CJ Body lift question / Rear Disc Brake question / Bill H. ??????

Charles, Your going to have clearance issues with your fan and the shroud. Don't dump the shroud, move it down the same amount you lift the body. Body lifts are usually easy but depending on your particular Jeep, you may or may not have wiring harness trouble. My 1" body lift was minimal enough to be very little trouble. As far as stability goes, you lift it, you also raise your center of balance. Everytime you corner or avoid something in the road, or brake hard your Jeep will behave different than before. Is it dangerous? That depends on the driver. I've been driving lifted CJ's for 20 years, I have alot of experience with them and you have to drive with Center of Balance in mind. You can't take the exit ramps off interstate whatever at 20mph over the limit anymore. But offroad you've improved your capability. If that is your goal, good. If not, I suggest you don't lift it. My opinion FWIW.

As far as the brakes, I recommend you go with a kit that is designed for it. Think about this. When you shift from drum to disk brakes, you'll need to change the master cylinder (rear claipers need bigger reservoirs than drums), the proportioning valve, E-brake actuation will have to be modified, and brackets need to be fab'd. I've heard of guys using lincoln rear calipers on CJ's. if you insist on doing it be careful, it's your life depending on those brakes. An easier way to decrease stopping distance and power would be to add power brakes, much easier to do.

Rich Harris

Rich, Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to opt for the 1" lift. I have no fan shroud so that shouldn't be an issue. The center of gravity thing I will consider. Think I'll lift one side and see what it looks like before I commit to do doing it. Brakes.. I have power brakes now but you raise some excellent points. I think you may be right and I should probably buy a kit that addresses all those issues. Thanks again Charles

Hi Bill, Good to see you're still about.

Charles,

One inch won't change your center of gravity enough to be substantial. Once you do one side, you'll be committed because most of the bolts will have been broken off, unless you are lucky enough to live in the southwest US where rust isn't an issue. A body lift is no huge project untill bolts start breaking, then it becomes a PITA. Hit 'em with PB blaster every day for a week or so and that will help.

At 1" , the hoses, wiring, steering, and shifting linkage isn't an issue. You will see a gap between the grille and bumper/frame in the front, and the tub/tailgate in the back, but again, at 1" this isn't too bad. At 2 or 3", it nearly makes me cry it is so damn ugly.

Carl

Nope, Retire in October, I'm going fishing, on top of a mountain somewhere!

Just be aware that a body lift on a CJ can be a 'big' job depending on how close to the rust belt your Jeep has been. On my Canadian driven CJ7, not one body mount bolt came out. They all either spun the hidden weld nut or snapped off. Only one fender bolt came out in one piece when I stripped the tub.

You also will have issues with the gas filler hoses. You can cut these and put a copper pipe in the middle as an extension. One big one for fill and one small for fill vent. If you just bend and stretch the hose, it will likely crack at the bend...

I don't know that I would 'want' disk brakes on the back of such a short vehicle. As it is, the rear drum brakes have to use a combination/proportioning valve so they don't lock up when you hit the brakes hard. When rear brakes lock up on something so short, you do

I think dialing in the proper combination/proportioning valve for the new type of brakes would be a major undertaking.

Mike

Nope, that just makes you lose steering control as you slide forward. The rolling back tires act like a rudder.

Mike

Curtis Geiger wrote:

Hi Guys, I just returned from a 4 day business trip and caught up on the posts. My sincere thanks to everyone. I'm gonna ditch the rear disc idea for now but will go with a kit when the time is right. I'm also gonna go with a 1" body lift. I've recently (in the last couple of years) replaced all the body bushings and bolts so I'll be okay on that project. I'll post a pic when I get the new body and all the pretty new shiny stuff on her. Thanks again, Charles