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OK installl problems
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42661		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:26 am ]
Post subject:  OK installl problems
OK So I currently have a revtek spacer lift, but bought a frankenlift installed the rear last saturday and went to install the front tonight, heres my problem, Using three pry bars and trying to pry and press the a-arm ball joint back into place so I could tighten it up, well i never could get it. the a arm was completely bottomed out on the spring same with the housing it sits in and I couldnt get them any closer, I even put the tire on and let the weight of the car try to get it together and nothing, its like the dam strut wouldnt compress at all and give me any room, the best i got was the first 1/4" of the bolt to stick through the bottom but no threads.

Ok so what the hell is going on any suggestions, i ended up putting back in my stock/revtek lift.
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:08 am ]
Post subject: 
Ok come on someone has to have something, no one has had this problem with teh frankenlift?

I took one pic of the coild before i was too pissed off to remember to take more lol. Now i wish i had taken a bunch but o well. SOmeone give me some suggestions

Image
Author:  jsc7002 [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:25 am ]
Post subject: 
did you go through and read some of the install write-ups? a lot of them have a bunch of tricks to help install them
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:37 am ]
Post subject: 
jsc7002 wrote:
did you go through and read some of the install write-ups? a lot of them have a bunch of tricks to help install them



Just the ones that came with the kit, if you know of any others ill glad read through them Im at my wits end, close to just returning the front and saying screw it
Author:  jsc7002 [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:46 am ]
Post subject: 
I read through all of these and they all helped out a lot, even if they arent all the same.

Daystar
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=26190

Rustys plus Clevis and Iso
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=15164

Frankenlift
http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29193

hope they help you!
Author:  tonycrd [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Tried a jack under the LCA? If you put all the KJ's weight on it the spring should compress.

Unless you ordered 790 springs...
Author:  tommudd [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
if all else fails rachet straps arond the upper and lower arms and crank them together.
Personally never have had a real problem with just using a bar stuck back in the spring and prying down. strut is alrady bolted up to the clevis top and bottom, just can't get the UCA down in?
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
tonycrd wrote:
Tried a jack under the LCA? If you put all the KJ's weight on it the spring should compress.

Unless you ordered 790 springs...


Ya I tried jacking the lCA wouldnt move, ordered the front HD springs standard franie 2 premium kit. Talked to All J's they said only thing that could be happening is that the spring/strut was binding up against the unibody, which was preventing it from flexing.

Im going to try again Saturday,

option 1. Ratchet straps from UCA to LCA hopefully pulls strut away from unibody and flexes

option 2. disconnect the LCA, bolt on UCA realign and bolt in LCA.

option 3. Buy JBA a-arm with 3/8" more clearance


If none of the above work strap C-4 to front of jeep, Unless anyone else has any ideas
Author:  tommudd [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Drassis wrote:
tonycrd wrote:
Tried a jack under the LCA? If you put all the KJ's weight on it the spring should compress.

Unless you ordered 790 springs...


Ya I tried jacking the lCA wouldnt move, ordered the front HD springs standard franie 2 premium kit. Talked to All J's they said only thing that could be happening is that the spring/strut was binding up against the unibody, which was preventing it from flexing.

Im going to try again Saturday,

option 1. Ratchet straps from UCA to LCA hopefully pulls strut away from unibody and flexes

option 2. disconnect the LCA, bolt on UCA realign and bolt in LCA.

option 3. Buy JBA a-arm with 3/8" more clearance


If none of the above work strap C-4 to front of jeep, Unless anyone else has any ideas


First which side was you trying to do, drivers side can be a bear, more so than the passenger
option 2 will not pull the strut away only pull them together to get the UBJ nut on.
option 2 have never had to do that having done 10 lifts, you would still need to compress the spring never did see how that would help
option 3 will not really help either maybe 3/8 more clearance when its on but will not help compress the spring to get the UBJ nut on
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
tommudd wrote:
Drassis wrote:
tonycrd wrote:
Tried a jack under the LCA? If you put all the KJ's weight on it the spring should compress.

Unless you ordered 790 springs...


Ya I tried jacking the lCA wouldnt move, ordered the front HD springs standard franie 2 premium kit. Talked to All J's they said only thing that could be happening is that the spring/strut was binding up against the unibody, which was preventing it from flexing.

Im going to try again Saturday,

option 1. Ratchet straps from UCA to LCA hopefully pulls strut away from unibody and flexes

option 2. disconnect the LCA, bolt on UCA realign and bolt in LCA.

option 3. Buy JBA a-arm with 3/8" more clearance


If none of the above work strap C-4 to front of jeep, Unless anyone else has any ideas


First which side was you trying to do, drivers side can be a bear, more so than the passenger
option 2 will not pull the strut away only pull them together to get the UBJ nut on.
option 2 have never had to do that having done 10 lifts, you would still need to compress the spring never did see how that would help
option 3 will not really help either maybe 3/8 more clearance when its on but will not help compress the spring to get the UBJ nut on



Driver side

Ok ya i know not the best options but im out of ideas and its all i can think of
Author:  SweepnChoke [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jacking the LCA up won't shrink the gap?

My only suggestion aside from the ones mentioned would be to turn the alignment bolts on the LCA.

