front Spring And Shock Bracket angle

what is the correct angle that new front shock and spring brackets should be on the axle? I have a 99 with 4.5 lift, with aftermarket brackets. not sure the angle they are attached to axle is correct and can not find that info .

if axle is out and using angle finder on flat spot next to diff, if I have it at 180 deg, would the brackets be 90deg?

Short control arms with drop brackets, or long control arms ?

The coil spring plates should be about parallel to the ground, with the axle under the Jeep in the chosen location, or slightly tilted so the coil springs do not bow out in the middle.

Tim_MN said:

Short control arms with drop brackets, or long control arms ?

The coil spring plates should be about parallel to the ground, with the axle under the Jeep in the chosen location, or slightly tilted so the coil springs do not bow out in the middle.

Click to expand...

Yes, short control arms with drop brackets, and the coils are bowing. they are aftermarket spring and shock brackets and im thinking they may have had too much angle on them. hoping to find what the correct angle is

Are you short arms adjustable? Would that help correct your issue? At least improve it maybe.

I am currently dealing with a similar issue but its a bit more advanced with new upper coil mounts with air bumps etc. I am guessing and checking the angles for the coil mounts before I burn it all in. The first time i did this i messed up my angles and coils have always been bowed funky.

I have no idea what the correct factory angle should be. I could benefit from this info if you figure it out.

kcox506 said:

Are you short arms adjustable? Would that help correct your issue? At least improve it maybe.

I am currently dealing with a similar issue but its a bit more advanced with new upper coil mounts with air bumps etc. I am guessing and checking the angles for the coil mounts before I burn it all in. The first time i did this i messed up my angles and coils have always been bowed funky.

I have no idea what the correct factory angle should be. I could benefit from this info if you figure it out.

Click to expand...

hopefully i can find out that info. it has fixed lca with a drop bracket

There is no # for what your asking, people use the wheelbase and caster to fix that. It sounds like your going to need some adjustable ca's!

RCP Phx said:

There is no # for what your asking, people use the wheelbase and caster to fix that. It sounds like your going to need some adjustable ca's!

Click to expand...

just looking for the factory specs on that , has to be something out there to make sure the aftermarkets are close.
def will need adjustable control arms.
t

rackmaster said:

just looking for the factory specs on that

Click to expand...

I have 3 XJ's in the driveway, a stocker, one with 3" lift, and one with 5.5" lift, short arms, and CA drop brackets.

The coil spring pads on all three are approximately parallel to the ground. Excessively bowed coil springs can be caused by control arms that are too long, or too short. A slightly bowed coil spring is not really a problem if it doesn't contact anything.

rackmaster said:

what is the correct angle that new front shock and spring brackets should be on the axle? I have a 99 with 4.5 lift, with aftermarket brackets. not sure the angle they are attached to axle is correct and can not find that info .

if axle is out and using angle finder on flat spot next to diff, if I have it at 180 deg, would the brackets be 90deg?

Click to expand...

Did you install shock and spring brackets? Or is it still the factory hardware? If its factory I would assume correct and that any issue is due to the lift installed not having CA length dialed in properly.

About the closest I've seen to what you're looking for is the instructions for welding on the TNT truss to ensure the coil buckets and UCA's are at the correct angle:

Place an angle finder on top of the upper ball joint and set the axle at 5 degrees positive caster (axle will
rotate clockwise). Then, place the truss on the axle at zero degrees

I agree with rcp.

You need to tune it with the propper castor and even shock bracket placement.

Take springs out tack brackets yes both then with shock installed run axle through its range of moment in every way you can think of
Check for shock shaft bending bushingings tweaking running out of missalgment.
I day both because what works on one side may not work on the other. The track bar pulls and pushed the axle creating different clearance issues. I found this out the hard way.

Control arm arc, track bar arc, drag link arc
Shock arc.

The 4 arcs have to All work together

My upper is 90 deg to the control arm arc path the lower is turned alittle from 90 not sure wich way. Shacks are leaning towards the motor 5deg and leaning 5deg towars frame side control arm brackets.

In extreme articulating the shock is sitting nearly vertical because its pulled towards the frame and into the control arms arc path.

With control arms horizontal or close the shock will stand straight on compression to because its centerd on the arc path.

On a short arm lifted jeep the control arms near the bottom of the arc path at ride height so shock is pushed in a wierd arc.

Shock valving Accounts for shock location in the arc path

But I think you have CAD brackets that helo putt it closer to center.

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kcox506 said:

Are you short arms adjustable? Would that help correct your issue? At least improve it maybe.

I am currently dealing with a similar issue but its a bit more advanced with new upper coil mounts with air bumps etc. I am guessing and checking the angles for the coil mounts before I burn it all in. The first time i did this i messed up my angles and coils have always been bowed funky.

I have no idea what the correct factory angle should be. I could benefit from this info if you figure it out.

Click to expand...

Ive checked a stock 2000 xj and also found some install instructions online I will attached, both are 10 deg back , If diff is 180 deg, the bracket is 100 deg
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0616/3752/5720/files/Jeep-TJ-LJ-MJ-XJ-and-ZJ-_Installation-Instructions.pdf?v=1652363513

RCP Phx said:

There is no # for what your asking, people use the wheelbase and caster to fix that. It sounds like your going to need some adjustable ca's!

Click to expand...

Ive been emailing the manuf of the aftermarket brackets that are on the unit. they have recommended doing away with the lca drop brackets and use the fixed 16 1/4 LCA or getting some adjustable uppers. to correct shock bow.

but i did measure a stock unit with a new digital angle finder that came in yesterday, and they are at 100 deg compared to a 180 diff, and I found some instructions online that recommened the same.

mine are at 90deg, i know it would be a pain in the axle to have to cut these off and replace them and move them 10 deg, but that may be necessary,
what do you think?https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0616/3752/5720/files/Jeep-TJ-LJ-MJ-XJ-and-ZJ-_Installation-Instructions.pdf?v=1652363513

What is shock bow ?

At 4.5" of lift, not having control arm drop brackets severly restricts the axle articulation, and makes the pavement ride dumptruck rough.

Will a set of adjustable control arms allow some movement toward the 10°, and maintain adequate pinion and and caster ? Does 10° really matter ?

the coils are bowed out toward the front way more than necessary. and rubbing both the sway bar and track bar bracket. having adjustable control arms would help, but to get coils vertical would cause pinion outpoint to point toward ground.
it has drop brackets on it

Yes the 10deg matters. This is putting the coils in proper aligment with upper spring bucket.

Id tack it at 10 put the entire front end together with castor set correctly then visually see that it looks good.

Usually when something looks like shit it is shit

If you burn it with out a test fit its garunteed to be wrong.

This ensures you read the directions correctly and allows for mistakes and cut corners to be corrected

The directions may also become clear being able to see it together.

Your realy building this thing, right on.

10deg off cover mounting surface



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I agree, it got to be right,

I had a good talk with Rusty at Rustys offroad yesterday, very helpful guy.

He looked at all the photos and angles and what he suggested is .
Remove the drop kit , the control arms I have 161/4 will rotate it back , take it to a good alignment shop which i have here. ( and they know how to do lifts)

he believes there is a good chance that I wont have to replace the shock/coil brackets.

but, if that dont work, thats what will happen.

10deg angle off diff will happen