Not sure what to think about my new Frankenlift

trailpixie · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:16 pm

First, it looks great. The ride is firm, but good. The ride is a bit ponderous, but I think I will get used to that.

What bugs me is that my 235/70R16s are rubbing at full turn of the front wheels. I am not sure what to call the piece on which it is rubbing, but it is the tubular shaft that winds down and across the front of the vehicle and attaches to the other side of the front suspension (left to right). I think it is a sway bar, but I am not sure.

I was a bit shocked to have rubbing with stock sized tires. I was planning on getting 245/70R16s, but now I am not sure. To make a bad joke, "it just rubs me the wrong way." It doesn't rub badly, it just kind of scrapes across the top edge of the tire near where the sidewall meets the tread.

any ideas....what's up with this thing?

Otherwise, it looks great. I will upload pics in the morning. I was shocked about how much higher it looked. Here are some interesting measurements:

Top of front Yakima roofrack crossbar: Before, 73" After, 75.5".....as expected
Top of rear Yakima roofrack crossbar: Before, 74" After, 76"".....seems about right
Bottom of gas tank skid: Before, 11.5" After, 13.5"....also seems about right
Bottom of front towhook: Before, 14.75" After, 18.75".....WOW! That was unexpected
Top edge of front engine skid: Before, 10.25" After 14"....That also seems like a lot, but why is it different than the towhook distance, weird.

I expect it to settle a half inch or so, but I didn't expect the front hood to be almost 4" higher.....wow, it looks great....even with stock tires.

Hood297 · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:24 pm

Quote:

I am not sure what to call the piece on which it is rubbing, but it is the tubular shaft that winds down and across the front of the vehicle and attaches to the other side of the front suspension (left to right). I think it is a sway bar, but I am not sure.

That is the sway bar your rubbing on. Im suprised your having rubbing problems with that size tires. I think you could still upgrade to bigger tires no problem just add some wheel spacers, or new wheels all together. Ive got spidertrax with a 3" RC lift :roll:

245/75r16s on stock rims and the only rubbing i had was on some wheel well liner...

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:24 pm

Yes, that is the sway-bar. You may need to just let it settle but, you may need to crawl under there with it on the ground, loosen and re-torque the sway bar: the end-links and the mounts on the bar, itself. Not real sure with a frankenlift, though. Al's uca's might solve the rubbing issues if that doesn't work, if you can find a set.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:26 pm

Since the front is a IFS and you lifted it the wheels will get sucked into the vehicle.Now the 5.5" BS rims are to much for the lift,time for 4.5"-5" BS rims to get the tires off the swaybar.It's not cheap to get everything from rubbing with a IFS lift,well at least the one's availiable for the KJ.Or wheel spacers will help,about 1" ones will do the trick.

trailpixie · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:31 pm

I went out and looked at it again. It is only the left front, so it only happens when turning right. Oddly, sitting level in the garage, it doesn't rub. Maybe it needs to be moving forward to rub.

adamkrz · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 8:56 pm

An alignment might help also to pull the wheels out slightly,Mine was way out of specs after my lift.

trailpixie · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 9:46 pm

adamkrz wrote:

An alignment might help also to pull the wheels out slightly,Mine was way out of specs after my lift.

I already got an alignment. Perhaps he set the toe-in too far.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 10:26 pm

My stock 235/65/17 tires rub the sway bar some some my rustys lift. When you lift the liberty, it pulls the wheels in deceasing the width of the jeep. Its not a bad idea to get rims with 5" BS to fix that problem..

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 11:08 pm

trailpixie wrote:

I went out and looked at it again. It is only the left front, so it only happens when turning right. Oddly, sitting level in the garage, it doesn't rub. Maybe it needs to be moving forward to rub.

Perhaps the sway-bar has worked over to the left side a little? Again, you'd have to loosen those front mounts and slide the bar through them til it's centered.

spencevans · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 2:00 am

Ussually you can pickup 5 Moab Rubicon rims with 245/75/16 MTR's off the Craigslist or some other classifieds for around $500. This would give you the correct back spacing, and a great looking and performing tire. The Rubicon TJ guys get rid of these rims when they upgrade rims and tires. Heres what they look like.

trailpixie · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 9:52 am

Here is the thread with my new pics. Sorry about the quality....I will update later today when I get better shots.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... 349#207349

steepcreekfreak · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 10:29 am

That funny that you have rubbing. I havbe my stock KJ rims with 245/75 M/T R's and no rubbing after some well mods. I also had my stock 235/70 At's on there with a second set of rims and no rubbing. I'll bet your sway bar is off center.

Nice shot of Seneca Rocks there on your signature. You climb?

carroll952 · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 12:34 pm

spencevans wrote:

Ussually you can pickup 5 Moab Rubicon rims with 245/75/16 MTR's off the Craigslist or some other classifieds for around $500. This would give you the correct back spacing, and a great looking and performing tire. The Rubicon TJ guys get rid of these rims when they upgrade rims and tires. Heres what they look like.

Yup the Moabs are great, and the MTRs are a great tire. Now if you're worried about noise they may not be the tire for you. I personally love them and I don't have any rubbing on my swaybar. You will however most likely get rubbing on the front of your wheel well liner, but that can be fixed with some trimming. You'll also need to pound down the pinch weld.

Justin

trailpixie · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 1:18 pm

I was planning for a very modest 245/70R16 in Destination ATs. I think if I get the sway bar recentered, they will be okay. If not, I can put on spidertrax spacers. I am not really interested in an extreme monster KJ. I still need to drive 180 miles to my cabin where the trails are. I want 75 mph to still be pleasant.

Highway ride seems to be better than stock. Cornering seems to be different, maybe a bit less tight, but the vehicle doesn't lean as much. potholes on roads are slightly rougher...mostly through the rear end. I took a quick excursion on some gravel roads nearby and it rides like a cadillac over rough gravel road. Around town driving feels more like a truck than it did before. I hope the wifey doesn't boycott driving the KJ.

spencevans · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 4:36 pm

trailpixie wrote:

I was planning for a very modest 245/70R16 in Destination ATs. I think if I get the sway bar recentered, they will be okay. If not, I can put on spidertrax spacers. I am not really interested in an extreme monster KJ. I still need to drive 180 miles to my cabin where the trails are. I want 75 mph to still be pleasant.

Highway ride seems to be better than stock. Cornering seems to be different, maybe a bit less tight, but the vehicle doesn't lean as much. potholes on roads are slightly rougher...mostly through the rear end. I took a quick excursion on some gravel roads nearby and it rides like a cadillac over rough gravel road. Around town driving feels more like a truck than it did before. I hope the wifey doesn't boycott driving the KJ.

It's cheaper to get new rims than to buy spacers. Also check and see if spacers are legal in your state. They are not legal in most states.

trailpixie · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 9:57 pm

Well, today, 24 hours and 20 miles after installation, the front end has settled one inch to have basically 3" of lift at the front end. It has also lost that ponderous handling that I was complaining about. It is a bit more trucklike, but it rides smooth and stable.

Pretty nice!!

carroll952 · **Posted:** Sat May 26, 2007 12:23 am

trailpixie wrote:

Well, today, 24 hours and 20 miles after installation, the front end has settled one inch to have basically 3" of lift at the front end. It has also lost that ponderous handling that I was complaining about. It is a bit more trucklike, but it rides smooth and stable.

Pretty nice!!

As it settles you'll probably need to get your alignment done.

Not sure what to think about my new Frankenlift

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