Image

never mind the arrow, it was just the best LCA pic I could find at the moment, The big bolt on the right.

I had pretty much the opposite issue when I installed my first lift (spacer lift), I couldn't get enough space to get the clevis connected to the LCA. I marked the original positions on the LCA alignment bolt (not that it mattered since I was going from stock to 2.5' lift, alignment isn't going to match anyway). I then turned the nut CW on the drivers side, and CCW on the pass side to bring the LCA down to a lower position.(CW and CCW as if looking at the nut from the front of the jeep like pictured above)

In your case you would want to go CCW on the drivers side, this should cause the LCA to move up enough to allow the UCA stud to seat. (I just can't remember whether it was the front, rear, or both LCA bolt that caused the LCA to move up/down.

Once everything is bolted up, turn the LCA alignment back to the original positions.

However the fact that this strut does not appear to be compressing concerns me. You purchased it assembled?
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
SweepnChoke wrote:
Jacking the LCA up won't shrink the gap?

My only suggestion aside from the ones mentioned would be to turn the alignment bolts on the LCA.

Image

never mind the arrow, it was just the best LCA pic I could find at the moment, The big bolt on the right.

I had pretty much the opposite issue when I installed my first lift (spacer lift), I couldn't get enough space to get the clevis connected to the LCA. I marked the original positions on the LCA alignment bolt (not that it mattered since I was going from stock to 2.5' lift, alignment isn't going to match anyway). I then turned the nut CW on the drivers side, and CCW on the pass side to bring the LCA down to a lower position.(CW and CCW as if looking at the nut from the front of the jeep)

In your case you would want to go CCW on the drivers side, this should cause the LCA to move up enough to allow the UCA stud to seat. (I just can't remember whether it was the front, rear, or both LCA bolt that caused the LCA to move up/down.

Once everything is bolted up, turn the LCA alignment back to the original positions.

However the fact that this strut does not appear to be compressing concerns me. You purchased it assembled?


Yes fully assembled franky 2. I even called All J, and all they said was the only thing they could think of was that it was binding on the unibody preventing the strut from compressing.

I did talk to marty at rocklizard and he suggested loosening the bolts on the lca to give it more room for play, he also said sometimes at full extension the cv axle wont want to slide back in, so i have to manipulate that too, so it sits back in. He figured it was one fo the two causing me problems.

So after talking to some of the pros i think ill loosen the bolts on the LCA to allow mobility, and use ratchet straps from the LCA to UCA and try to get it to pull together.
Author:  SweepnChoke [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Actually I did have the issue with the coil against the unibody on the spacer lift I did as well. Wound up taking a grinder to the area of the unibody that was making contact with the coil.

Have you looked to see if you are making contact there?, in my case I couldn't get the clevis up and in enough to link up with the LCA. Had to trim out some of the unibody to get the inward space, and lower the LCA to line up with the bolt hole.
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
SweepnChoke wrote:
Actually I did have the issue with the coil against the unibody on the spacer lift I did as well. Wound up taking a grinder to the area of the unibody that was making contact with the coil.

Have you looked to see if you are making contact there?, in my case I couldn't get the clevis up and in enough to link up with the LCA. Had to trim out some of the unibody to get the inward space, and lower the LCA to line up with the bolt hole.


That sounds like exactly what i got going on, I can get everything hooked up except the UCA ball joint into the spindle, using a 6' and 2-3' pry bars i can get it close but its still 1 1/2" away from seating into the spindle.

All I know is the dam coil, well the whole assemble was pressed tight up against teh back wheel well, and than my UCA and spindle where pressed tight as they would go against the coil assembly trying to get it together.
Author:  tommudd [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
yes on the drivers side like I said before it will be that tight. Using straps you can pull in the clevis and get the bottom bolt in ( if thats what gives you any problem which some it seems it has)
also if bars don't get it, use straps to pull the upper and lower together. It will work, part of the problem is the lower spacer /bumpstop hitting the spindle as well.
We have had them really tight here but NEVER did anything to the lower control arm as they would pull together finally
Most make a lift a difficult job when it's really not. :wink:
Author:  SweepnChoke [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
^^ I agree, my first lift was a royal PITA and took a little over a day, but when I removed the spacer lift and went with the OME lift (as you and others suggested, thanks again) it went in slick as snot. Front and back removal, disassembly of the stock strut/coil, assembly of the new strut/coils, and full front and back install took just a bit over 3 hours including breaks for herb & wobbly pops.
Author:  BjBnet [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
I found that sometimes the jack under the LCA didn't always work on the first try...try it again and have your jack in a different position (angle). Samething happened to me, I was lifting the whole vehicle....so I tried it again and again until the shocks would finally give in and start compressing.
Author:  Drassis [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ok cool thanks for all the replys I will be giving it another go this saturday so anytipe or advice until than will be mucho appreciated, thanks
Author:  Drassis [ Sat May 02, 2009 10:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well not really sure what was diffrent his time, other than the fact that it only took me less than 2 hours tog et the front in, I must have had a bad angle or something, but all the tips I got paid off and it went in smooth as butter.

Next saturday ill be putting on my TJM 17 bumper. If anyone has any tips on the TJM bumper install, I would appreciate those tips

Thanks everyone for responding and all the helpfull tips for the lift


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