new to the lifted world.... help please

4X4_NEWB

Active Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Location
Greenville
hey guys, i bought this 96 jeep from a guy off here. everythings been fine with it. loving it. just one thing concerning me right now. we went out playing last night and when i got up this morning, i was looking at the outcome of last night. everything drove fine on the way home and while playing but this one thing has me concerned. the front spring on the drivers side seems to be sitting funny. i got under the jeep and everything seems to be in place, from what i can tell. any help will be appreciated. heres pics of the jeep and both front springs....

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_100_1914.jpg

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_100_1916.jpg

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_100_1918.jpg

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_100_1917.jpg
 
How about pics of the lower spring mount (on the axle) and the lower control arm mount at the body.
 
Yep, last pic looks OK, first 3 look like something has slipped, moved. Is the keeper clip still in place on the bottom where the spring sits on the axle? Looks like something might be wrong on the axle end of the spring.
 
here's some pics i took. any help? the keeper on the passenger side is missing, but it seems to be sitting in place where it should be. anything else i need to look for?
ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_GetAttachmentaspx3.jpg

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_GetAttachmentaspx2.jpg

ai83.photobucket.com_albums_j290_jdm_ef9_sir_jeep_GetAttachmentaspx.jpg
 
It looks like since the keeper is missing it let the spring rotate on its seats and now the end of the coil wire is sitting up higher on the seat on the axle. Theres a place in the spring seat on the axle for the end of the coil wire to set into. Check and see if it's there. If not then thats most likley your problem. It's causing the coil to compress and bow out. I hope that all made sense.
 
I see you have Rustys arms on it too. Do you know if the coils are Rustys. I had Rustys coils on my old XJ buggy and after beating the crap out of it for a few months they sat like that permanently. Their coils are crap. My 4.5" coils settled out to about 2" in less than 6 months.
 
it does, ill take it with me to work sometime this week and put it on the lift. will it be dangerous to drive? guess ill have to find another keeper and find a way to get it back in where it belongs. thanks yall
 
Looks like the spring perch on the axle rotated? Or the spring is just damaged at the top coil? Compare both to the other side.
 
im unsure what coils are on it, supposed to be a rustys 5.5 lift. i got the jeep from a guy off here a few weeks back.
what coils should i go back with?
how could the spring perch on the axle rotate? just asking, like i said im new to this.
 
4X4_NEWB said:
im unsure what coils are on it, supposed to be a rustys 5.5 lift. i got the jeep from a guy off here a few weeks back.
what coils should i go back with?
how could the spring perch on the axle rotate? just asking, like i said im new to this.
Click to expand...

In order for the perch to rotate it would have to break the welds from the axle.

Is the other spring like the one pictured or is this side the only one like this.

I would check the bushing in the upper and lower control arms, If you torn one up it could be letting the axle rotate around put the spring in an odd angle.
 
k, ill check that too. the other side doesnt appear to be sitting like this side. ill take it to work this week and check everything out in the front.
 
Spin the spring 180 deg first. Also, check the lower control arm, it has prob moved which causes the axle to rotate. This will happen when you beat it too hard. I hate to see that xj tore up like that. I wanted to buy it about a week after you did.
 
ill check all of the above and rotate the spring. i dont understand how it could of happened. i havent done any harsh playing or beat on it hard, all ive done is replace a couple things here and there, change fluids and put it in a couple of mud holes. the mud on it now is from a housing development that has a new road being put in it. all we did was drive thru it last night. like i said im new to this so ive been trying to be careful. trust me in no way shape or form am i trying to destroy this jeep. love it too much.
 
If you have access to an angle finder check the caster on both knuckles. If there is a problem with one of the pass side control arms letting the axle roll forward it could do this. Are both side spring plates at the same angle on the axle tube? they won't be if the axle has rolled forward on one side. If the keeper is missing the spring may have rotated on the spring plate. That would be what I would check first.
 
I looked at your pictures. The two holes behind the spring on the axle is where your spring keeper sits. One beside the spring is for the screw and the one away is for the tab pin.

I would take sway-bar off on one side, then flex it out, Then spin the spring till its back in place.. the end of the spring should sit in the mount.

If that makes any sense. ( lost me for a mine while typing )

if that dosnt work something else is wrong.

Hope that helps
 
hey guys, i checked the jeep today on my lunch break, he spring is actually still sitting where it should. the last coil is down in the groove. the control arms are tight and still in place, no torn bushings. i dont know whats going on unless the spring is starting to sag. if so how do i go about ordering new springs? how do i measure these to order new ones and whats a good spring to go back with? any other ideas would be great.
 
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