More Frankenlift Issues - Updated New Pics

Gringo Loco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:23 pm

I just got my Frankenlift installed 1 week ago and went to look underneath tonight and found this.

How long before i have problems? Looks like I need Al's upper A arms.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:43 pm

Mine looked like that until I went to Moab. You need to get some good hardcore wheeling in and get that puppy settled. As soon as it stopped looking like that, I had to pound my pinchweld and trim the front of the fenderwells a bit. (Right in the middle of Metal Masher, as a matter of fact, how appropriate)

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:56 pm

when we first installed my Franken, I could not put my index finger between the arm & the spring - now, after a few runs & MOAB, it slides easily and there is some extra space too.... let it settle more -

Gringo Loco · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:08 am

I'm not worried about it settling, but one of the arrows is pointing to a tear in the ubj boot on the a arm.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:14 am

Didn't see the tear until you told me to re look. Silicone that baby up and get the lift settled so it isn't at such an extreme angle. Is that pic at rest or with the suspension drooped and unloaded?

Gringo Loco · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:15 am

the pcs at rest in my driveway.

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:07 am

Both my UBJs are torn as well, but it was from my lift install. The ball joints were being stubborn and we had to pry it (probably could have done something better, now that I look back...). This put two holes in each boot. Since then I've had 10,000 scary miles and plan on getting Al's upper a-arms very soon. The tear is a problem, and getting it fixed should be priority. I think I'm just lucky I haven't had a failure...hopefully it last till I get Al's arms :roll:

ice_man_7c · **Joined:** Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:25 pm **Posts:** 72

Do you have a strange clunking noise when you hit certain bumps in the road too? I just installed mine the other night, and have noises. I am wondering if i should just take it Jeepin a few times to let it settle in and see if it stops,??? if i have a rip or anything, is it alright to silicone it up and then order jeepin als arms?

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:49 pm

The OEM ball joints are not serviceable, but if they are ripped you can pump it full of grease through the tear.

Skyjump136 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:50 pm **Posts:** 1633

Did you install the poly bumpstop? Mine came with one...when installed there's no way the ubj could touch the spring. Regardless, the Jeepin Al arms will get you all fixed up. I installed them and I have plenty of room now.

Gringo Loco · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:36 pm

Here are a couple of new pics. How can I make sure that the UBJ boot doesn't contact the spring?
This is at full droop

This is normal, loaded sitting on my garage floor.

Guyute1210 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:04 pm

I'll have to go look at mine when I get home and if it's not raining, but it looks like your knuckle is not hitting the bump stop. It could be that the spacer with the bumpstop might be rotated slightly, but it's hard to see w/o a different angle. I have the "old" Frankelift with the daystar poly and the bumpstop that is added via a hose clamp.

kjhawaii · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:01 pm

I added more bump stop

1 - So the boot does not hit the spring
2 - Less stress on CV - although a loss of articulation, I feel its worth the peace of mind.

Just some heavy belted rubber screwed in with drywall screws

This weekend Im moving my rear axle back 1/2" and adding 1/2 spacers to level out the back.
Pics to come - KjHawaii

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:01 pm

I was told that with the franken lift you shouldnt get UBJC? :roll:

mb818 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:22 pm

Quote:

I was told that with the franken lift you shouldnt get UBJC?

it's ALWAYS had UBJ contact... it's just that they "resolve" it with a poly bump stop integrated into the spacer... the older ones had a poly stop fastened to the strut with a hose clamp...

you know... any lift that has a strut relocation bracket or an OTT spacer has the potential to have UBJ contact... it's just the simple matter of moving the upper strut mount down that causes it... it makes the entire strut assy. too long in relation to the control arms..

one thing i never understood was, when i was researching lifts, i emailed All-J and asked if i could get the frankenlift without the upper strut plate (relocation bracket)... heather told me that i could not because they don't keep stock upper strut plates in stock... so then i asked about a frankenlift without the spacer... i was told then that the front end would actually be lower than stock... that's the part i didn't understand... how can that be when you've got a longer spring and an upper strut plate that moves the strut down?

