lifted mj

Well, I've had the mj for a couple of weeks and now its time to start lifting. Is it true that xj axles will drop right in giving me approx 3" lift in the rear? What are you guys using for front springs. I got a skyjacker 6" setup on my xj and it rides a bit rough.

The XJ axle and MJ axle are 'similar' but the XJ axle spring hangers are wider than the MJ in SOA setup. (I know, I have a MJ 44 that was setup for MJ SOA, then this season remounted the pads to SOA XJ. Also in factory setup, MJ shocks go from the spring clamp plates (under the springs) FORWARD to eye-mounts on the inside of the frame rails. (XJs have a 1 forward/1 back to bar pins on the underside of the body)

My MJ in SOA setup with RE pads and factory leafs gave me approx 6 to 6.5" lift out back.

Out front, I used a set of Rusty's 3" + 1.75 poly spacer & Rusty's Hydros (OEM control arms) This year (on my XJ) I am running Rusty's 4.5" + 1.75", RE Superflex UCA and custom LCA. It rides OK and works pretty good off-road, but if I didn't have $$$ tied up in fresh CAs, I'd think about long-arm setups.

FWIW whenever my MJ gets back in action...I think 60/60 or Mog Portals, Long Arm front, 1/4 elliptic rear is the smart way to go.

Yup, you'll have to cut the spring pads and shock mounts off the XJ axle anyway, so it's probably best to stick with the MJ version for doing the spring over (unless it's an XJ D-44). Here's what I did for shock mounts on mine:


That's the MJ's shock mount moved on top of the leaf pad. Just ignore the outer, offset U-bolts. That was part of the mods I used to adapt to the Bronco's springpad (yes, I realize that's not how it should be done. I welded the shock mount to the Bronco pad and the axle, sorta as the new leaf pad). You can just trim your mount to clear the axle tube and insert it under the leaf pack. The U-bolts should come up right through the holes and are secured on top with the original U-bolt pad. Also note the orientation of the lower mounts. 90* from the Cherokee's and they're both located behind the axle.
One problem is that your awesome MJ leafpacks will flex more than the original shocks will allow (they work just fine on the street though). My solution (when I can get around to it) will be to run a slightly longer shock and then extend the bumpstops to keep the new shock from bottoming out on the upstroke. Also, you'll need to extend the brakeline (take yours to the Autoparts store and have them search around for something longer, that has the right fittings at each end) and the proportioning valve linkage (if you want to retain it, otherwise, just remove the upper arm while it's level with the ground so you get a more neutral position). Also, some have had good luck running the driveshaft stock, while others have found a bit of vibration from it being pulled farther off the slip yoke. If you have problems, Rusty sells an extended yoke or you can find an MJ 2wd shaft and get it shortened at the t-case end (that's what I did 'cause my truck was previously 2wd).
Oh, and I'm running Rusty's 180 lb coils and so far I like them. Are you running short control arms on your XJ? That will contribute to a rough ride at 6" of lift.
Jeep on!
--Pete

I have some adjustable CA's on the xj. Doesn't look like this is going to be as easy as i thought it woulbe be. Who am I kidding...nothing is ever easy when it comes to a jeep!!!

Those shock mounts are going to give you a binding problem.It will either tear up the bushings or break the eye/mount.

Are you sure? Have you tried them or seen 'em like that? They're in the exact same orientation that they were in bone-stock form (the 1" spacer has been removed). The axle has simply been moved underneath. I know that the current shocks are too short, but I never thought it would bind. Could you be more precise and explain why? I certianly don't want to lose 'em on the trail. It would be a bit of a rough ride home. ;-)
Jeep on!
--Pete

In stock form its really not an issue.If your building something that is going to flex thats different.The axle is going to rotate around the the centerline of the driveshaft(basically).With the bushings parallel to the driveshaft they can pivot.If you mount them parallel to the axle then they have no way to work but binding the bushings.

RCP Phx said:

In stock form its really not an issue.If your building something that is going to flex thats different.The axle is going to rotate around the the centerline of the driveshaft(basically).With the bushings parallel to the driveshaft they can pivot.If you mount them parallel to the axle then they have no way to work but binding the bushings.

