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LCA lenght?

flash_gordon

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado Springs
I am running the RE6030 lift. I put 2" coil spacers on top of the springs; I think my arms need to be a little longer now. (The front wheels seem to be too far back). Can I loosen the bolts for the control arms and move them all the way forward? Do you think this will give me the adjustment I need?
 
I think that when you replaced your lowers you should have found an alignment shoe in there. You will have to get more/make a thicker shim to go behind the shoe and therefore move the non-adjustable LCA's forward and gain wheelbase. Have you measured the wheelbase? 101"-102" is right on. I can't find the pics I have of the shoe but I'm sure someone has some. I remember reading an article linked to from NAXJA about making alignment shims. We need some pics here folks I am not doing this justice...this is all i have but it doesn't show the shoe, just the 3/8" shim I made for my RE drops.

http://www.kofira.com/jeep/Drop Brackets/spacer.html

-P
 
flash_gordon said:
I am running the RE6030 lift. I put 2" coil spacers on top of the springs; I think my arms need to be a little longer now. (The front wheels seem to be too far back). Can I loosen the bolts for the control arms and move them all the way forward? Do you think this will give me the adjustment I need?
You didnt provide much info on your set-up,just saw you have a 2000 which should mean youve got a LP D30.You definately need to address both lower and upper control arms!Drop brackets are also something to consider at this point.Also watch for front driveshaft binding at the DC joint!
 
UCA's go on this weekend. I no money for drop brackets. I was hoping that moving them forward would work. I think i'm sitting at over 5". I didn't really want to go that high, but oh well. It just takes more money. I am thinking 32s.
Oh, yes I have a D30 up front.
 
My point was that you have a LP D30,different by far from the rest of the XJ's!They are much harder to work with when lifting!
 
I have the same problem as Flash running a LP30 with the RE 4.5 springs and 3/4 spacer to level out the Jeep. My control arm angles suck. I need a HP30 and DB's. My front axle is sucked into the body and when I am flexed my springs are bent like a banana.

Any info/pics of the shims XXX is referring to would be helpful. I may just have to pull the LCA to see how they look.

How much can the axle actually move in the shim anyway?

Brian T.
 
What’s the difference between LP and HP? I'm thinking the pinion maybe?
I guess I will find out this weekend. I am going to try and move them as far a possible.
 
flash_gordon said:
What’s the difference between LP and HP? I'm thinking the pinion maybe?
I guess I will find out this weekend. I am going to try and move them as far a possible.

LP = low pinion in relation to the ring gear.
HP = high pinion in relation to the ring gear.

The problem with only adjusting the lowers is pinion angle. With the dual cardan joint on the front shaft the pinion needs to point at the front t-case output. If you lengthen the lowers you will point the pinion lower unless you lengthen the uppers to match.
 
Good point Dirk...

You should be able to look at your diff and if the pinion comes off the bottom of the housing then it is a LP. If it comes off more toward the top of the housing then it is a HP. XJ's up to 99 usually came with HP. In 2000 and 2001 they mostly came with LP's. All TJ's have LP's to the best of my knowledge.

HTH

Brian T.
 
flash_gordon said:
What’s the difference between LP and HP? I'm thinking the pinion maybe?
I guess I will find out this weekend. I am going to try and move them as far a possible.


Ok, not to sound like a prick here, but I'm going to anyway...You have a rig that is 5.5" high and you have no idea what LP vs HP is? You don't know what effects lengthing your LCAs will do to the pinion angle? Learn some geometry about your suspension.
 
You are right, you do sound like a prick. Just because I don't know LP from HP doesn't mean I don't know about suspension angles. I never asked what lengthening my LCAs would do to my pinion angle; I asked if there is enough to get my wheelbase back. Maybe you should not be so quick to assume. I know RE uses the same LCAs for all but the long arm and I was hoping to get a little more length out of them not wanting to go with drop brackets. Going to 5+ was unexpected, but now that I’m at that height, I’m trying to make it work without spending too much more money. But hey thanks for your constructive criticism Redneck...
 
You might as well start looking at the DB's cause you wont like the ride or the drivehaft issues(mines a 2k at 6"+,been there done that).
 
That will be the next step down the road. I'm just trying to make it work now. With the new UCAs and moving the lowers out I think I will be OK. The lowers don't need to move much to get the wheelbase back. Thanks for everyones help.
Shawn
 
flash_gordon said:
You are right, you do sound like a prick. Just because I don't know LP from HP doesn't mean I don't know about suspension angles. I never asked what lengthening my LCAs would do to my pinion angle; I asked if there is enough to get my wheelbase back. Maybe you should not be so quick to assume. I know RE uses the same LCAs for all but the long arm and I was hoping to get a little more length out of them not wanting to go with drop brackets. Going to 5+ was unexpected, but now that I’m at that height, I’m trying to make it work without spending too much more money. But hey thanks for your constructive criticism Redneck...

uhhhh - do you have asjustable arms? are the new UCA's that are going on / went on adjustable? because with 5-6" of lift, you'll need to fine tune your pinion angle in relation to the driveshaft. (i blew a DC end on my driveshaft from bad pinion angle and old u-joints)

and since you laready know everything and are above what people who are trying to help you have to say - then you also already know that your pinion should point directly at the t-case output, and that to do this, your wheelbase will suffer a little - because when the suspention flex's up - it will move the wheel forward and fill the same hole in the same spot that the axles used to be at stock height...

ummm - read here for more info on my fix to pinion angle problems with a 5.5" front end lift and no DB's for now...
 
I never said I know everything, and am not above anyone here. There are many ways to give helpful answers. All I really wanted to know, (sorry for asking) was how much adjustment I could get out of my LCAs. Your pinion fix was very interesting, thanks.
 
XJ_ranger said:
and since you laready know everything and are above what people who are trying to help you have to say - then you also already know that your pinion should point directly at the t-case output,
Well theres the kettle calling the pot black!!
 
RCP Phx said:
XJ_ranger said:
and since you laready know everything and are above what people who are trying to help you have to say - then you also already know that your pinion should point directly at the t-case output,
Well theres the kettle calling the pot black!!
ok... did i come off as a know it all? ill tone it down a bit...
 
This is the conclusion I have come to:
If the RE UCAs (they are fixed) and moving the LCAs don't give me the results I am looking for, I will take the rear shackles (1.5") and the front spacers (2") off and try to find some 1" to 1 1/4" shackles for the rear. Then what ever it takes to level the front, maybe 1.5". When the jeep was first done the front had RE 3.5" springs with 2 stock isolators and everything was fine, (no vibes, no wheel base problems). I put the 2" up front to level with the rear and that's when things started going down hill. I was going to use the stock rear shackles but they limited flex so much it was not worth it, that's why I put the lift shackle back on. I guess I will have to see this weekend. Thanks for everyone's help and opinions.
Shawn
 
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