Ironman lift

[TwoBobsKJ]

Well I loosened everything off on the passenger side (which is one inch higher) and stood in the passenger door jamb and bounced it like a ****. Nothing. Still the same. Took it over the speed bumps in my neighbourhood and nothing. Still the same. Wish I'd left this f@cking thing stock! This is completely ******* me off. Any ideas? At this point I just want to tear it all out!!!!
$2000 in the toilet.

Alan

Whoa, 72, it's all good!

The issue isn't really with the passenger side - it will settle back to around 22.5" or so. Really, 23" isn't overly high - many KJ's end up that high right after being lifted.

The question really is why the driver's side is only 22". It's not unusual for KJ's to be "driver-side-low" bone stock and lifted both - but to have a one inch difference IS unusual. Are you sure the clevis spacer is installed on the driver's side? Did you get the half-inch spacer? If so, if it's not installed on the driver's side that would account for the 1 inch difference (remember that you gain double the height compared to the thickness of clevis spacers, top plates, etc.)

Now as to why the A-arm is hitting the spring...there should be plenty of clearance with the JBA arms. Are the top plate bolts tightened to torque? Is the upper clevis bolt tight?

I'm a bit stumped on the A-arm contact. Others have thoughts...?

Bob

 

[tommudd]

Pictures would help of front ( and rear)
If something in the rear is not right it could throw things off as well
Something somewhere either wasn't installed or didn't settle in right

 

[72specialized]

Well thanks Bob, I feel a little better now knowing they all don't sit level. I have a bit of a short fire if you didn't notice. Lol.
When I spoke with Marlin he said the better choice was the 0.5 clevis spacer which I have. It is installed on both sides as well as the top plate on both sides. When it was stock I did have 18.5 all the way around give or take a 3/16th. Should I just say F@ck it and drive it? I have new tires to go on but was waiting a bit till I got this figured out. So confused?! Lol.
Stuff like this just eats at me, drives me crazy...
The alignment is dead on too. Rides very nice. Takes a bit to get used to the cushy ride from the stock teeth chipping ride.

 

[72specialized]

I'll go out and snap a couple of pics here very shortly. I'll do all four corners.

 

[72specialized]

Next question. How do I post photos???

 

[72specialized]

Tom pm me your email address and I can send all the pics that way if you like

Alan

 

[profdlp]

You need to host the pictures somewhere like Photobucket, then use the Image icon in the toolbar on the "Reply to Thread" window.

The tags look like this (without spaces): [I M G] "link to the picture" [/ I M G]

 

[72specialized]

Ok perfect. Thank you..

 

[72specialized]

So I was just out and loosened everything of on both sides. Drove it slowly over a couple speed bumps here and still the same. The top plates are there and the 0.5 clevis spacer is there. The measurement from the bottom of the front shock spring seat (the piece that the spring sits on at the bottom of front shock) to the top of the clevis is identical on both sides.
The measurement from the bottom of the rear outside top plate bolt to the spring seat is 12" on the right and 11.5" on the left. Next time I have some time I'm going to lift the front to unload the front suspension and take that measurement again. Worst case scenario is I remove the two front shock systems and measure them against each other to see if they are the same length. Only damn thing I can think of to explain this? Ideas??

 

[72specialized]

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rear passenger

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Y link side view

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passenger rear

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drivers rear

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Y link frontal view

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drivers rear

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passenger front (little fuzzy)

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drivers top plate

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passenger top plate

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drivers front

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passenger clevis

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drivers clevis

 

[Hedsic]

I'm not mechanicaly sound enough to tell from the pictures if there are any issues so I'll leave that to the more experienced guys.

One idea (sorry if it's already been mentioned. I didn't read through everything)

If one side is an inch higher you could just remove the .5" clevis spacer on that side to even it out. I do know it's common to sometimes have a side higher/lower and you can usualy mess with the clevis spacers to even it out as the easiest method. I know an inch difference is kind of huge but I dont see why you couldn't just remove it from the higher side to even it out to match the other side. It's pretty simple to add/remove the spacers but you will need a new allignment.

 

[tommudd]

This has me scratching things i don't usually scratch.............
But everything looks good, nothing seems to be missing.
I'd drive it for a while and see if anything happens, keep checking the heights all around.
The .500 is the way to go on the Ironman I told Marlin we weren't getting the full height like with the OMEs so advised him to tell everyone which ones to use.
Doesn't make any sense at all. Springs look the same and if they measure the same its a :secret:

 

[Luke]

All good advice.... I have a (clevis) spacer on the drvr side only to make up a 1/4 to 1/2 inch difference.

Keep those old tires on and put the front end through it's paces offroad. It will most likely settle closer to 1/2" difference pass/drvr... adjust with spacers... then get your (2nd) alignment and rock your new treads.

oh and Wooosaaaah....

 

[profdlp]

...oh and Wooosaaaah....

Is that one of your fancy Canadian cuss words?

 

[Luke]

heh heh

Woosah - YouTube

 

[profdlp]

I'm even more confused than I was before. :icon_confused:

 

[72specialized]

Woosah!! Awesome. Thanks so much for all the great help here guys. This site is amazing and everyone on it! I belong to another site with my car and there are some great people there too but nothing like KJ owners.

Actually Tom, the passenger side spring measures 12" from the bottom of the top plate to the plate that the spring sits on at the bottom. The drivers side measures 11.5" the space from the bottom of the spring plate to the top of the clevis is identical on both sides. The difference in the spring length explains why I'm out an inch but why would the springs be different lengths? Hmmm?
I emailed Marlin today to see if they had any clues and he asked me for pics and the spring measurement on both sides. Waiting to hear back from him.

 

[tommudd]

Woosah!! Awesome. Thanks so much for all the great help here guys. This site is amazing and everyone on it! I belong to another site with my car and there are some great people there too but nothing like KJ owners.

Actually Tom, the passenger side spring measures 12" from the bottom of the top plate to the plate that the spring sits on at the bottom. The drivers side measures 11.5" the space from the bottom of the spring plate to the top of the clevis is identical on both sides. The difference in the spring length explains why I'm out an inch but why would the springs be different lengths? Hmmm?
I emailed Marlin today to see if they had any clues and he asked me for pics and the spring measurement on both sides. Waiting to hear back from him.

You need a new set of springs then, something is wrong there

 

[72specialized]

You need a new set of springs then, something is wrong there

That would do it. Thank you. I wonder if that is what Marlin is doing?

 

[Luke]

I'm even more confused than I was before. :icon_confused:

There's just no helpin' some people