Sequence of correcting a crap lift

[SuperTramp]

So 3 weeks ago my 24 JLUR was stolen out of my driveway and taken to Mexico for the cartel to run drugs around the jungle.



I bought an 05 LJ Rubicon to replace it. Interior, exterior, motor and trans (manual) seem to be in very good shape. It’s got 61,000 on the odometer, though I have a suspicion it’s got a lot of flat tow miles as well. This is my rig to get to my cabin, do some moderate rock crawling and in the winter goes on snow tracks to get me to said cabin. I do trailer it occasionally, mainly when it’s on the snow tracks.



It has 35” tires with a crappy 4” lift consisting of skyjacker lower control arms front and back, skyjacker springs, 1.5” transfer case drop, dropped pitman arm, relocated front and rear trac bar mounts. It had Rancho 9000 shocks that were the wrong length, designed for a 2.5” lift and only had 1/2” of down travel. Front axle was off-center almost an inch. Front and rear driveshafts are factory. It rubs pretty bad on the front lower control arms.



This weekend I did some maintenance/upgrades:

Spicer ball joints

Timkin unit bearings

Spicer front axle u-joints

Currie Currectlynk steering

Rock jock front track bar (centered axle)

New, correct length, Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks all the way around with Currie’s rear shock relocation brackets



I aligned it and it seems to drive almost perfectly. The only exception is that the Rancho steering damper subdues the return to center, I think it’s too stiff. Road tested with and without it, big difference, without the damper it returns perfectly.



I have a growing list of things I’d like to do to it, with the following main goals:

Maximize ground clearance, specifically in the t-case region

Stop rubbing on control arms and hopefully run bead locks.

Upgrade steering eventually to hydro assist for the snow tracks (tracks are 5ft long and 16” wide, really hard to steer)

Have a solid, reliable lift to run 37s. Keep D44s to start and upgrade when they break.



My list of upgrades will occur as money/wife allow. Next plan is to do the 1” motor mount lift and 1.25” body lift. My question is will this allow me to remove the t-case drop? Keep in mind I have the factory rear driveshaft and non-adjustable control arms. Next two items will be adjustable control arms and double cardan rear driveshaft. I’m assuming I can’t order the rear driveshaft until I set the rear piñon angle properly.

 

[bbaldwin237]

Nice TJ. Can't wait to see it on the tracks!

 

[macleanflood]

I think the body lift and MML will work.

I removed mine after installing a SYE.

Really all vibration dependent.

I bought mine with a crappy Procomp lift. I too did Correctlync steering and front track bar. Regeared to 4.88 should have done 5.13. Then I did the rear track bar. SYE and rear shaft. Cheap rear adjustable control arms to fix rear pinion angle and eventually replaced them all with Savvy double adjustable. Front shaft.

Eventually replaced the springs. Went from 33s to 35s. Tummy tuck. BMB big brake kit. Outboard rear shocks.

-Mac

 

[SuperTramp]

Brakes was something on the back of my mind too.

Is yours a manual or auto? Been debating 4:88 or 5:13s I had 4:88 on my last TJ with 35’s, but then went to 33’s, I liked it better on 33’s.

 

[Strizzo]

I’m in the process of getting rid of the last of my skyjacker parts. Only piece left is the springs, which I don’t have anything bad to say about. The arms I got were the JJ on one end and solid rubber on the other. They had the axle so bound up I couldn’t move it side to side without the track bar attached.

 

[SuperTramp]

I think my main question at this point, with the following sequence, is at what point can I order the new rear driveshaft:
1 MM & Body Lift
2 T-case shift linkage
3 Adjustable control arms
4 Remove 1.5” T-case drop
5 Savy T-case skid plate

 

[bbaldwin237]

I think my main question at this point, with the following sequence, is at what point can I order the new rear driveshaft:
1 MM & Body Lift
2 T-case shift linkage
3 Adjustable control arms
4 Remove 1.5” T-case drop
5 Savy T-case skid plate

You will need the SYE and new double cardan driveshaft before removing the t-case drop.

