Limiting Factor in Rear Suspension Flex

Kugellager · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 12:34 am

Yesterday I was installing spring isolators on the rear of my Jeep to level out my lift when I discovered a significant structural limitation to the flexing of our rear suspension.

The Jeep was fully up on the jack to install the isolators when I did a visual inspection to suspension. I noticed that when the suspension is fully extended the wishbone stops up against its mounts on either side of the wishbone as the rear axle hangs down.

I'm sure someone else has noticed this before. I will put photos up tomorrow if I get the chance.

Has anyone seen any damage to either the wishbone or its mounts resulting from this flex? This leads me to believe that removing the rear sway bar won't really do anything to adding flexibility. I think replacing the wishbone with long-arm suspension is the only real solution to the problem.

John
];')

KJ kyle · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 1:02 am

even the outter links are pretty short.. you should long arm the rear.

Kugellager · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 10:29 am

Ok here are several photos showing the configuration of the wishbone when one side is at full extension. You can see that the wishbone ends stop up against their mounting brackets. You can also see in the first and second photos that there is a little rust at the point of contact indicating that this is not the first time.

Click in the thumbnails to enlarge them.

XC204 · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 1:27 pm

Doesent seem like it would be too hard to fab up a new one that doesent have interference at the body mount and dif mount.

Drassis · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:31 pm **Posts:** 182

XC204 wrote:

Doesent seem like it would be too hard to fab up a new one that doesent have interference at the body mount and dif mount.

Ya I bet you could fab up an offset on both ends to correct the binding fairly easy, a 5 or 10 degree offset

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 3:04 pm

if you end of cutting those little peices to allow the rear to drop more, how are you going to limit it then. dont the rear shocks length also limit the amount of drop? some guys with the 4" lift are already popping rear springs. Then you will also have to think about rear driveline angles.

cut the sensored word.........

Kugellager · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 3:37 pm

Jeep4me99 wrote:

if you end of cutting those little peices to allow the rear to drop more, how are you going to limit it then. dont the rear shocks length also limit the amount of drop? some guys with the 4" lift are already popping rear springs. Then you will also have to think about rear driveline angles.

cut the jerks.........

The shocks were on when I took the photos...so no the shocks don't limit the suspension travel enough to stop the wishbone from making the contact seen in the photos...

...and most of the time springs pop out is because the bump stops are not long enough or not installed on the lower rear spring mount...

Thought of trimming things but...

I think cutting/trimming anything under there has the potential to weaken things that you might not want to weaken. IMO, I'd rather have the limiting factor be tire stuffage...at least you are not likely to get structural damage to the suspension or the unibody that way...might tear out a wheel well liner but no structural damage.

John
];')

jamangus · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:14 pm

just put a small extension bracket at the center mounting point. that will allow more travel and relieve some joint angle.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 9:38 pm

The upper A-arm doesnt limit the flex just because that is touching. The bushings flex a lot and the bushing holding the upper ball joint flexes some. It will flex totally different when its on the ground verses being up on jack stands.

The shocks are the limiting factor to a point. There are tons of kj's out there that flex a heck of a lot more than mine since my OME 132 shocks are not much longer than the stockers.

Limiting Factor in Rear Suspension Flex

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