Click to expand...

I have mine mounted this way under my SOA MJ, and I get full extension and full droop out of 12 inch travel shocks without them binding. But, this is not the best thing for the bushings, which is why when I swap in my Toyota axle this weeks, I will mount the shocks like this / \

spider trax sells a lower shock mount kit for a whopping 19.99 will correct the problem

spider trax shock mount kit

Good points! I'm going to stick with what I've got for now, mainly because the current shocks are too short anyway, and I'm going to run them (but keep an eye on them) till I design something that will handle a much longer shock. I'm thinking of popping a hole in the bed and attaching the upper mount to my rollbar. Since I don't have a rollbar yet, that will have to come first. ;-) I'm just happy I can drive her again! It's been like 3 years since the 2wd Peugeot self-destructed.
Jeep on!
--Pete

Don't worry about it, they'll work. Change it later if you end up wanting to. The shock bushings have enough deflection to handle it. You can stick with rubber bushings instead of poly to get a little more bushing deflection if you want.

The warning comment is true in theory, but the bushing will deflect enough to make it work......just like on a stock Commanche.

Get realistic,I was eating bushings just from rotating the axle with some 4* shims.Thats when I decided to relocate the mounts.

RCP Phx said:

Get realistic,I was eating bushings just from rotating the axle with some 4* shims.Thats when I decided to relocate the mounts.

Click to expand...

Damn, you don't have to get snippy about it. If the stock MJ mounts are simply moved from below the axle (spring under) to above the axle (spring over), how in the world can you say conclusively that all of a sudden they won't work? I guess the factory mounting location is bad, and everyone with an MJ should weld on new mounts and rotate them 90*?

My upper shock mounts are turned parallel to the axle because I'm using stock XJ rear sway bar link mounts as a BPE......no different than the lower mounts on an MJ. I agree that it's not ideal, but the bushings will deflect enough to work. It certainly isn't going to hurt him to try it.

Shock bushings, especially poly bushings, are very durable. When I've seen them wear prematurely, it's usually because the shocks were limiting the suspension travel......too short.

On my version 1.0 SOA MJ 44 I just used the spring plates and shock mounts on top of the springs... using Rusty's 10" travel shox (little to no up travel, great droop) that went quickly into 1.1 with RE 2020 shock mounts welded to the axletubes. Both in "MJ" forward orientation and centered on the H axis and close to square (no inward cant towards the C/L)

It worked well, but the shox were still the bumpstops in 'flex-compression' (tho with 33" just barely kissing the inner fender tub above the framerail...perfect) Droop was great... I am sure those bushings were in a misalign-bind, but it never seemed to hinder trail performance any.

I used no TC drop, a 1" longer DS, and a 1/4"? longer YJ yoke FWIW.

My MJ ax in 6" XJ setup is a work-in-progress... (butch but functional) for v1.0 I hung those RE perches a'la Max Johnson in R-ds & F-ps like OEM XJ, on a H axis roughly even with the top of the tube, and retained the OEM BPs. The intent was to have the shox pivot on an axis like an XJ (90* off MJ) but have no gross/fragile underhang like the OEM XJ (or MJ) shock mounts

I promptly broke the Gr5 bolt off the ps lower mount, so with some work, v1.1 is on top the upper mount is a notched 2x2x.250 member with 9 holes drilled (1 centered & 4 more on 2" centers outward) to allow a lot of cant adjustment. and the lower ps mount is on the rear too. The shox are bolted to the x member at 2" either side of vehicle center.

The best I can tell (from 1 wheelin trip) is that even though the (stiff gas-charged 10" travel) shox have a sick inward cant, they ride fine and work well. From the mud-swipes I can see approx 3/4" of remaining rod, so they are not bottoming out... static ride-height is at 4" rod approx.

I guess my point is that there is a lot of leeway in setting up 'functional' XJ/MJ rear suspensions.

I ran into a similar problem mounting my front shocks. I couldn't decide whether the flex from compression to droop was more stressfull on the shock bushings then the forward to back movement. I ended up running them perpendicular to the axle because of the extreme droop in the front end, but they would have worked ok parallel. The two bushings work together during movement and can provide ALOT of travel.