cody0707

If I lift my front end up and set the frame on jack stands and the axle is resting under its own weight would this be my limit on droop or would I need to flex 1 side to let the the other side droop further to find what is limiting my down travel? Anyone have a video or photos to show what I should do?

I am doing this to ensure my brake lines and drive shaft are not limiting my travel.

Biginboca

Yes if your frame is on stands and your axle is free hanging then you are at full droop. (Shocks typically limit droop in a Jk, btw.)

14Sport

My understanding is that full droop is achieved only when the opposite wheel is stuffed.

Ringer

I usually check it both ways. One stuffed, and both drooped. I have found that each tends to show different issues with where to make changes.

14Sport

Let's try an experiment.

Make a peace sign with you hand.
Now turn you hand so your fingers are parallel with the ground, inside fingers facing up.
Lay a pencil across the tips of your two extended fingers with an even amount of overhang on each side.

Your fingers represent the fully extended shock points when the axle is fully dropped by lifting the Jeep by it's body. The pencil represents your axle.

Now slowly raise you index finger upward and watch what happens to the opposite tip of the pencil.

This is because the shocks are not connected at the very end of the axle. Therefore, they act as a pivot point as you stuff the opposite wheel.

TheDirtman

If you are checking for clearances you need to do both fully drooped and one drooped and one wheel stuffed as you have to deal with axle shift due to rotation and the affect that the track bar places on the axle, pulling the axle one direction and pushing it out in the other direction when drooped/stuffed.

cody0707

Thanks all for the help. What I intend on doing is jacking the jeep up by the front axle and placing jack stands just behind the frame side control arm mounts. I will use a single floor jack close to or under the tire to articulate the axle in each direction. To keep the front tires from spinning I will put the transfer case in 4-lo. I want to check it with the tires mounted to insure I get the correct bump stop length needed as well.

I plan on disconnecting the swaybar links. Should I disconnect the shocks or anything else?
Does this sound like a good way of articulating the suspension or would you recommend another way?

I have (2) 6 ton jack stands capable of going to 23 3/4" of maximum lift
I have a 3 ton floor jack capable of going to 19 3/4"

Edit: My jeep is sitting on 35's with a OME lift using light springs and long travel shocks.

jadmt

If you can find a ramp that is 20-30* you can pretty much check everything. go both sides and also up in reverse.

Dirtman is there a situation where offroad both front tires would be drooped enough to cause more clearance issues then having one fully stuffed and the other fully drooped. I can see the latter happening often. Also is there a situation where the track bar would be closer to the differential cover then having the drivers side fully stuffed and the passenger fully drooped like this? thanks.

14Sport

I don't think your passenger front is fully drooped there. I would think it has to be suspended. Of course I can't see it to see if it is suspended.

Waiting on Dirtman.

jadmt

I figured it will not droop anymore due to bumpstops and shock length could be wrong tho. I do know both are maxed still have over an 1.5" of free travel before the coil is loose.