that's when i basically said to myself "f*ck it... i'm getting rusty's coil lift and not deal with these sorts of problems"

Mark

SethX9 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:23 pm

Quote:

I was told that with the franken lift [sic] you shouldnt get UBJC

Who told you that? Anything can happen to any lift as everyone's rig is slightly different and every mechanic is slightly different. If you're referring to the Suspension lift kits thread you weren't told by anyone that UBJC wouldn't happen. You were told that advising someone who was considering the Frankenlift that they would "really need new upper a-arms b/c it lifts the jeep so high" was irresponsible and based not on facts.

kjhawaii - have you sent these pictures to All J? My experience with them has been great. They don't take your money and forget your name.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:29 pm

SethX9 wrote:

Quote:

I was told that with the franken lift [sic] you shouldnt get UBJC

Who told you that? Anything can happen to any lift as everyone's rig is slightly different and every mechanic is slightly different. If you're referring to the Suspension lift kits thread you weren't told by anyone that UBJC wouldn't happen. You were told that advising someone who was considering the Frankenlift that they would "really need new upper a-arms b/c it lifts the jeep so high" was irresponsible and based not on facts.

kjhawaii - have you sent these pictures to All J? My experience with them has been great. They don't take your money and forget your name.

Let us know what All J says about that - I know the point of the bump stop on the side of the spacer at the bottom is to prevent UBJ contact, but I guess it's not quite right in some cases. I should check mine this weekend just to make sure.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:17 pm

mb818 wrote:

Quote:

I was told that with the franken lift you shouldnt get UBJC?

it's ALWAYS had UBJ contact... it's just that they "resolve" it with a poly bump stop integrated into the spacer... the older ones had a poly stop fastened to the strut with a hose clamp...

you know... any lift that has a strut relocation bracket or an OTT spacer has the potential to have UBJ contact... it's just the simple matter of moving the upper strut mount down that causes it... it makes the entire strut assy. too long in relation to the control arms..

one thing i never understood was, when i was researching lifts, i emailed All-J and asked if i could get the frankenlift without the upper strut plate (relocation bracket)... heather told me that i could not because they don't keep stock upper strut plates in stock... so then i asked about a frankenlift without the spacer... i was told then that the front end would actually be lower than stock... that's the part i didn't understand... how can that be when you've got a longer spring and an upper strut plate that moves the strut down?

that's when i basically said to myself "f*ck it... i'm getting rusty's coil lift and not deal with these sorts of problems"

Mark

What? Thats all the OME lift is, the franken lift without the spacer. Thats the lift that I have and I received 1.5in of lift. I think she must of been mistaken there.

mb818 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:35 pm

Quote:

Thats all the OME lift is, the franken lift without the spacer.

not exactly... the way i understand it is they also add the Daystar top plate as well... and rancho struts instead of OME struts in the standard frankenlift...
and it's also my understanding that it's the top plate that get's you more droop and hence UBJ contact... as far as i know the rancho struts should be stock length since they are stock replacements...

my rusty's lift came with OME struts, but no top plate (had to re-use stock upper strut plate and spring isolators) so i assume that when you order an OME lift in it's truest form, it would consist of the struts and springs up front and shocks and springs in back.. no way to pre-assemble the struts without adding aftermarket parts...

jeepjeepster, you got your OME lift from All-J right? was it pre-assembled? if it was, do you know if the upper strut plate is original equipment (stock) or is it a daystar part?

Mark

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:40 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

What? Thats all the OME lift is, the franken lift without the spacer. Thats the lift that I have and I received 1.5in of lift. I think she must of been mistaken there.

You were owned two posts up for your misinformation. Please stop. It does also have the daystar plates as he said. The Frankenlift is made from OME parts, not vice-versa-hence it's name.

More Frankenlift Issues - Updated New Pics

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