Clevis lift issues...

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:48 pm

On Saturday I finally stepped up from 245/65R17 Pirelli Scorpion A/Ts (over 75000 miles on them) to 265/70R17 Firestone Destination A/Ts.

They rub the pinchweld and foglight doors as expected, and I'll be doing the requisite mods this weekend with a BFH and heatgun to fix that.

I figured I'd also do a little bit of clevis lift to help with the rubbing, so I picked up some 2" conduit nuts. Unfortunately the clevis lift did not go as planned.

Starting info: I have the original (vintage 2005) Frankenlift on the front.

I followed Clint's old clevis lift instructions (http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=283307) but ran into trouble at the point where you actually move the clevis lower on the strut. I was unable to get it to slide completely off of or even lower on the strut. The clamp was broken completely free of the strut as I could wiggle the parts back and forth, but it seemed like there was still downward pressure on the clevis from the strut and the UCA could not move further down without me disconnecting the caliper or the brake line ripping. I didn't see anything in Clint's instructions about removing the caliper so I figured I'd stop there and jump back on here for advice. I also tried using a strut compressor to see if that would give me more room but the one they rented me at Auto Zone had too long of a threaded rod.

Any suggestions?

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:03 pm

easiest way without fighting everything is
disconnect the
1)sway bar
2)tie rod end
3)upper control arm
4)remove caliper
5)loosen/top strut bolts
6) remove top and lower clevis bolts

and reinstall you do know about using rachet straps to pull the clevis back into position right?

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:15 pm

I don't recall hearing anything previously about using rachet straps during the reinstall...

Mind giving some details on that? Are you talking vertically or horizontally?

JMSMN · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:59 pm

Horizontally, find a suitable place to hook on the inderside of the jeep and use that to pull the clevis fork back into the lca.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 5:03 pm

beat me to it!
One on the front leg of the clevis
one on the rear leg and pull them right into place
regular lift isn't too bad but with a Franky esp. on the drivers side you need some help with the rachet straps :wink:

works great

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:23 pm

So are you guys saying to disconnect the lower bolts on the clevis legs as well?

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:34 pm

Yes have to remove the clevis if you want to install the conduit nuts, if you do not then you can just pry down on the clevis and tighten it back up where ever you want same on both sides, which may or may not be possible
So 245-75s are hitting the pinch weld with a Franky? Must of sagged a bit then for sure. I would not of had to do my pinch welds until recently when I went BIG! Did them but the 245-75s and 265-70s had all kinds of room

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:06 pm

245/65R17 is what was on there before. Now it's 265/70R17. They're 0.1 inches larger than 265/75R16s.

edit: The 245/65R17s didn't rub at all.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:38 pm

The ratchet straps makes it a breeze!

Terry

tjkoen01 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:52 pm

tommudd wrote:

Yes have to remove the clevis if you want to install the conduit nuts

not true!

i installed conduit nuts without removing the clevis. to do this, i used a die grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut the conduit nut in half (not actually 50 -50, but more like 60 - 40). This allowed me to snap the 60% conduit nut around the bottom of the strut, above the clevis; it's basically a giant snap ring. All it took to get them on was a screw driver and a couple taps with a hammer. They are also easy to remove if you ever have to. 1500 miles later and no issues.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:48 pm

well yes DUH if you modified a conduit nut or did not use them then no you would not have to BUT....
Plus most all KJs that are frankenlifted prior to doing a clevis its going to make it way easier than trying to pry the spring/clevis apart esp. if you are doing it yourself :wink:

tjkoen01 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:24 pm

tommudd wrote:

well yes DUH if you modified a conduit nut or did not use them then no you would not have to BUT....
Plus most all KJs that are frankenlifted prior to doing a clevis its going to make it way easier than trying to pry the spring/clevis apart esp. if you are doing it yourself :wink:

i just never heard anyone mention modifying their nuts like that....just wanted to share in case I was the first that thought of it

it makes adjustments easier and quicker.

JMSMN · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:57 pm

Idea appreciated, going that route will save a lot time and wrenching!

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:59 pm

tjkoen01 wrote:

tommudd wrote:

Yes have to remove the clevis if you want to install the conduit nuts

not true!

i installed conduit nuts without removing the clevis. to do this, i used a die grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut the conduit nut in half (not actually 50 -50, but more like 60 - 40). This allowed me to snap the 60% conduit nut around the bottom of the strut, above the clevis; it's basically a giant snap ring. All it took to get them on was a screw driver and a couple taps with a hammer. They are also easy to remove if you ever have to. 1500 miles later and no issues.

Hmm, that's a good idea. Sure beats taking the whole clevis off! Thanks for the idea.

JMSMN · **Posted:** Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:26 pm

surfRenegade · **Posted:** Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:34 pm

What size conduit nut is needed?

JMSMN · **Posted:** Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:37 pm

Do not know how that jumped up a post.

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jan 11, 2010 4:17 pm

Ok, so I got the driver's side 90% done last night before it got too dark and cold to keep working. I had to cut a slit in two of the conduit nuts to get them to slip over the barely noticable "ledges" on either side of my Rancho Struts. Those two conduit nuts ended up almost exactly even with the bottom of the ledges where the strut sat in the clevis previously and then I added three more.

To verify before I put everything back together, three conduit nuts is the generally accepted amount, right?

Oh, and removing the lower clevis bolt and taking the whole clevis off certainly made it much easier, thought I thought I was going to break my ratchet strap pulling it back into place!

Thanks guys!

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:32 pm

3 is the generally accepted number. I have 3.

Clevis lift issues...

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