• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

RE Drop Bracket Installation Question?

Begster

Begster

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cape Cod/Boston, Mass
Alright, I'm about to start installing my drop brackets. There is currently nothing under the front in terms of suspesnion, (Bent D30, so had to replace it) so the vehicle is sitting on jackstands that are placed between the crossmember and control arm brackets on the frame. But, the braces need to go there, so I was wondering for those of you who have installed them, where did you support the vehicle while installing them, from the front where the frame rail meets the front cross member?

Thanks for your help.
 
Do you have sliders that work? The RE drop brackets mount to the cross-member holes in the "frame rail". Use your sliders, or distribute the load by using a 2"x4" or larger for your jackstand point.
 
are you installing the braces? which I highley recommend? If so you will have to have the jack stands behind the crossmeber and if you can find a way to support the front bumper. Or you can install all the drop brackets arms and such without the braces and suppor the jeep right behind the lca mount. Then when all done lift he jeep up with the axle and then install the braces. But make sure to put the 4 bolts through before the arms for the braces.
 
KSXJ said:
Or you can install all the drop brackets arms and such without the braces and suppor the jeep right behind the lca mount. Then when all done lift he jeep up with the axle and then install the braces. But make sure to put the 4 bolts through before the arms for the braces.
Click to expand...

This is how I do 'em. Not supposed to torque anything till the jeep is on the ground anyway.
 
No I don't have any sliders, so I can't use that. Thats how I would have done them if I had them on. I do have an ARB bumper up front so I'm not really worried about supporting the front with jackstands.

Ya I do have the support braces. The directions say "If you are installing the braces on your XJ Cherokee you will want to install them simultaneously with the other brackets because they share 4 bolts on either side." And the next step is " Before installing control arm brackets attach brace to frame."

I'll just install the drop brackets without the supports for right now then add them later.
 
I supported mine at the front of the 'frame' rails almost at the radiator support.
 
DaJudge said:
I supported mine at the front of the 'frame' rails almost at the radiator support.
Click to expand...
Thanks, thats where I was thinking I would do it. I'm going to have to give it a rest for a while right now because its starting to thunder and lightning. I'll eventually move the jackstands to there.
 
Alright I have a new problem, the flag bolts holding the UCA on the frame side won't come out. I can rotate the bolts so that the flag is swinging inside the frame, but the actual bolt won't come out. Has anyone had this problem or know what to do?
 
Begster,
You'll love the DB's. Are you going to put in RE arms? If so, the DB CA pocket is not (repeat: not) as wide as the sleeve in the CA bushing. You will have to streach the DB pocket to get the arm and the alignment shoe in there. Also, I had to pound some metal flat on the back of the stock CA pocket and pound on corner of the DB brace to get it to fit flush against the stock CA pocket. Otherwise, the tcase xmember bolts wouldn't line up.

Outside of that there are no secrets. Just leave everything loose until you get all the nuts in then tighten down by working around. You will deform the metal as you tighten.

Keep posting up if you have issues.:thumbup:
 
Ya I already had a 4.5 RE lift in, and when taking off my axle, the lower control arm bolt seized inside the superflext joint on one of the LCA's, so I had to order new RE arms. Thanks for the heads up on the bushings being too wide.

I have called it a night so far. The upper control arms are still attached to the vehicle. Lowrange, what do you mean bend the flag with a screw driver? The flag is too thick of metal to bend with a screw driver, and you can't even get one in there. I think the bolts themselves have seized themselves in the metal bushing of the control arms. I will give a call into my Jeep mechanic tomorrow seeing as he is back from Rausch Creek now.
 
Can you get a sawsall between the CA and the frame and cut the flag bolt out? I know it'd be tight in there but I also remember the RE arms were narrower than stock so there may be some room to work. Then you could at least pull the arm out and work what's left of the bolt inside the bushing sleave. Or, you could get adju$table$ and write it off. You're not going to need that flag bolt again...

Here is a picture of what I had to do the get the RE LCA's into the DB pocket.

DB_LCA_Pocket.jpg


You can see how I had to bend the pocket out to receive the arm.

Good luck.
 
Put the jackstands behind the crossmember, and use a Hi-Lift or similar device AS INSURANCE under the front bumper. Get all the parts (DBs, control arms, axle and braces) bolted together before putting it on the ground. Torque once it's back on all four wheels.

http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/re_db.html

Jim www.yuccaman.com
 
You know, I NEVER jacked mine off the ground when working on mine. I did one side at a time with the jeep sitting completely on the ground. Worked fine. I only used a jack to pursuade the LCAs into place.
 
Alright, I got a lot done today. I actually had already gotten the UCA off when I read your post earlier, and thats actually what I did. I used a sawzall between the UCA bushing and the bracket and cut off the bolt at each end. I ended up overnighting bushings from RE, that was before I was able to pound the bolt pieces out. Stupid shipping cost more than the bushings.

Anyways, thanks for the help wall04. To fit the LCA in the bracket, I clamped the sides of the adjuster shoe to the bracket like you did, and I used another C clamp, butted the end of the clamp where the rod threads through against one of the sides, and then screwed it until the rod pushed the pocket apart.

Its mostly done, I've got both brackets installed, and now I just need to replace the axle now that I've put the shafts back in. One of the crossmember bolts snapped and I haven't been able to get it out. I've left it alone for right now, I'll deal with it later, or probably take it to my mechanic because I'll be gone with school in about 2 1/2 weeks.
 
Hey. If push comes to shove you can drive without the braces. I'm just saying that if you need to take the jeep somewhere to get that xmember bolt issue resolved you can drive it. I wouldn't drive it around for an extended period or anything like that...

I'm glad my pic helped out. I must of F'd around with it for 2-3 hours before I put that setup together to get the LCA's in there.
 
Well I have it all in and back together. I took it for a test drive up the hill and I think it actually drives better than my dad's stock wrangler. Wow was I surprised how the ride was.

Few issues still exist. Front driveshaft is now too short, so I had to pull the shaft. If I try flexing, I'll probably rip the shocks off, so I'll have to deal with that. Still have that crossmember bolt in there, and I used anti-sieze on the 8 control arm bolts, and 3 crossmember bolts when I replaced them. My adjustable track bar didn't want to adjust, so the axle is over to one side right now. I'll be getting an alignment tomorrow, so I'll have them deal with that.

Thumbs up for the drop brackets. Can't wait to get this other stuff fixed because I'm supposed to be going on a trail run next saturday.


Just want to check, but a front driveshaft from a manual XJ is longer than an auto correct?
 
The drop brackets also move the axle forward some. Their website says 1/2, but I think that, and now that the arms are level instead of angled, moved it forward a little over 1/2 an inch. I also added a 1.75 inch spacer on top of my 4.5 springs so that might be one reason.
The driveshaft is right there, its just out of reach by about 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch.
 
Front driveshaft from a manual XJ is shorter than the auto.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Which steering box brace? Bearing or not?
Replies
7
Views
369
75SV1
7
E
RE CONTROL ARM DROP BRACKETS?
Replies
8
Views
1K
EastonTexas
E
Anak
How to Slot the CPS
Replies
2
Views
92
Rob Mayercik
R
B
Control Arm Drop Bracket
Replies
3
Views
2K
Black1990jeep
B
X
Help me my Obi Wan Kenobi's
2 3
Replies
47
Views
13K
75SV1
7
Back
Top