Rusty's Strut Plates -or- Clevis Lift ???

PBrug · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:44 pm

OK, the money is available so I'm getting ready to buy some shocks/struts (either Rancho or OME or a mix of the two), to go with the OME HD springs I've had sitting around for a few months. Then I'll finally be installing the lift.

I know most get a good amount of lift from the OME HD rear springs, but how much the front gives varies depending on who you ask. While I'm not looking to go too high, I don't want to be done installing just the new springs and struts and not be happy with the results. For that reason I've decided to do either a Clevis Lift or purchase the Rusty's Strut Plates. Not going to do both because I want to try to avoid any UBJ contact.

So my question is which is best/better to do?

I know the Clevis Lift is little to no money at all, and that is a bonus, but is that the only advantage of the Clevis Lift over the Strut Plates?

I'm leaning towards the Strut Plates for these reasons:

They are actually designed to do what they will be doing.

If I ever decide to add a front bumper or if my springs start to sag, it will be a lot easier to just do a Clevis Lift then it would be to install the Strut Plates. At least that's the impression I get.

The negatives of the Strut Plates:

They actually cost money.

I know they are much smaller then the OTT style Strut Spacers, but anything going on top of the strut worries me a little.

So which should it be, or am I just way over thinking this and it really doesn't matter?

I just want to try to do things right the first time, because myself and my family rely on the KJ on a daily basis, so I don't have a lot of time to worry about problems that could of been avoided.

Thanks

BJ'naKJ · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:21 pm

I have OME HD springs/struts and a 3/8" plate on the front of my CRD. It is the setup with the Rocky Road rockfather II kit.
Even with the plate, I still have the inch or so rake from back to front with OME HD springs in the back.
I'm considering putting another plate in front to try and level things out.
My understanding is that spacers outside the strut assembly don't impact durability of the spring/strut assembly.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:33 pm

A clevis lift is very easy to remove if you're to high, just loosen the clevis bolt and your struts should just drop down, then tighten the bolt back to 100 ft. lbs. I'd go with 3/8" clevis lift and that should put you in the the ballpark of 2 1/2"- 2 3/4", assumming the H.D. coils net 1 3/4"-2".
The spacer will take around 2-3 hrs. to remove, plus they cost money.

kolesy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:49 pm

I have both on mine. I would spend the little $30 on the plates first, since both are gonna effect your suspension in the same way. That way if you put it in you can always add some of clevis lift to help out if need be.

If you got the cash use it. A clevis lift on the other hand is free. I have no spacers in the clevis and it never slipped in the past year. :wink:

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:55 pm

I just have rancho struts, OME Heavy Duty springs and clevis and (since I was getting so excited about installing the lift I never measured ) but I know I got around 2.5 or maybe a little more. No spring/UBG contact af pf yet

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:01 pm

KJ04 wrote:

A clevis lift is very easy to remove if you're to high, just loosen the clevis bolt and your struts should just drop down, then tighten the bolt back to 100 ft. lbs. I'd go with 3/8" clevis lift and that should put you in the the ballpark of 2 1/2"- 2 3/4", assumming the H.D. coils net 1 3/4"-2".
The spacer will take around 2-3 hrs. to remove, plus they cost money.

Thats the good about the clevis, its so easy to add or take away. With the over the top spacer, youve gotta remove the entire coil over, but you will be doing that anyway.

I had the HD rear OME springs and the Med front springs.. I just added the Rustys front springs with two conduit nuts and it sits perfectly level, I love it. Before it had about a one inch rake, even with two conduit nuts under the clevis.

I had thought about getting the HD OME springs to see if that would bring it up any, but I didnt know for sure if it would raise it, or just make it ride rough since the spring rate is higher with those springs. My rustys springs haven't really broken in yet, so it may settle alittle.

