preparations for lift install?

In the next couple weeks,i will be installing a 3 inch lift on my 92 cherokee. i am looking for advice on things to do before the lift gets here so I can be ready to install it when it gets here. The jeep will not be able to be out of commission for a long time,a couple days max. Any kind of special tools I need? I know I will need a spring compressor,but are there any other special tools I will need? any other hints or tips to make the job easier would be appreciated!! thanks,Ben

No spring compressor needed, just pull the shocks before you mess with the springs and the front end will droop enough to put in the new springs. (I didn't use one for my 5.5 RE springs)

Simple 1/2 drive sockets and ratchet, BIG hammer, spray everything down with PB blaster a week prior and every day until you do the install.

Research rear shock bolt fixes, because they WILL break. (mine had 40K and was from vegas and I broke 3 out of 4)

I prefer Sea foam Deep Creep for penetrant, start spraying today no matter what you use.

PB blaster everything a couple of times. You don't have to have the spring compressor, altough it does make it easier. If you take off all the control arms the springs just slide in.

Oh yeah PB blaster.

18 milimeter socket.

PB blaster

New ubolts

PB blaster

extended brake lines

PB blaster

edit: too slow

PB Blaster - spray the nuts/bolts you'll be removing. I sprayed mine once a day for a week before my install and didn't have any stuck or broken bolts. Will you be pulling the swaybar links for your lift? I added front swaybar discos when I did my lift. If your '92 has the same splined bolt as my '99, get a gear puller for that. I used an 8" two arm gear puller to remove mine and it worked like a dream.

hadfield4wd said:

If you take off all the control arms the springs just slide in.

Click to expand...

DO NOT take off all the control arms. it'll be a pain to hang the axle back in. depending on what lift you are going to be installing, it'll come with lower or upper AND lower control arms.

if it DOES NOT come with control arms, then just disconnect the shocks at the axle end, the swaybar end links and the trackbar at the axle end. then you should be able to swing it down enough to swap the coils.

if it comes with lower control arms, then you can swap out the lower control arms either before or after installing the coils.

if it comes with upper AND lower control arms, then do 1 set at a time, DO NOT disconnect all 4 control arms unless you have a friend to help you get the axle back in place.


oh and keep an eye on your brake lines. with the trackbar, shocks, and swaybar disconnected, you can droop enough to max out the stock brake lines.

make sure you get some penetrant in behind the rubber bushing in the leaf springs. i just sprayed mine not realy paying attention and the PB Blaster didnt have a chance to get past the rubber bushing and i ended up busting the bolt where it goes into the frame rail.

if you encounter a bolt that has a little play then siezes up when you try to remove, walk the bolt out. it will take you a lot longer, but it may help save you from a PITA episode. What Happens: there is a moderate amount of rust on the threads (Penatrating oil may not have disolved) and as you back the bolt out, the rust cloggs the threads making the bolt extremely difficult/impossible to remove. if you encounter a lot of resistance once you get it turning, simpily tighten the bolt back down some. by working the bolt in and out, it gives the threads a chance to dump out some of the crud loosened up in the threads.

like everyone else said, USE PENETRATING OIL REPEATEDLY!! that is the best advice one could get.

oh, have some sandwich baggies and a marker on hand to put parts (bolts, nuts, washers etc) in and label where they go. ex front d/s lower control arm, d/s upper control arm hardware etc.

thats all i can think of for now

hth
stewie

I didnt read it all but if it wasn't recommended... Get a propane torch from Lowes/Home Depot or somewhere... Its a life saver especially since you're from up north.

The rear upper shock bolts are really bad for breaking off... I would say heat everything up before you try to remove it.

Chris

scorpio_vette said:

DO NOT take off all the control arms. it'll be a pain to hang the axle back in. depending on what lift you are going to be installing, it'll come with lower or upper AND lower control arms.

if it DOES NOT come with control arms, then just disconnect the shocks at the axle end, the swaybar end links and the trackbar at the axle end. then you should be able to swing it down enough to swap the coils.

if it comes with lower control arms, then you can swap out the lower control arms either before or after installing the coils.

if it comes with upper AND lower control arms, then do 1 set at a time, DO NOT disconnect all 4 control arms unless you have a friend to help you get the axle back in place.


oh and keep an eye on your brake lines. with the trackbar, shocks, and swaybar disconnected, you can droop enough to max out the stock brake lines.

Click to expand...

I couldn't get my springs in without disconecting all the CA's. Mine came with lowers and it didn't allow for enough droop to get them in. I took off the uppers slid in. I had to work at it but put everything back myself. Would have been easier with a friend as said, but still doable.

disconnect the front drive shaft that will allow a little more droop. disconnect one side at a time(lower control arms) axle will shift back on passanger side. Use a sissor jack against the lower control arm mount and the axle that will help with the reallignment.

thanks for the ideas. wouldn't it be dangerous to use a torch so close to the gas tank?

Read this: http://www.jrfarrar.com/jeep/xj/roughcountry/
I used this when installing mine. As for disconnecting the front driveshaft or LCA's - I didn't. I just used the factory bottle jack to "push" the axle down to put in the new springs.

You will break some of the rear upper shock mounts. I broke 3 out of 4 in a southern XJ with no visible rust after PB Blasting for 2 weeks! The way I fixed this was to drill out the bolts, and tap new threads to put in new bolts. It wasn't too bad - the drilling took forever, but seems to work well enough.

If you haven't already - read up on replacing the steering stabilizer if you're going to do this (might as well, while you're at it). This is much harder than you'd think. Have a BFH ready!! About 30 minutes of banging on it and mine finally came off.

It's not too bad to install a lift (if I can do it, anybody can)!!

Good Luck!

cjben said:

thanks for the ideas. wouldn't it be dangerous to use a torch so close to the gas tank?

Click to expand...

as long as you don't have any leaks, and don't melt the tank, it'll be fine.

and replacing the steering stabilizer is not that bad if you have an aircompressor. get a good airhammer and bit. put a prybar between the stabilizer and draglink to keep some tension on it, then hit the stabilizer stud with the airhammer. it'll come right out.

i also send you a PM.

jmowens said:

Read this: http://www.jrfarrar.com/jeep/xj/roughcountry/
I used this when installing mine. As for disconnecting the front driveshaft or LCA's - I didn't. I just used the factory bottle jack to "push" the axle down to put in the new springs.

You will break some of the rear upper shock mounts. I broke 3 out of 4 in a southern XJ with no visible rust after PB Blasting for 2 weeks! The way I fixed this was to drill out the bolts, and tap new threads to put in new bolts. It wasn't too bad - the drilling took forever, but seems to work well enough.

If you haven't already - read up on replacing the steering stabilizer if you're going to do this (might as well, while you're at it). This is much harder than you'd think. Have a BFH ready!! About 30 minutes of banging on it and mine finally came off.

It's not too bad to install a lift (if I can do it, anybody can)!!

Good Luck!

Click to expand...

We have lifted several jeeps and have yet to break an upper shock bolt. Just use a torch to heat it up significantly and go slowly. If it feels tight, heat it again and keep PB blaster on it...

It's worth taking your time on this b/c reparing the upper shocks mounts isnt much fun!

As for the Steering Stabilizer forget the air hammer and get a Pitman arm puller for $15.00. OR, borrow one from AutoZone and heat it up. Just my $0.02

IF I were doing a lift from up north I would heat every bolt significantly and PB blaster the heck out of it.