Daystar lift and upper control arm contact problems,

[ChristianKline]

Ok guys I know that the daystar lift isn't the best choice for a lift, nevertheless I have it, and my upper control arms hit the coils when jacked up, I tried to lift the Clevis slightly I could probably get an inch out of my Clevis, usually you put spacers in there but mine the shock mount sticks about a half inch down out of the bottom of the Clevis, it's negative... And when I try to space it out a little the bottom control arm doesn't want to go any further, is this normal? I have heard of guys who have Kj's that aren't pre lowered and I wonder if that's it, it's an 02 I just want to get a little more height out of the front and I'm running out of ideas,

 

[ChristianKline]

Here is the Clevis

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Well, we're trying to cure a beheading with a Band-Aid, but here goes...

If your upper control arms are hitting the coils you DON'T want to increase the height any more - the arms will hit the coils even worse. The problem is you're too high now and that's why the arms are hitting. That bloody spacer at the bottom of the coil has everything screwed up.

Notice the gap between the coils on your springs - basically they're sitting on top of each other. Every time you hit a bump or dip in the road the coils are hitting each other because, A) the spacer is inside the shock so they are compressed artificially, and B) the factory coils are crap to begin with and now they're shot.

Here's what the coils SHOULD look like:

You must be registered for see images

Don't attempt to space the clevis as that will only make the a-arm contact on the spring worse. Save up your money and do a complete spring lift and fix it the right way.

I know this sounds harsh but the short term "WOW" factor from the spacer lift only leads to long term agony. I'm just trying to help you with your Jeep.

As I told my oldest, "Son give me the benefit of the doubt. I've been 17 before, but you've never been 45."

Bob

 

[Cardhu]

(yeahthat)

 

[TheBlueKJ]

Well, we're trying to cure a beheading with a Band-Aid, but here goes...

If your upper control arms are hitting the coils you DON'T want to increase the height any more - the arms will hit the coils even worse. The problem is you're too high now and that's why the arms are hitting. That bloody spacer at the bottom of the coil has everything screwed up.

Notice the gap between the coils on your springs - basically they're sitting on top of each other. Every time you hit a bump or dip in the road the coils are hitting each other because, A) the spacer is inside the shock so they are compressed artificially, and B) the factory coils are crap to begin with and now they're shot.

Here's what the coils SHOULD look like:

You must be registered for see images

Don't attempt to space the clevis as that will only make the a-arm contact on the spring worse. Save up your money and do a complete spring lift and fix it the right way.

I know this sounds harsh but the short term "WOW" factor from the spacer lift only leads to long term agony. I'm just trying to help you with your Jeep.

As I told my oldest, "Son give me the benefit of the doubt. I've been 17 before, but you've never been 45."

Bob

How're your stock uca's with all those extras youve got?

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

How're your stock uca's with all those extras youve got?

Well, let's say I'm pushing it :icon_wink:

I get contact occasionally on off-camber trails and such but they're hanging in there. The ball joint angle is kinda severe(!) but no failures...yet. I figure if TomMudd ran with stock a-arms for 50,000 lifted miles I should be OK for a while - about 17,000 miles on my lift now.

The JBA arms would've been on by now but an engine replacement kinda sucked the "Liberty Upgrade Fund" bone dry :icon_mad:

Bob

 

[tommudd]

Several things here
Bob pretty much summed it up
BUT
You do know your spacers are in backwards, right? That part that is back near the frame is suppose to be out so it hits the UCAs, who ever installed them for you didn't know what they were doing
Also if you raised the shock up an inch it would actually give you two inches of lift, WAY too much
And yes your springs are "stacking" meaning they are riding on top of each other.
Time to do it right and be done

I can tell looking at the angle of the CVs that you're back down to an inch or so of lift over new stock height. anything you do now to gain more height is just going to work against you