Just be careful with the clevis lift, it very easy to do to much and destroy a boot on a balljoint. Some people say they have 3 and 4 nuts under the clevis, but I dont like using more than two. I feel like it will creel or brake under hard impacts(probably wont though). I also do not like the angles that the joints are under when it droops. Thats why I still use a droop bumpstop so it doesnt droop so much. Im crazy like that though.

PBrug · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:01 pm

Thanks all.

I kind of figured people would be split on this topic. Being that I will have everything apart, and it's only $30.00, I'll probably go with the plates. I just can't see that making it too high, so that shouldn't be a problem. Then, like I said, if a add a bumper later, get some sagging or am just not happy with the height, I can easily do a clevis lift without tearing everything apart.

Now I just have to decide on what rear shocks to get. All J's had to post about the new shocks a few days before I was all set on ordering Rancho's. :lol:

LostRenegade · **Posted:** Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:17 am

A few months ago I added the strut plate and also did a 1/2 inch clevis. My Rusty's suspension lift was really sagging. After this modification, I started getting front end noise that i have not been able to identify the cause. It is a crunching popping noise. The noise goes away when it rains. So I think something needs to be lubed. I've removed the swaybar and still have the nosie.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:41 am

since you will have it apart might as well go for the top plate. I made me a set and they are ready to go on, but too lazy now. Some weekend will do it to see what I get. By the way I have 4 per side (conduit nuts) and no problems.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:57 am

LostRenegade wrote:

A few months ago I added the strut plate and also did a 1/2 inch clevis. My Rusty's suspension lift was really sagging. After this modification, I started getting front end noise that i have not been able to identify the cause. It is a crunching popping noise. The noise goes away when it rains. So I think something needs to be lubed. I've removed the swaybar and still have the nosie.

Wonder why your springs were sagging so bad? You dont seem to have alot of heavy stuff on the Jeep?

LostRenegade · **Posted:** Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:31 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

LostRenegade wrote:

A few months ago I added the strut plate and also did a 1/2 inch clevis. My Rusty's suspension lift was really sagging. After this modification, I started getting front end noise that i have not been able to identify the cause. It is a crunching popping noise. The noise goes away when it rains. So I think something needs to be lubed. I've removed the swaybar and still have the nosie.

Wonder why your springs were sagging so bad? You dont seem to have alot of heavy stuff on the Jeep?

I tow a lot durring the summer. The sagging was bad enough that rubbing started to ocurr and I wore holes just below the fog light access doors.

When installing the strut plates, have a Dremmel or similar tool available. The holes didn't quite line up. I had to widen several of them.

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:34 am

I went ahead and ordered the strut plates.

For those who have installed these already, am I correct to assume that they go on top of the entire strut assembly? Between the top strut plate and fender well?

The site says, "They are positioned on TOP of the front springs."

Thanks

cowdogg · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:26 pm

PBrug wrote:

I went ahead and ordered the strut plates.

For those who have installed these already, am I correct to assume that they go on top of the entire strut assembly? Between the top strut plate and fender well?

The site says, "They are positioned on TOP of the front springs."

Thanks

That is exactly correct. :wink:

Like others have mentioned you will have to enlarge the holes because they don't line up perfectly. I used a Unibit and just a cordless, wasn't too difficult at all.

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:29 pm

cowdogg wrote:

PBrug wrote:

I went ahead and ordered the strut plates.

For those who have installed these already, am I correct to assume that they go on top of the entire strut assembly? Between the top strut plate and fender well?

The site says, "They are positioned on TOP of the front springs."

Thanks

That is exactly correct. :wink:

Like others have mentioned you will have to enlarge the holes because they don't line up perfectly. I used a Unibit and just a cordless, wasn't too difficult at all.

Thank You.

I kind of figured that was how they were installed, but just wanted to make sure. I'll keep a drill handy at install time.

LostRenegade · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:50 pm

Has anyone noticed any suspension noise after adding the strut plates?

Rusty's Strut Plates -or- Clevis Lift ???

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