New Years Eve project - Good idea or Bad idea

[Fatboris]

I want to make the New Years Day run. I have JK Unlimited springs I picked up last week, they'll add another inch lift with no other mods needed (so I'm told) I have limited tech know how and ave never messed with coil suspension before. I'm thinking New Years Eve would be a great time to put on the springs and make sway bar disconnects. I already plan to rent spring compressors.

My question, since I'll be flying solo on this, is it a pretty safe bet I can do this and still make the run? Is it worth it? :confused:

[Brad]

You will also run into alignment issues. I always recommend a fresh alignment with springs. It is tougher than you think.

[Chris]

Personally I wouldn't try to get it done the night before a run, too many variables could keep you from getting it done. You really don't need it for the run as far as I can tell so spare yourself the potential aggravation of ending the year with skinned knuckles and a potentially unfinished project.

Just my :2c:

[Haku]

Personally I wouldn't try to get it done the night before a run, too many variables could keep you from getting it done. You really don't need it for the run as far as I can tell so spare yourself the potential aggravation of ending the year with skinned knuckles and a potentially unfinished project.

Just my :2c:

Ditto.....that never works. Start it now if you can. I don't think I've done a single project with suspension and such where I got it done in one sitting. I don't think you'll need that extra inch of lift for the new years run, so why not start the night after the run instead? One thing I've learned is that if I really want to go on a trip, don't start the reasonably well involved project just before it.

[Robert B]

One thing I've learned is that if I really want to go on a trip, don't start the reasonably well involved project just before it.
so is it bad then that the blazer is sitting in the air and the springs are being changed ??? only the rears so far though

[Haku]

Not sure I would call it "bad". I would say you risk not being able to go on the trip if there is a snag and a part is missing or something. I know I've done stuff like this a bunch of different times, and have had to miss out on wheeling I wanted to because of it. Its not really a good or bad thing, but kind of bummer when it happens. Still, gotta make sacrifices and timing doesn't always work out. Good luck with your spring install though, and hope you make it in time. Thats a fairly doable thing, especially since you have 3 days to do it. If the run was tomorrow morning, might not be the case though. :D

[Brody]

Gotta go along with what everyone else said. If you start a project the afternoon or evening before, you are almost guaranteed not to make the next days run due to Murphey's Law...Ask anyone on the forum, skilled or not, mechanically inclined or not, and just about everyone will give you the same answer. Most of us have been there/done that...still do occasionally, too...


Never a good idea to purposefully get yourself under the gun either, as that is when mistakes are made. Nice as they would be to have, they certainly aren't necessary for the scheduled run.

[Robert B]

plus mine are leafs and im not messing with the front so no alignment issues ...yet.....now to get bolts that are 22 years old out of the truck.......:bang:

[Robert B]

oh and i found why the rear end would be real soft then hard as a rock.....the RR shock is blown and there is like maybe at most a 1/4 inch space between the bottom leaf and the overload.......

[Brody]

Well, Robert, you might just want to put a wrench on that particular spring pack so that you don't end up doing what one of the other folks did on the forum when they didn't check their spring junk...Ended up a trail fix that JUST worked and could've easily been avoided ... Nice that you spotted it before a sheared center pin or trashed U bolts left you stranded somewhere....

[fredrok]

If you can wait til the following week/weekend, we can knock it out at my house. Done a million on Mustangs back in the day. You'll want air tools dude.

I'm out again crack of dawn Sat until Tuesday and tied up until then. Lemme know!

[Rob]

Personally I wouldn't try to get it done the night before a run

X5 or 6. That's why I did a once over on the 40 over the weekend and not the night before the run. Found the problem with the bellcrank, tore into and fixed it. Now, as long as nothing else pops up between now and Saturday.

[Robert B]

well the springs are all changed out and i will get pics of the 2 diff leaf spring packs ...the only thing left is to crack loose the right rear lower bolt since its frozen in place...just want to crack it loose and clean it to get the full flex.......oh and :hijack: :D srry fatboris

[Fatboris]

If you can wait til the following week/weekend, we can knock it out at my house. Done a million on Mustangs back in the day. You'll want air tools dude.

Sounds like a good excuse to drink beer in the cave. I'll plan on it.

[fredrok]

Sounds like a good excuse to drink beer in the cave. I'll plan on it.

Yup. I'll keep you posted. These folks have changed their plans 3 times now so who knows what'll happen or where I'll be. Far as I know now, I'll be back Tues.. You can only do a week night or weekend day anyway right?

[Hypoid]

Hmmm, Golden. My leash might be long enough to reach your place. I have experience with coil swaps in an XJ. :)

[Haku]

I'd be down to help too. I even have a set of Coil Compressors you are welcome to use.

