A Story of Indecision and Frivolous Spending

[jjvw]

Going to be outboarding the rear shocks and relocating the upper spring perch brackets using the GenRight parts.

I realize I'm going to have to get new springs for the rear after relocating the spring perches, only because it's going to lift the vehicle even more so in the rear. With 4" springs currently, I'm thinking I'll likely need some 2" OME springs for the rear, since even as my TJ sits now, the rear is a good 1" higher as it is, and that's with stock spring perches.

Thoughts on this?

As for the outboarded rear shocks, I'm not sure if Rancho makes a RS5000X that will fit. What rear shocks are you using with your outboard setup @jjvw?

I have Fox 2.0 RR with 12" travel. If you do this, you want to put in the most travel that you can fit. And whatever shock you use for this will be the one you want to live with for a long time. The ultimate goal is to build in as much up travel as you can by reducing the amount of bump stop extension required for the compressed shocks, along with anything else that is in the way.

You can move the rear spring seats without changing the ride height. In fact. I lost over an inch after trimming the uppers to fit tighter to the frame and also flattening the lowers. This is one reason why I can run the longer Currie LJ springs.

Run the longest spring that gives you your desired ride height. Match the shock travel to the spring travel between full bump and the spring's free length.

Then there is the Rubicon problem. Pay very close attention to the rear driveshaft at droop. With short arms, it will bind sooner than other TJs. Either limit the down travel of the shocks, or run a center limiting strap above the diff to allow for more flex.

I used the Poly Performance towers and copied how Blaine does it.

 

[Mike_H]

Why do you want to outboard the shocks, Chris? Like really? I mean, its cool and all, more power to you, but I just look at how you're building that thing and comparing to how you use it, and I don't get it. Fun to live vicariously through you and @Starrs though!

 

[Alex01]

It appears you have enticed @Starrs into the 35" tire club...

The 35 club is a fun place to be. We still have more room for membership.

 

[Chris]

I have Fox 2.0 RR with 12" travel. If you do this, you want to put in the most travel that you can fit. And whatever shock you use for this will be the one you want to live with for a long time. The ultimate goal is to build in as much up travel as you can by reducing the amount of bump stop extension required for the compressed shocks, along with anything else that is in the way.

You can move the rear spring seats without changing the ride height. In fact. I lost over an inch after trimming the uppers to fit tighter to the frame and also flattening the lowers. This is one reason why I can run the longer Currie LJ springs.

Run the longest spring that gives you your desired ride height. Match the shock travel to the spring travel between full bump and the spring's free length.

Then there is the Rubicon problem. Pay very close attention to the rear driveshaft at droop. With short arms, it will bind sooner than other TJs. Either limit the down travel of the shocks, or run a center limiting strap above the diff to allow for more flex.

I used the Poly Performance towers and copied how Blaine does it.

Do you have any photos of your rear spring perches? I'd like to see how you built them into the frame in a way that wouldn't require you to use a shorter rear spring. That definitely seems like the way to do it.

Thanks for all this info, this gives me a lot of things to consider.

Why do you want to outboard the shocks, Chris? Like really? I mean, its cool and all, more power to you, but I just look at how you're building that thing and comparing to how you use it, and I don't get it. Fun to live vicariously through you and @Starrs though!

My rear shocks are currently using lower shock mount extensions since they hit the bottom rear spring perch otherwise. So, my thought was that since I need to correct the rear upper spring perch brackets (so my springs aren't bowed), maybe at the same time it would be a decent idea to outboard the rear shocks, as that would get rid of those lower shock mount extension brackets and move the shocks to a position where they wouldn't require them.

I'm way overbuilding, I know that. Part of me is doing it just because I can. The other part of me is doing it because I realize one day when our kids are much older, I'll have a lot more time on my hands to go places with the Jeep and do things I want to do!

 

[jjvw]

Do you have any photos of your rear spring perches? I'd like to see how you built them into the frame in a way that wouldn't require you to use a shorter rear spring. That definitely seems like the way to do it.

Thanks for all this info, this gives me a lot of things to consider.

...

