teraflex disco problemo

I installed teraflex discos on my 89 XJ this weekend. I ordered the discos for 2-4" of lift from 4wdhardware... My XJ has a 2" OME lift that is a couple of years old. Out of the box, they seemed a bit long, much longer than the stock sway bar links. The install went fine, but left the sway bar angled quite high, and after a day of driving, I can see where the bolt tips on the disco top end is bashing my fender wall. It's already created about a half inch of dent.

This doesn't seem normal.

Has anyone had any experience like this? I am worried that my suspension is being limited. I felt a few hard bumps that really connected with the fender wall and can't imagine this is good.

is it only on one side? that's how i realized that my axle wasn't all the way centered. it rubbed on the inside of my fender when the suspension cycled and I was still connected. if its rubbing on only one side, check the track bar. it might need to be adjusted. if its just too long, either reposition the end links on the axle, get shorter sway bar links, or just don't connect your sway bar.

it's on both sides.

I'd like to run a sway bar, I do more highway driving than anything else and can notice a difference without them.

I've thought about repositioning the bottom link, but that seems like more work than I'd like to do to run a piece of hardware that should fit pretty well on it's own. maybe it's the best way to fix it.

I'm pretty dissapointed they didn't fit better. makes me wonder if my lift is sagging.

Just get more lift, go to 3.5. I have the discos on 3.5 in and they work wonderfully when i have them connected. I do mostly highway driving but never have them connected, or well, once I disconnect them it takes a month or 2 before I decide to reconnect them, but that will probably be tonight since I have to pack it full of stuff for school and figure an overloaded Jeep should have a swaybar... maybe...

I'd love more lift, but going up to 3.5 is going to require more than spacers and shackles. the way I see it, I'll need an adjustable trackbar, maybe a transfercase lower or drive shaft conversion, new brake lines.... lower control arms... who knows what else.

I was trying to keep it cheap.

Well, I didnt install my transfer case drop or get an SYE, and I have no vibs, so you can get away without one. T-case drops are cheap anyway. As for brake lines, its quite easy to make extended brakets for them, I am using stock brake lines on extended brakets and it works fine. With an 89 you should have a similar set up as I have on the 93, in terms of driveshaft length, as newer XJs need a t-case drop and SYE at lower lifts due to driveshaft length I believe (or angles, either way, doesnt matter, yours is the older style) As for control arms, I am still running stock, longer control arms would be better, but I dont see them as a necesity until I would say 4.5 inches or so.

You could get to 3.5 in for relatively inexpensive. The cost of springs, leaf, and shocks. I have the BDS kit so it is a relatively expensive kit, but the idea is the same for less expensive setups. With any lift I woudl recomend the adjustable trackbar, as I have a relocation bracket right nwo and it sucks, but it is possibe to get the lift without replacing all that stuff. If you want to go cheap you can get the bracket, which I havent looked up, but should be relatively inexpensive, and it definately gets the job done, just isnt a preference. I havent had any real issues with it yet, but it just isnt as high a quality as I woud like.

In all, if you want that much lift, it is possible to get it relatively inexpensively, and you dont have to replace everything you mentioned, and if you want to over time, as I will be doing, then upgrade as you get the money.

mellowvision said:

I installed teraflex discos on my 89 XJ this weekend. I ordered the discos for 2-4" of lift from 4wdhardware... My XJ has a 2" OME lift that is a couple of years old. Out of the box, they seemed a bit long, much longer than the stock sway bar links. The install went fine, but left the sway bar angled quite high, and after a day of driving, I can see where the bolt tips on the disco top end is bashing my fender wall. It's already created about a half inch of dent.

This doesn't seem normal.

Has anyone had any experience like this? I am worried that my suspension is being limited. I felt a few hard bumps that really connected with the fender wall and can't imagine this is good.

Click to expand...

I've run the Tera discos for a few years and what you describe seems to me to point out a length problem. Since I believe they only make one size (I lengthened mine when I went to 6.5") the only remaining culprit could be the install. Is there anything unusual about the install? You used everything according to the instructions? I'm sure you did and as I recall the stud from the top of the swaybar adapter is likely hitting the sheetmetal below the battery and airbox.

The swaybar, if located correctly, should have about a 15* rise from front to back where it meets the disconnect. If it's significantly more, that would indicate that these are too long. Also, are they leaning back into the coil springs or nearly vertical? This could indicate an issue if they are much more vertical than the coil springs.

I installed mine when I was at 4" and found them to be perfect. Best discos I've used. If you're lower than this I could see some potential clearance issues.

Are you sure you are lifted as much as you think?

mine are a bit long but I got the next size up I think and with five inches of lift, I have punched quarter sized holes in the sheetmetal. On hits on full stuff though, would like to shorter then up a bit, the JKS might have been a better deal, or make my own. Personally think 100 bucks for these things is a rip.

yeah, I have to agree. they are not worth the 109 I spent. I would have spent the dough on the jks or RE's if i thought these would be so long and cumbersome. the finsih was already cracked when I got them too. made it a lot easier to bash em with the bfh to get them on.

the length reaaallly bothers me though. these hit on lots of bumps. I did a test run at the home depot over their big traffic bumps, and it hit twice, once when the tire hit the bump and once when the front end came back down.

this product is damaging my vehicle.

yay terafux!

Go measure your jeep...it should be 17.5" in the front and 17" in the rear(center of hub to bottom of flare).

If you are sitting at 2" call up teraflex and let them know that their product for 2-4" of lift is not working on your rig. Maybe they will refund your money and you can spend the money better else where(jks).

I just ran out and checked... I'm parked facing up a big hill...

I am at 19" front and rear, from hub center to flare bottom.

I had those discos on a 3" lift. One good whoop in the desert and they punched the same holes. I used a tiny hole saw to clean up the punture which also gave enough clearance for them.
Sell 'em and get adjustable JKS discos, or you have another option. Use them as an excuse to install 6" of lift, 35" tires, re-gear, lock, low-range, alloy, bumper and winch your XJ. That route costs a little more. :confused1

it's ridiculous. I shouldn't have to lift for the sway bar. the sway bar links should just be as advertised.

I'm happy with the height of my jeep. it's just fine. it's the sway bar links that suck.

mellowvision said:

it's ridiculous. I shouldn't have to lift for the sway bar. the sway bar links should just be as advertised.

I'm happy with the height of my jeep. it's just fine. it's the sway bar links that suck.

Click to expand...

I would call them up and see if you can get some kind of refund...I know it would bother me if something was punching holes in my inner fender going over speed bumps.

I've already submitted an email to teraflex's website, got no response. will call tomorrow if I can.

took another look today, they've punched through the steel completely on the driver's side now.

man am I dissapointed.
pics to follow

Make sure to take one of the whole installed assembly. Something doesn't seem right. Your second shot shows the swaybar way out of position. It should be nominally following the line of the frame rail....about 15*. This ain't right.

it's cause their links are too long. They ahve to cover from 2-4" of lift and you really can't. Same for the 4-6". They would work great for the higher end of the range but at 5" they are still too long. JKS are adjustable, but still too expensive and too much stuff to mess with.