarket heavy metal front bumper can be added and not have to much sag.

Cards81fan · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 1:34 pm

Exactly. OME sells the heavier rated springs just to compensate for those types of accessories in front.

If you read ARBs detail on the product, it should confirm this.

Freshly Frankenlifted! (56K ouch)

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