Things are a little different with mine since I don't have a rear track bar. And the tower placement is a bit more vertical because of the mid arms.

 

[Chris]

Things are a little different with mine since I don't have a rear track bar. And the tower placement is a bit more vertical because of the mid arms.

View attachment 49347View attachment 49348View attachment 49349

Looks good! I'm torn on what to do. Right now I'm using the lower rear shock extension brackets to keep them from hitting the lower spring perch. I feel like outboarding the shocks would be a good solution to fixing that altogether. Of course maybe I'm just opening up a big can of worms... but I suppose that's part of the fun of owning a TJ!

One things for sure, it looks like you've got plenty of travel in the rear!

 

[Mike_H]

I can see that! Your outboard shock mounts are position to the front as oppose to the rear like most of them that I see. I'm assuming this is because the bottom of the shock doesn't have room to mount on that side of the axle due to the 4-link rear?

One things for sure, it looks like you've got plenty of travel in the rear!

His shocks go to the rear....

 

[Chris]

His shocks go to the rear....

I just realized I was looking at it wrong. For some reason I thought that was the drivers side. I just woke up... my brain is still foggy :risas3:

 

[jjvw]

I can see that! Your outboard shock mounts are position to the front as oppose to the rear like most of them that I see. I'm assuming this is because the bottom of the shock doesn't have room to mount on that side of the axle due to the 4-link rear?

One things for sure, it looks like you've got plenty of travel in the rear!

All I did was try to position the shock at 90° to the lower control arm at the mid point of the suspension travel (very close to ride height). That's just where it landed. I did have to dent the wheel well in a bit to keep the tower from contacting the body. The lowers are same spot as everyone elses.

 

[Serbonze]

Looks good! I'm torn on what to do. Right now I'm using the lower rear shock extension brackets to keep them from hitting the lower spring perch.

A much cheaper, easier, and quicker alternative would be to trim the lower perches.

 

[jjvw]

A much cheaper, easier, and quicker alternative would be to trim the lower perches.

I've read that JK axles are a fix for bowed springs.

 

[Chris]

A much cheaper, easier, and quicker alternative would be to trim the lower perches.

I actually thought about doing this, but the problem is, even if I trim them, it looks like the shock will still contact the spring itself!

I've read that JK axles are a fix for bowed springs.

Might at well, right?

 

[Serbonze]

I've read that JK axles are a fix for bowed springs.

 

[Chris]

FYI, the reason I can't just trim my lower spring perches like most would do is because of the tummy tuck. With the tummy tuck, my rear axle is angled up about as far as it possibly can. The tummy tuck makes it act as if I have 7-8" of lift, so my pinion is rotated so far up, and thus my lower spring perches are angled so far back, that even if I trim them, the spring itself will contact the rear shock believe it or not!

Ahhh, the side effects of a tummy tuck that most people forget to think about (I know I did).

 

[Serbonze]

Flip the shocks? Jerry says that he did that to his and has been running it for years.

 

[Alex01]

So what is the advantage to out-boarding? Is it purely rear axle articulation?

 

[Chris]

Flip the shocks? Jerry says that he did that to his and has been running it for years.

Doesn't work with the Ranchos. They're basically the same size on both ends unfortunately. On the Fox shocks that would work!

 

[Chris]

So what is the advantage to out-boarding? Is it purely rear axle articulation?

You can run longer shocks (more travel), and it positions the shocks so that they are no longer hanging below the axle (easier to get them caught on stuff).

 

[jjvw]

You can run longer shocks (more travel), and it positions the shocks so that they are no longer hanging below the axle (easier to get them caught on stuff).

Also, the shocks are placed at a wider stance which gives them more leverage against body roll.

 

[Chris]

Also, the shocks are placed at a wider stance which gives them more leverage against body roll.

Yes, that's one I forgot as well.

I ordered the parts to do it. I'm going to do the cutting and grinding myself and I'll have my neighbor do the welding. Hopefully I can position the relocation brackets like you did so that I can re-use my 4" rear springs currently on there.

That damn tummy tuck has the driveline acting like it has 7-8" of lift!