[Fatboris]

Yup. I'll keep you posted. These folks have changed their plans 3 times now so who knows what'll happen or where I'll be. Far as I know now, I'll be back Tues.. You can only do a week night or weekend day anyway right?

Weekends only now, back on the road starting next week. I'll be off to St Louis...cause the Midwest is AWESOME in the winter.


Hmmm, Golden. My leash might be long enough to reach your place. I have experience with coil swaps in an XJ.

I'd be down to help too. I even have a set of Coil Compressors you are welcome to use.

I'm not going to invite everyone to Fred's but I'll certainly take yall up on it if he's game. I really appreciate it.

[fredrok]

Weekends only now, back on the road starting next week. I'll be off to St Louis...cause the Midwest is AWESOME in the winter.

I thought I was the only one. I was just there last Wed. and then again Monday thinking how fortunate I was - twice in one month. I get to tour Omaha, Winnipeg and north Nevada next week. Special.


I'm not going to invite everyone to Fred's but I'll certainly take yall up on it if he's game. I really appreciate it.

Let's play it by ear depending on my sched and hope for next weekend (currently looks good). We'll see by then who's available to hang and help out. I'd be more than happy to relinquish my tools and watch while I rent beer. :smokin:


I'd be down to help too. I even have a set of Coil Compressors you are welcome to use.

Hmmm, Golden. My leash might be long enough to reach your place. I have experience with coil swaps in an XJ.

Cool! See above^^

[SCRubicon]

It may gain 3/4 - 1" if they are Unlimited hard top tow package Rubi springs. I have my JK sitting on Unlimited 4 door soft top X model rated springs and it sits lower than a stock Rubi. (had no other option at the time since I got rid of my factory stuff when the lift went on and I picked up what is on there now for $20.00) Spring compressor won't be needed if you have the frame rails sitting on jack stands.

[Brody]

What Steve just said. At the most, you'll have to drop a control arm bolt to get the droop that will allow you to put the new springs in....or simply unbolt the sway bar. Coils in the rear are the same 90% of the time. Unbolt the sway bar, FRAME up on stands, push up on one side, have buddy insert spring. Move over to the other side, stand on top of wheel or hub, bounce and have buddy insert spring...Rear technique sometimes works well on the front, too. At any rate, not rocket science...

Of course, I have never done any of these....:D

[94ToyBear]

If you have ever felt DEATH WOBBLE you will not want to do this before run. trust me i did a lift on the same jeep pretty much at a shop i was at about 3 years ago. i thought i was going to die ! when the Death wobble started in. i did not know what it was at the time and learned real fast, what it was. you may need to relocate the track bar a wee bit. im not sure on a 1inch lift but the 3 and i believe 2 inch you need to.

p.s. toe might also be need to be tweak a weeee nit too.

check out the vid of death wobble


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwiv23dLhMY&feature=related

[The Clam]

Fatboris- Swapping springs is easy to do. you probably won't need the spring compressors but it may come in handy for the rear. I had no experience doing things like this (I've only changed oil/plugs and stuff like that), but I installed my 2.5" BB and swapped for higher rated springs at the same time. The compressors came in handy for the rears, but again, you may not need it if you are just swapping springs.

What are the numbers on the springs you have and the new springs you got?

Disco swaybar, remove lower shock bolt, jack it up (one side or both will work), pull tires, droop the axle (use your jack on the bottom of the diff to control axle droop - be careful of the break lines) and you should have enough space to swap out the springs. if needs be you can loosen the trackbar bolt on the axle side, but it shouldn't' be necessary. (however, it would be a good idea to loosen front and rear trackbar and control arm bolts, swap out springs, put wheels back on so that the jeep is now sitting on its own weight and then torque every thing back down).

Depending on how much lift you get out of it you may have to re-center your steering wheel, which is by using the turnbukle on the drag link. I can walk you through that if it needs be.

I'm trying to find the install instructions I used, here are some which are ok http://www.jeepfan.com/projects/teraflex-jk-25bb2.php This is for install of the BB, but it should give you an idea of what to do.
just swapping out springs should be about a 2-3 hr job.

If you have any questions PM me!

[Brody]

Pretty much what Josh(Clam) said. Read the instructions, then take a good look at what YOU DON"T HAVE TO UN BOLT.

Like he said, with the frame supported and the axle at full droop, you can probably push down on one side or the other and remove the stock springs. You may be able to do the same with the after market ones, too. Just take a very close look at the stuff that is attached, and I think you will be surprised at how little you really have to do to swap them out.