Newbe Lift install

Been on this forum for a long time. It has been the first goto sight when any XJ issues come up, curiosity about others issues, and general learning.
My 1990 Jeep was bought new in May of that year. 5 years later I was keen to lift it. This weekend is the realization of that desire.

I went with OME rear leafs CS 330rb. I did not remove a leaf. Going to put lots of weight in it for a period to get it to settle. The only hitch in the installation was the brake line. Just a little too short. So it is floating just above the axle with tie straps limiting the lines after the T. Also the bolt is a different size. will likely get a new line.

The front is were I am at now. I purchased IRD control arms several years ago along with an adjustable track arm. so I was ready for the Springs. Choice was Metacloak.

Bilsteins 5100 all the way around.

Installation was a bit challenging. I got the sequene wrong and my axle started skewing to the rear. I removed th lowers. mistake. I digress.

My question at this point is the sequence and method for adjustment of the axle location and castor/pinion. Here is my thnking:

1) Adjust the wheelbase to stock with the new lift. 101.4 inches. get there by adjusting both upper and lower.

2) Adjust pinon angle/castor - Adjust both upper and Lower or upper to rotate CCW from DS or lower to adjust CW. I figure the impact to WB is minor.

3) Adjust toe in

4) Adjust track arm - use the string method by checking alignment with rear tires and front tires.

5) add shocks and tighten everything to spec.

6) Add anti-sway bar and QD's

Could you confirm or make recommendations of the right way to do this and any "gotcha's?"

Front brake lines are remounted with the curves straightened to allow for flex.

A couple of discoveries along the way were a down pipe with additional clearance from the universal joint it was next to. The replacement track bar was rubbing on the dif cover. When the control arms were replaced, they were set to the same length as the stock ones, since no lift was added other than an addition cup at the top of the springs to make up for the overload springs on the back.

Comments please!

Most lift kit fixed control arms have similar dimensions and this is a chart that is commonly used to set adjustable control arm lengths. The lowers set the wheelbase. Pinion angle is more important than caster angle when setting the uppers. The factory installed exhaust was pre-dented for clearance, once you lift and extend the bump stops, there should be no contact. Set the track bar to center the axle between the frame rails. Measure from similar points on the axle/wheel/tires to the shock chrome shafts, or to similar locations on the unibody frame rail. When the axle is centered, adjust the track bar to fit, and re-measure.

Great! Thanks so much!

Ended up with pinon within .5 degrees.

My adjustable track bar ended up being bent, i think, from hitting the diff cover over several years. No way i can re-adjust. It is frozen up even after heat, Kroil, Freeze it and cold compresses. both sides are very chewed up from pipe wrenches. Yes anti seize was used on the threads.
Ordered a replacement, two weeks out
How important is getting a dropped pitman arm?

What are the angles?

Typically for the XJ Cherokee a drop pitman arm is not necessary until lift exceeds 6-8 inches.

Tim_MN said:

Most lift kit fixed control arms have similar dimensions and this is a chart that is commonly used to set adjustable control arm lengths. The lowers set the wheelbase. Pinion angle is more important than caster angle when setting the uppers. The factory installed exhaust was pre-dented for clearance, once you lift and extend the bump stops, there should be no contact. Set the track bar to center the axle between the frame rails. Measure from similar points on the axle/wheel/tires to the shock chrome shafts, or to similar locations on the unibody frame rail. When the axle is centered, adjust the track bar to fit, and re-measure.

Click to expand...

Thank you! That chart is excellent to have. Where did you get that information?
Thanks for sharing it!

Tim_MN said:

Typically Cherokee a drop pitman arm is not necessary until lift exceeds 6-8 inches.

Click to expand...

Prior owner had dropped arm on mine, 5.5 lift, but he also had drop control arm mounts, negating the need for the dropped arm. It was dropped so much that the boot of ball joint on the arm would tear from being at such an off angle to compensate. It was tor whn I bought the XJ, my replacement tore on first trail ride, next replacement tore on next trip. then got a stock pitman arm, and bolt has lasted a half dozen trips with no signs of contact with arm!

Id set the arm up, the one you got, and see how the angle of the ball joint it in various steering positions, and axle tilt. if the ball joint goes way off center, then the arm might not be the correct length.
At any rate, the best pitman arm length is dependant on amount of lift, and evidently if the control arm mounting positions have changed is also a consideration.

I believe the guy that owned the XJ prior to yours truly had raised it 4.5 inches at first, and at that time added the dropped pitman arm, he still with the stock control arm mounts. Some time later he raised the jeep to 5.5 inches and added the dropped control arm mounts, and left the prior dropped pitman arm installed. I have been told at this point the dropped pitman arm should have been removed

I ran 3.5 of lift for a few years, including a few times to Moab, and then lifted to 5.5 inches with control arm drop brackets. I have been to Moab a few more times, and the stock pitman arm was and is fine.



.

I am close to being done. It is drivable now. The track bar was installed and the axle is off by about 1.5 inches.

Realized I need a replacement steering damper too. JKS sway bar disco's ordered. Took it down the street and was surprised how well it rode without sway bars. Not drive line vibration up to 45. Will take it out for a longer run today.

Tires will be the next item to deal with. I have BFG AT's on the 2000 WJ I can use on ZJ wheels until funding gets done. The WJ is likely to be sold off.

