Reusing aftermarket struts and shocks for stock ride height?

Libertad · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:14 pm

As the post states. I recently pieced together a 2.5" lift kit consisting of RS5000 front struts, Daystar front spring spacer, rear Skyjacker spring and shocks; all from JBA. I drove it around for a few days and realized that it's just not for me. I don't like the increased noise, CV joint angles, pressure on the bushings, etc. I'm also not willing to spend more $$$ buying JBA UCA's, new shaved axles, etc. Obviously I have to get rid of the Daystar spacer kit and rear springs(which I will sell so it's not a big deal) but I'm wondering if the Rancho front struts or even the rear Skyjacker N8000 shock can be reused with the stock springs at stock ride height?

Any help would be appreciated

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:53 pm

The front is no problem, since all front shocks have the same lenght as the stock ones.

You can use the Skyjacker rear shocks with extended bumpstops only since they were made for a 2,5" lift.

But I wouldn't...anytime you have 4 adults and some shopping bags in the KJ it would sit on the rear bumpstops.

Here's an idea..get some coils for the front too and try again. The spacer lift blows.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:19 pm

giving up too quick, no noise from mine even with 100,000 miles. If you have noise something is not right

Quicksilversurf917 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:27 pm

It also just could be settling in since its all brand new. Or maybe even a bolt is loose... like those guys said^^^^ dont give up just yet

1996xj · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:33 pm

Remove, the daystar poly's up front and reinstall the stock upper and lower insulator's and install the OME 927 spring's, = noise GONE !!! :wink:

Libertad · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:57 pm

I'm curious if there are any close up pics of underneath the front suspension on a 2.5" lifted KJ. A friend of mine who owns a transmission shop and also has a Jeep(YJ) had a look and he is the one saying that CV joint/axle angle are too extreme and that I'll be going through CV's like crazy. However, when I look at it it doesn't seem that bad. But I'm no mechanic and I have nothing to compare it to. Sure its angled different and the boot is sctreched a bit but it seems doable. He's also saying that my UBJ are gonna go any minute but the angle of them on the stock UCA seems on par with other pics I've seen :shrug: who to believe?

The shop that actually installed the lift said the toughest part of the install was the top strut plates and pressing out the old studs into the new plates. Would I reuse the stock upper strut plates if I got new front coils? Should I really be concerned about the CV's?

If I can describe the noise coming from the front I'd say it sounds like a rubber hockey ball in a cardboard box. Even when I'm driving on normal pavement the noise is there and it's not consistant but frequent. Meaning that if I hit a pothole it may make the noise and it may not. While driving on flat pavement it may or may not make the noise.

I don't want to shell out more $$$ for front coils only to discover that my CV's are messed up and the noise is still there.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:14 pm

have you checked the sway bar bushings yet? Spay them with some silicone spray real well and see if that doesn't help.

1996xj · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:14 am

Tom, on the KJ's do the sway bar bushing's make a squeek or crunch noise usualley ????

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:01 am

I'll try to get some picks of my CV angles tomorrow if no one else has posted some before then.

1996xj: My swaybar bushings (and those belonging to many others) are incredibly noisy when it starts to cool off outside. I used to lube them to keep the noise down but I gave up on that after a few years and now I sort of enjoy the reaction it gets from people walking nearby when I hit speedbumps, etc.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:23 am

1996XJ
some seem to worse than others , I spray mine every so often so have never had a problem. Had an KJ owner stop by the other day thinking his front end was falling out, quick ride and then sprayed the bushings and all was good ! I heard three others here on my street since its been colder that make the same noise.

Budke · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:56 am

Libertad wrote:

I'd say it sounds like a rubber hockey ball in a cardboard box.

I didn't know hockey pucks were balls?? :lol:

1996xj · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:53 pm

Tom, I removed the swaybar and links this morning and lubed the rubber bushing's with synthetic greese/lube and the metal sleves and bolt's with antisieze !! The crunch/ squak noise is gone, your right the noise would only act up when cold and would disapear when it rained or was damp out !!!! :wink:

Libertad · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:48 pm

I'll be getting a third opinion on Monday from a shop that has some experience with lift kits. Probably should have started with them but they are quite expensive and the original installer is my regular mechanic making the labour rate cheaper. Hindsight is 20/20 :sigh: :oops:

In the meantime I'll most likely order a pair of 927's and ditch the spacer poop.
Or if 1300 bux falls out of the sky then I'll order these:http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-JBA_Adjust_A_Strut_Assembly-692.aspx

thanx for the advice so far guys.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:12 pm

easy thing to do is measure from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the flare. If you are over 23 inches then you may have some CV issues under that not likely unless you have a CV going bad,

Pictures don't really mean crap, do a measurement

also unless someone has some experience with Liberty lifts then they may not know what they are talking about. These are a little different animal than most to lift

Daystar is not a bad way to lift just not the best, plus with an 04 your springs have already sagged somewhat so you are not getting the full advantage of a good ride anyways. Lifts are real easy to do on these

Libertad · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:54 pm

Quick update: Problem solved.

It turns out that the mechanic that did the install didn't tighten one of the caliper bolts(pass. side) and it "backed out" causing the caliper to loosen. All the clunking noise was the caliper moving around. Yesterday the bolt backed out completely and I couldn't stop. I had to hump the KJ to the shop(~1.5 miles) using the ebrake to stop. Pretty scary to say the least. They tightened it up and used lock-tite. Now the KJ drives beautifully. No noise aside from the sway bar bushings, which I don't mind at all.

I will try to take a measurement today and see if I'll be having CV issues in the future. Visually it looks fine, nothing bent either, but tom says pics don't mean squat. I tend to believe this guy :lol:

thanx for all your help guys. I now feel that it has been money well spent. I would like to replace the spacer parts with the 927's at some point but I don't see it as critical now.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:22 pm

See and you almost gave up and pulled the whole lift out! :lol:

Aren't you happy now that you listed to us boneheads! :wink:

Libertad · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:30 pm

frustration gets the best of me most times :oops:

. but that's why forums are great. real answers from real people with real experience.

Reusing aftermarket struts and shocks for stock ride height?

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