I would say:
T-case shift cable
Adjustable CA
SYE & DCDS
Remove TC drop (once SYE is installed)
MM & BL
Skid

If you do the BL before the SYE, you have to leave the t-case drop. That's going to give you a large gap between the body and bottom of the skid. So by moving that up, you're prepared to make your adjustments as other things are added.

Edit: corrected below, completely missed that it's a Rubicon

 

[TheBoogieman]

You will need the SYE and new double cardan driveshaft before removing the t-case drop.

I would say:
T-case shift cable
Adjustable CA
SYE & DCDS
Remove TC drop (once SYE is installed)
MM & BL
Skid

If you do the BL before the SYE, you have to leave the t-case drop. That's going to give you a large gap between the body and bottom of the skid. So by moving that up, you're prepared to make your adjustments as other things are added.

It's a Rubicon. No SY to E.

 

[SuperTramp]

Will removing tcase drop, and installing the Savy skid affect the length of the DS enough that I can’t order it beforehand?

 

[bbaldwin237]

It's a Rubicon. No SY to E.

I went back up and read through again to see if he already had the SYE and just completely ignored the fact it was a Rubicon.

 

[bbaldwin237]

Will removing tcase drop, and installing the Savy skid affect the length of the DS enough that I can’t order it beforehand?

Yes, it will. You could probably talk to Adam's or Tom Woods about your plans and they can maybe help you get a good number. But measuring it post changes will be the best. Another thing you could do is jack up the drivetrain to the approximate location of where the skid will put it and measure. That should have you really dang close and you'll have enough slip in the DS to account for it.

 

[Rickyd]

You'll want a stock pitman arm to go with the rockjock track bar.

Rock jock control arms will be needed before installing a double cardan rear shaft. But since you want a savvy skid(and it's supporting mods) You'll want to do that prior as well.

To avoid down time you can do as suggested and raise the output to where it will be and get a driveshaft coming before you tear it down. Not that it takes woods long to get one to you if you are worried about guessing.

 

[Strizzo]

I think my main question at this point, with the following sequence, is at what point can I order the new rear driveshaft:
1 MM & Body Lift
2 T-case shift linkage
3 Adjustable control arms
4 Remove 1.5” T-case drop
5 Savy T-case skid plate

You will need adjustable upper arms in the rear for your new DC driveshaft, and will probably also need an angled track bar bracket and/or an aftermarket rear track bar. Reason being is that you are going to have to rotate the rear axle backwards to make the pinion yoke line up with the driveshaft. this will likely have your track bar running into the gas tank skid.

You'll want to do the MML and remove the tcase drop before you do the rear arms, because then you can measure for the driveshaft before ordering. I'm not familiar enough with the savvy tcase skid, but if it moves the transfer case, you'll want to have that done before ordering the driveshaft as well.

 

[Ashim]

Why not do everything except the driveshaft? Remove the rear driveshaft, get the proper measurement and get a driveshaft ordered. It won't take long to get. In the interim just drive in 4H as a front wheel drive.

 

[SuperTramp]

You'll want a stock pitman arm to go with the rockjock track bar.

Rock jock control arms will be needed before installing a double cardan rear shaft. But since you want a savvy skid(and it's supporting mods) You'll want to do that prior as well.

To avoid down time you can do as suggested and raise the output to where it will be and get a driveshaft coming before you tear it down. Not that it takes woods long to get one to you if you are worried about guessing.

I forgot to mention, I did install a stock Mopar pitman arm. It's not my DD so if it's down for a week it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[DevilDogDoc]

Drive out to Blaine's house, give him the keys, and let him do what he does. That's how you get it all done up. Not the cheapest way but how I would do it if the budget allows. You're not that far....

 

[06TJ35's]

Was it stolen in Los Angeles?

 

[GregBelleville]

Is a transfer case drop even necessary for a 4" lift on an LJ? I thought it was just the shorter wheelbase TJ's that required the TC drop.

 

[SuperTramp]

Was it stolen in Los Angeles?

Yes.

 

[SuperTramp]

Drive out to Blaine's house, give him the keys, and let him do what he does. That's how you get it all done up. Not the cheapest way but how I would do it if the budget allows. You're not that far....

I think Blaine has chimed in on a couple of my posts and has been very helpful. But to be honest I enjoy working on it myself. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t replace the JL with another JL.