Last picture taken prior to finishing up.
P1030226, on Flickr

Some more pics
P1030227 on Flickr
P1030223, on Flickr
P1030222, on Flickr
P1030192, on Flickr

P1030237, on Flickr

Possible new development. When going over a bump or pothole, there is some interference noise like rubbing. It is the spring rubbing on the track bar drop bracket for the double shear track bar (Iron Rock).

There are possibly two contributors. The first is the diameter of the spring. I measured the overall diameter and they are 3/4 of an inch larger or 3/8 bigger radius. Raising just the DS of the axle makes the spring rub on the bracket.

Second is the wheelbase. it is not easy to measure. I get 101.375 on that side. close enough for 101.4 length.

Oh and BTW with the track bar not adjusted to the new height, the axle center is actually moved toward the DS. In that state, it should not be a problem.

Guess I'll call MetalCloak and ask about what they shipped

One solution is to shorten the wheel base up with the control arms.

Thoughts?

Long talk with MetalCloak. bottom line is my lowers and uppers are extened too far out. need to shorten by 1/2". Short arm suspension lifted 3-4" will not have stock wheel base. Long arm gets closer but not the same.
They start at 16 5/8" for 3.5-4" lift for lower and 15 for upper. A slight variation from the chart above..
There opinion is caster is most important and should be measured on the passenger side and be 6 degrees. Expect DS to be a little less for XJ's which are designed with cross caster angles.

So now I get to take it all apart again, make corrections and wait for the new Track bar and sway bar disco's.

Trying to decide what steering damper is a good choice. OME appears to be a modified Monroe at twice the price. Bilstiens are a bit of a challenge to id for XJ's at the same price as the OME. Given I am not going to run big tires, 13x10.5 x15 ish, I don't need duals or something extreme.

Then it is on to paint to fix the body up. Armor protection will start with rock rails then front bumper and end with the end.

LOL - 13x10.5x15 should be 31x10.5x15!

Boy did I screw thinks up! I disassembled everything and started from scratch. Set the lowers to 16.5 and the uppers to 15.
Problem solved of the spring rubbing on the drop bracket.

Caster ended up at 10 with drive line rumble. Need to go back and adjust. Thinking I will just stretch out the uppers.

This might be my last post in this thread. What I learned on my first lift install.
I am sure there are complete instructions in a complete lift kit but I did mine piece by piece.

OME rear springs, 5100 shocks, Rubber bushings for rear springs, extended bump, brake hose extension all for the rear.

I also replaced the rear axle due to some goofy behavior. Less cost then digging into and repairing, D35. The axle came out of an newer XJ with ABS. All brake hardware was replaced, including e brake cables, except backing plates. I have a 8.25 but it had the shock mounts cut off. I may have replacements welded back on and use it in the future.

The front was composed of Metalcloak springs, IRO adjustable upper, lower and track bar, JKS discos and Monroe gas stablizer.

As mentioned above, Metalcloak suggested lowers be 16 5/8 and uppers at 15. Curently the lowers are at 16.5 and uppers adjusted to yield 6* caster which yielded the correct pinion angle. This was the second adjustment due to the 15 for uppers being way off with a caster of 12* and a drive line rumble.

in the current state there are some concerns. The first is the clearance between the springs and the control arm drop bracket on the DS. The NDS clearance issues are with the upper JKS and lower JKS bushing housings. The spring will rub on the top and the bottom needs to be rubber mallet coaxed off the pin to get by the stabilizer mounting.
My next step is to move the axle back another .25 inches on the lower CAs and adjust the uppers accordingly. That will give enough clearance to validate adjustment on all potential interferences.
I am still waiting for the replacement tack bar to show up and I need to replace the bump stops on the front. I chose Daystar off amazon and had to return them because they were the wrong size as advertised. My '90 needs the smaller ones. I was curious about how hard it was going to be to pull the OEM ones out . They fell apart in my hand! Guess they couldn't survive 214K and 32 years.

The jeep sits level at 4" lift. Rides good without the sway bar but leans in the corners.

My suggestion to other newbies is to assemble everything but the springs and lower the body to the expected lift and check for clearances. Springs really make it difficult and you really don't want to mess with fighting the torque the generate when you adjust the CAs.

Since I can't edit my post, here is more:

Be careful about how from which side of the mounting the bolt goes in and the nut is placed. I just installed the stabilizer discovering that the nut needed to be on the spring side to avoid interference with the tie rod. Admittedly, moving the axle back will improve the clearance but this was past touching.

Use anti-seize on every thread that uses lock nuts or otherwise except for those you use thread lock on. This will protect and make removal in the future easier.

Instead of using a pickle fork to remove the tie rod from the pitman arm, just unscrew the steering adjuster. you will need to align the steering wheel anyway.

Picture of clearance issues:
The JKS lower on the NDS
[/url]P1030326 , on Flickr[/IMG]

Lower by the stabilizer bracket
[/url]P1030325, on Flickr[/IMG]

The DS spring and IRO drop bracket. note rub line on the bracket
[/url]P1030329, on Flickr[/IMG]

The reason for the spring interference is the use of the sway bar and the combination of the IRO drop bracket with Metalcloak spring, which has a much larger coil diameter than stock. It needs more space. It is also very long and requires really good placement of spring compressors, even with the axle at full droop without shocks, tie rod or track bar.

Old bump stop
[/url]P1030269], on Flickr[/IMG]

Chances are you do not have axle centered. As far as all the charts that give ca length's they are just general numbers to get started with, nothing is set in stone as there are way to many variables. Caster affects the way the springs bow so keep that in mind also.