How to measure actual lift height?

Question

'76 CJ-7, 2 1/2" Skyjacker leaves, aftermarket shackles & heavy bumpers/nerfs... How can I measure the actual lift height? Measure center-to-center of the upper and lower shock mounting bolts front & back? Anybody know the stock measurements sitting in the drive? I put a dropped pitman arm on a while back and now see that the steering linkage has been rubbing on the top of the spring. Could I mount the steering linkage upside-down on top of the pitman and the far end (whatever we call it:) Appreciate the advice. Best Regards, Jim

L.W.(ßill) Hughes III · Accepted Answer

Hi Jim,    The longer shackles quickly take the arch out of even stronger aftermarket springs. The stock shock absorbers:http://www.m

Drink · Answer

Aaah, that's right.  I remember now about the taper in the pitman arm.  The shackles are the greasable type and I think they're just a little bitlonger but not by much.  I could be wrong, though.  I know the rule of thumbfor shock travel for the Jeep is 4" extended and compressed.  It's raininglike cats and dogs here and I'll have to get out in between the raindrops inthe morning.  I already ordered some of the Skyjacker shocks since Icouldn't find the Edelbrock performers.  I also got an AGR steering gear toreplace the worn out unit and got a dropped pitman arm to boot but it lookslike the springs have settled a bit.  Oh well, I'll just hang on to the newpitman, buy a stock one for $30 and keep my option of a 4" lift in so manyyears when it's time to swap springs again.  Gonna put in a Chevy V8 in front of an NV4500.  Wonder if I'll need tokeep the body lift.  I really won't need all that lift, though, since I'mseriously considering going back to 31" tires.  I could go up to 35"'s...

Drink · Answer

Hmm.  Well, I checked from axle tube to the bumper stop and see about 31/2".  What should've shown up as just a tad bit more than 2 1/2" lift (61/2" from axle to bumper) looks like it's 3" short!  The shackles are maybe1/2" longer than stock but pretty close to original length in any case.  Ican't see them making any appreciable difference toward a 3" sag in year oldleaf springs.  The bumper's fairly heavy and that might be it.  Any opinions on a pair of the Old Man Emu Add-a-Leafs?  They claim a 20%increase in spring rate.  I'm planning on a Chevy V-8 with an NV-4500/Dana300.  Does it sound like a good plan to 1) Install a pair of OME Add-a-Leaves,and, 2) Remove the body lift?  That'd decrease the body roll accentuation and still clear everything,right?    Jim> > are #34907 and have eight inches of travel:> >  so that would> > mean, the stock height would have about four inches between the top of> > the axle housing and the rubber bump stop.> >     Put the stock pitman are back on,...

How to measure actual lift height?

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