Trouble With Frankenlift install: RESOLVED

[8100LT]

Trying to finish my All J’s Frankenlift II install. This kit has pre-assembled front coilovers. The passenger (right) side installed relatively easy after reading and watching info offered here. Today was finishing up the driver side and I failed. Short story is the assembly is to close to the inside joint of the axle. It is tight against the joint before the bottom of the fork is seated.

This side also seems to be assembled different than the passenger side. There is a travel stop (?) that isn’t centered like the passenger side but that doesn’t seem to be the issue. The back side of the assembly seems like it is pushed against the fender well. I ended up putting the old shock back on to clear the lift at work, but only after I had spent hours trying to see why it doesn’t fit.

I plan to call All J’s when they are open again, but any tips or ideas on what I am missing?

 

[tommudd]

It happens on every Frankenlift I have installed
It will go but you have to be strong and will to work hard, only reason I DO NOT ever say buy a Frankenlift

 

[8100LT]

It happens on every Frankenlift I have installed
It will go but you have to be strong and will to work hard, only reason I DO NOT ever say buy a Frankenlift

I took Toms advice to "man up", I asked for help....
With two of us we had it done in less than 1 hour. We did have to grind off about 1/16" of the back lip of the lower shock support. That allowed us to get it past the fender well lower edge.

Anyway, Thanks Tom!

P.S. So when All J's labels a kit "Premium", they are referring to the enhanced amount of effort to install it?

 

[8100LT]

It happens on every Frankenlift I have installed
It will go but you have to be strong and will to work hard, only reason I DO NOT ever say buy a Frankenlift

I found a set of Moab 16" X 8" rims and I'm waiting on Falken Wildpeak AT3s 265/70 R16s.
The Frankenlift lifted the front more than the rear. I did the pinch weld mod, are there any other issues I should look for with the Frankenlift? Tom?

Thanks!

 

[tommudd]

I found a set of Moab 16" X 8" rims and I'm waiting on Falken Wildpeak AT3s 265/70 R16s.
The Frankenlift lifted the front more than the rear. I did the pinch weld mod, are there any other issues I should look for with the Frankenlift? Tom?

Thanks!

One of the main issues with the frankenlift is the spacer they use puts the front way higher than it should be
It will finally settle down but takes many miles and many times twisting it up to get them to finally settle down where it will end up
Then another alignment etc
Good news on the Moabs , you'll like the 265-70-16 Wildpeaks, they sit great on the Moabs

 

[8100LT]

Any issues I can avoid with the extra lift? Ready to retire and I don't think it will get many miles on it.
Sure wish I had realized the AllJ,s kit was set up that way. I was ready to order the DIY parts you recommend but the pre assembled kit seemed easier. My bad....

 

[tommudd]

Any issues I can avoid with the extra lift? Ready to retire and I don't think it will get many miles on it.
Sure wish I had realized the AllJ,s kit was set up that way. I was ready to order the DIY parts you recommend but the pre assembled kit seemed easier. My bad....

Others thought the same
Now the Frankenlift is great and the owners of ALLJs are great people
But that one drawback is the height
Some have ended up removing the spacer they use in the bottom and going from there
I actually have two of the spacers they use here were we removed that piece in two customers KJs
Tried to tell them, but ,...........................................

 

[8100LT]

Others thought the same
Now the Frankenlift is great and the owners of ALLJs are great people
But that one drawback is the height
Some have ended up removing the spacer they use in the bottom and going from there
I actually have two of the spacers they use here were we removed that piece in two customers KJs
Tried to tell them, but ,...........................................

Before an alignment the front is at 23 3/4" both sides. Rears is at 21 1/2" driver side and 22" passenger side. This is with a total of two rear upper isolation pads per side. Since I don't have a winch maybe I should tie a couple of cider blocks to the front to help it settle in.

 

[tommudd]

So you are at 4.75 inches of lift in front, way too high for many reasons
couple of cinder blocks will do nothing at all at this point
One set ( frankenlift ) I installed we got alignment close and went to Kentucky to wheel for 3 days
From Northern Ohio down and back, twisted it up good over those 3 days, the miles down and back over 700 miles I think round trip
Anyways still took over 4 months for it to finally start to come down to an acceptable height
And yes at one time he left it sit for 9 days with 11 blocks hanging off the front LOL

 

[8100LT]

So you are at 4.75 inches of lift in front, way too high for many reasons
couple of cinder blocks will do nothing at all at this point
One set ( frankenlift ) I installed we got alignment close and went to Kentucky to wheel for 3 days
From Northern Ohio down and back, twisted it up good over those 3 days, the miles down and back over 700 miles I think round trip
Anyways still took over 4 months for it to finally start to come down to an acceptable height
And yes at one time he left it sit for 9 days with 11 blocks hanging off the front LOL

How many isolators can you stack total on the rear springs, two or three?

 

[tommudd]

You can use 2 extra uppers, stock one plus two more and it will work fine almost like they made them that way

 

[8100LT]

You can use 2 extra uppers, stock one plus two more and it will work fine almost like they made them that way

Tom and others, thanks for all the help. Still wish I had went the DIY and skipped the Frankenlift kit. If I had a strut compressor at work I would have. I can't typically leave a personal vehicle on a lift on a work day and if working on the driveway at home I keep thinking of the comfort of heat, light, air tools and empty lifts!

 

[8100LT]

Tom and others, thanks for all the help. Still wish I had went the DIY and skipped the Frankenlift kit. If I had a strut compressor at work I would have. I can't typically leave a personal vehicle on a lift on a work day and if working on the driveway at home I keep thinking of the comfort of heat, light, air tools and empty lifts!

Alignment and new tires, one extra isolator on the driver rear (total of three), put about 50 miles on it and front is at 22 1/2" both sides and rear at 22 1/4" both sides. Finally starting to feel all this work was worth it!

 

[Squamish_Steffen]

Alignment and new tires, one extra isolator on the driver rear (total of three), put about 50 miles on it and front is at 22 1/2" both sides and rear at 22 1/4" both sides. Finally starting to feel all this work was worth it!

Hey, just to clarify based on your recent posts; is it your experience that the alignment brought the front from 23.75 to 22.5 with no other changes?
Thanks

 

[tommudd]

Hey, just to clarify based on your recent posts; is it your experience that the alignment brought the front from 23.75 to 22.5 with no other changes?
Thanks

After you install lift you take it right away for first alignment, most times it will bring it down 1/2 -3/4 of an inch no matter which lift you are using
Then after putting miles on it will settle come more , then you go for second alignment
alignment alone does not fully bring it down

 

[8100LT]

Hey, just to clarify based on your recent posts; is it your experience that the alignment brought the front from 23.75 to 22.5 with no other changes?
Thanks

What Tom said...
but yes sitting for a week and an alignment was all I did, except I did loosen everything and retightened with full weight on the ground. Side note: the original alignment was WAY off when I started.
I'm really loving this lift upgrade. I should have done it with Tom's list but the pre-assembled coil overs and full kit was appealing.