10A JKU Rear Lift tearing itself up
11-02-2016, 03:19 PM
#21
JK Super Freak
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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11-03-2016, 08:36 AM
#22
JK Enthusiast
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Grand Lake, OK
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Well I went for a visit to the local offroad shop and got some good information. Pretty much the same info you guys have given me plus the same advice, pull it and replace it. He made a good point, by the time I replace every piece that needs to be fixed (or should have been there in the first place) I could have just bought a replacement lift. He called this lift the "dealer special"...Lesson learned.
So on to the reason everything is banging into itself, both arms in the rear appear to have damage. Without taking them off and looking at them on the bench, its hard to say for sure but he thinks its a combination of the coil springs having settled over the past 3 years, the correct bump stops not installed and arms being bent. By the time I buy new coils, new arms, etc I essentially have a new lift.
The front is still in decent shape but (forgive me if I get this part wrong, I quit taking notes after he said I needed to scrap it) it looks like the tie rod ends of the lower control arms are bad. Along with ball joints. So it looks like its time to start researching new lifts and go from there. The "Pop" sound I was hearing under moderate braking was the control arm movement due to the bad joint. Again, couldn't verify without removing and inspecting on the bench.
His advice if I wanted to keep the lift was to replace the sway bar bushings and bent arms, realign everything and hope for the best but know its just a matter of time before the next problem. Going to have him do ball joints and realign everything just to get me through Christmas then maybe Santa will leave me something that works... Thanks for everyone's help!!
So on to the reason everything is banging into itself, both arms in the rear appear to have damage. Without taking them off and looking at them on the bench, its hard to say for sure but he thinks its a combination of the coil springs having settled over the past 3 years, the correct bump stops not installed and arms being bent. By the time I buy new coils, new arms, etc I essentially have a new lift.
The front is still in decent shape but (forgive me if I get this part wrong, I quit taking notes after he said I needed to scrap it) it looks like the tie rod ends of the lower control arms are bad. Along with ball joints. So it looks like its time to start researching new lifts and go from there. The "Pop" sound I was hearing under moderate braking was the control arm movement due to the bad joint. Again, couldn't verify without removing and inspecting on the bench.
His advice if I wanted to keep the lift was to replace the sway bar bushings and bent arms, realign everything and hope for the best but know its just a matter of time before the next problem. Going to have him do ball joints and realign everything just to get me through Christmas then maybe Santa will leave me something that works... Thanks for everyone's help!!
11-03-2016, 11:41 AM
#23
JK Enthusiast
Rough Country is practically a swear word in the enthusiast crowd and for good reason. Their kits are oversized, incomplete and dangerous for anything other than a show car. From the low quality shocks, drop pitman arms, shitty axle-side trackbar mounts and lack of angle adjustment is just all bad.
For a 35" tire you only need a 2.5" lift. If you like the large open wheel wells you can trim down your fenders. If you like having a tall Jeep, then either pay up front for the correct parts or pay down the line when things start breaking.
I'm happy that you are at least considering changing it out. I see a lot of people stick to "I've paid good money" for a $500 lift kit instead of buying a proper complete kit for the height they're trying to achieve.
For a 35" tire you only need a 2.5" lift. If you like the large open wheel wells you can trim down your fenders. If you like having a tall Jeep, then either pay up front for the correct parts or pay down the line when things start breaking.
I'm happy that you are at least considering changing it out. I see a lot of people stick to "I've paid good money" for a $500 lift kit instead of buying a proper complete kit for the height they're trying to achieve.