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Suspension Lift Install Tips, Tricks, or Pointers?

I'm going to be helping a friend install an OME 2" suspension lift on his '98 TJ this weekend. I believe he's done a lot of research himself already and is going to be getting together the tools he'll need (or relying on me to bring a few as well). However, I thought I'd put a post up here to see if I could garner any suggestions, tips, or tricks from the more experienced on this newsgroup.

I've never done a suspension lift before, so I am completely open to suggestions. This shouldn't be too major; there is no replacement of control arms (althought that wouldn't bother me; I've done that on my own TJ many times), no changing of the Pitman arm, etc. It is mainly just a shock and spring swap. I know how to change out shocks (pretty simple, really), including getting the bar pins to go through the bushings. However, I have no experience in the best method for swapping out the coil springs in the front and rear.

So, while I'm open to any tips concerning the lift install, I'm especially interested in anyone suggestions or tricks for removing and putting in new coil springs. Use a spring compressor? Don't use one(are they just too dangerous)? Just drop the axle? Will dropping the axle alone work on both the front and the rear? Remove or loosen the trackbar to get the axle to flex more and allow the springs to pop in and out? These are all ideas I've thought of, but I'm not sure of the validity of them.

Thanks in advance for your help, everyone.

/Bob

Reply to
Bob
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It will help to disconnect the sway bar links from the axle. Jack up the vehicle, place jack stands under the frame, remove the wheels, remove the shocks, then let the axle droop fully.

Even with this, I've found it very useful and a real time and effort saver to use a set of MacPherson strut compressors, like what you can "borrow" at Auto Zone, to compress the springs a little to ease removal and installation, especially with longer lifted springs.

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

Reply to
David C. Moller

David C. Moller did pass the time by typing:

Also it can help to disconnect the track bar.

If you loosen the links remember they have to be torqued back to spec with the vehicle down. If you tighten them with the vehicle lifted it will look like a lift has been put in till the rubber bushings tear.

Reply to
DougW

I appreciate the tips, guys.

We ended up getting the lift on without too much trouble. The old springs came out on the front and rear without any difficulty. The new rear springs went in without too much trouble, as well. On the front, we just went ahead and disconnected one lower control arm at a time in order to get the axle to droop low enough to get the new taller springs in. All in all, it was a very successful install day, putting a OME 2" suspension lift on (including rear trackbar axle-mount raising bracket), as well as new JKS quicker discos, a warn gas skid, and a small oil pan skid.

It's so nice when things all go right (for once) and I'm not having to frantically post to this and other newsgroups to try to get help on rectifying a problem or crisis during an install or other work on a Jeep ;-)

Reply to
Bob

Reply to
twaldron

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