Strut install on Frankenlift.. help please

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:47 pm

How do I get the struts back in on the frankenlift?????? I can't get them to compress enough to put the a frame back together.. Do I need a special tool? AJP customer service said no, but I have tried everything I can think of to re-assemble to no avail.. please someone help..asap.. my KJ is on Jack-stands in the driveway with no solution I can see.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:52 pm

rachet straps - this is a Daystar install - but the assembly is the same

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=262728#p262728

and of course the writeup at All-J's - makes it look easy
http://www.boulderbars.com/images/kj_products/frankenlift/FRANKENLIFT_4Wheel_Drive_and_Sport_Utility_Article.pdf

of course for them - it is - they've done a few

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:27 am

Thanks.. to be honest, when I saw the pictures you posted, I thought it was my Jeep..lol.. I have straps on it right now. We ran out of daylight and were pretty frustrated. Yes the install does sound really easy, but no... unfortunately it is not..

kskj · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:44 am

I just used the strap to pull it sideways. And a Bfh and prybar. After a break from it last night and a new day I bet you will get it right in.
Gary

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 1:20 pm

Thank You for the help guys.. It's nice to know there are people out there who will help.. I will update once I try again.. all I know is, boy am I sore from yesterday, and I'm sure my poor dad is too.. :JEEPIN:

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:20 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

rachet straps - this is a Daystar install - but the assembly is the same

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=262728#p262728

and of course the writeup at All-J's - makes it look easy
http://www.boulderbars.com/images/kj_products/frankenlift/FRANKENLIFT_4Wheel_Drive_and_Sport_Utility_Article.pdf

of course for them - it is - they've done a few

Which did you hook up first? The Ball joint stud or the lower clevis bolt?

At The Helm · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:09 pm

I've put a long 2x4 in the lower control arm to help drop it down too. I also just slip the clevis on to shock, then align the holes for the lower bolt and slide the bolt through. The newer kk clevis is a little different from yours though.

I bolt the clevis together, then the uca ball joint to the knuckle, then the sway bar link to the lca.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:44 pm

Ratchet strap around the Clevis and hook the strap to the skid plate ratchet it back as far as you can go then jack the LCA up to meet it. I used a spud wrench from here to line the holes up a good punch works to. I am right up the road from you in greenwood just let me know if you need some help and I will be more then happy to help you out tomorrow.

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 7:24 pm

audiboy86 wrote:

Ratchet strap around the Clevis and hook the strap to the skid plate ratchet it back as far as you can go then jack the LCA up to meet it. I used a spud wrench from here to line the holes up a good punch works to. I am right up the road from you in greenwood just let me know if you need some help and I will be more then happy to help you out tomorrow.

Thanks, I'm going to be trying again on monday. I think we talked when I was ordering the lift and you offered to help on the install. I appreciate it. If I don't get it in Monday and I get frustrated I may take you up on that.. but once again... Thanks to all of you here at Lost that have helped out with this.. I'm sure many of you have been frustrated with this kind of thing as well..

David.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:53 pm

Well man I am acttually out of town next week for work. But will be back by next weekend. And I know all about frustration with a Frankenlift they are just alittle bit harder to get in then a standard OME and I hear thier install instructions suck horribly.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:15 pm

Like mentioned 2 straps, slide right in
No harder than any other lift easier than most :wink:

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:38 pm

WHEW!!!!!! Finally done... the 4-6 hour install took me and my father 13.5 hours.. we are both decent mechanics, and had most all of the ideal tools.. What we lacked was the expierience with this vehicle.. AJP needs to include a more detailed instruction manual, but we did manage.. As most of you said, just a little cool down time to get our frustration levels back into normal range was the ticket. The issue wound up being that the sway bar was contacting the lower control arm, keeping it from going into place. We got it resolved and I now have a FRANKENLIFTED KJ..lol :frankie:

Thank You ALL VERY much for your support.. I'm glad to know there is a community of people out there willing to help.. specail thanks to aidiboy86 for actually offering to drive down and help.. we will have to get together some time and hit the trails..

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:50 pm

Sounds like you didn't take the sway bar ends loose, so yes that would make it harder to install.

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:44 pm

We did take the sway bar ends loose. The contact was with the sway bar itself.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:01 pm

Grocery Getter wrote:

We did take the sway bar ends loose. The contact was with the sway bar itself.

With the links disconnected you can rotate the swaybar out of the way if needed.

Grocery Getter · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:05 pm

Yeah, that was how we got it in place. As I said in another post, it was getting dark and we were just in the driveway (no shop-lights) and we'd been working on it all day. We just had no more patience. But thank you all for the help.. Now I've just got to figure out how to get this AC Compressor Clutch/Pulley Assembly off and replaced.

Strut install on Frankenlift.. help please

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