I am so frustrated

[astjp2]

So I went and decided to get the back of my jeep finished for now, while I was at it, I figured it was easier to buy a pair of rancho's instead of trying to modify another shock I have laying around. I got the control arms in, put the adjustable track bar installed, got the wheelbase within 1/16", set the track bar using plumb bobs, installed the rear track bar links, and went to install shocks. I got the RS55256 and I went to put them in and I had to compress the shocks about an inch with the axle in droop. I jacked the back up to where the shock were bottomed out and checked what bumpstop extension I would need.

When the shocks were bottomed out, I would need a 5" extension...WTF? So I went to get a RS55241, and they only had 1 in stock...so I went home and started to do some measuring, with the axle at full droop, I have 24-25" of extended length, at full compression without bumpstops, I have 10.5". So what shock should I get?

I also got rear sway bar links that are too long, I will either get shorter ones or just cut the ones that i have.

I also seem to have less travel on the drivers side because of the track bar. I have a set of DDB's for the track bar but do I install a raised mount with an adjustable track bar?

I was on a roll until the shock problem...I was hoping to drive it out of the garage tonight, but not anymore until I get this shock thing figured out. Why cant it be simple? UGH searching on here is not helping, if you put track mount in the search bar, it searches each word separately...which just frustrates me even more, oh well rant off for now. Tim

 

[IPerkWVU]

Can't help on the shock question but if you search "track bar mount" including the quotations it will search for the entire term. Happy hunting....

 

[astjp2]

Can't help on the shock question but if you search "track bar mount" including the quotations it will search for the entire term. Happy hunting....

Got it.

 

[TJ2]

I was on a roll until the shock problem...I was hoping to drive it out of the garage tonight, but not anymore until I get this shock thing figured out. Why cant it be simple? UGH searching on here is not helping, if you put track mount in the search bar, it searches each word separately...which just frustrates me even more, oh well rant off for now. Tim

You're screwed, but at this point, only the wife can calm you down.

 

[astjp2]

You're screwed, but at this point, only the wife can calm you down.

She is no help...I even listened to @Jerry Bransford and went with the Rancho 5000x shocks. I am probably going to go with the 241's.

What are people using for the 10mm x 100mm rear bump stop bolt extensions?

I am inspecting an airplane this today so I wont be back to the jeep until monday. hopefully I will do some more thinking and come up with some ideas and a plan. Tim

 

[TJ2]

Believe me my friend, your priority is not in order. That is the problem, you are the problem... learned that many moons ago. You just missed my point in the first place.

 

[MaloStapalo]

Don't know if this helps but you can see my rear track bar mounting bracket from this side picture.

 

[TJ2]

Don't know if this helps but you can see my rear track bar mounting bracket from this side picture.

View attachment 90779

Wow, your rig is in mint condition.

 

[MaloStapalo]

Wow, your rig is in mint condition.

Thanks I've spent a lot of time cleaning from when I first got it and I also don't drive it in our long winter. It also hasn't been offroaded in 2019, our trails open June 22nd by my house due to animal migrations.

My metalcloak TB did have that bracket for the rear, my Currie front connects at the OEM axle and frame mounts.

 

[astjp2]

Well my wife would rather read her kindle than come near me anymore...so no screwing for me...

 

[glwood]

Don't know if this anwers any of your questions...from a recent thread comparing Rancho shocks to OME on ROF:

From what I've read the RS5000X or RS9000 shocks are the way to go. Rancho's shocks are spec'd for a 2.5" lift based on their lift system so the lengths are different and may or may not require changes to your bump stops or adding spacers to allow the shock to sit in its suite spot. The Rancho shocks for the OME coils are as follows;

RS5000X
Front - RS55239, Extended Length: 23.84", Compressed Length: 14.43", Travel: 9.41"
Rear - RS55241, Extended Length: 21.688", Compressed Length: 13.688", Travel: 8.00"

RS9000XL
Front - RS999239, Extended Length: 23.09", Compressed Length: 14.64", Travel: 8.45"
Rear - RS999241, Extended Length: 21.00", Compressed Length: 13.75", Travel: 7.25"

OME Shock Lengths
Front: Extended - 22.4 in, Compressed - 13.2 in
Rear: Extended - 22.1, Compressed - 13.03 in

 

[Gollywomper]

What happened to the fox’s?

 

[astjp2]

What happened to the fox’s?

They will go on later, I need to get this thing road worthy for now. I need to build up the dana 44's and that may take me a while to come up with the funds to get the Elockers and Spicer gears.

 

[indio]

Wow, your rig is in mint condition.

+1. Darn if only my TJ was that clean.

 

[astjp2]

Well I drove it on sunday after Getting my shock fiasco fixed, I took off the extension bracket for the lower mount and put on the RS55256’s in the back, now they fit. So now it’s work on getting the death wobble and driveshaft vibrations fixed, tires are getting rebalanced, I have a bad ball joint in the $100 Dana 30, and I will swap u-joints out on the rear shaft once I remeasure the angles for the yokes. I still need to get the frame straightened, service all of the fluids and replace the belt and ilder and tensioner before any long road trips, but it’s not a bad rig for $8k so far into an LJ.

 

[astjp2]

So I got my tires rebalanced, it helped but I still have an issue that will probably require new tires once I get a few more things figured out. I have a bad drive shaft vibration, when I set the control arms, I put the pinion .5* nose down. The axle is shifted to the drivers side so I am wondering if that side shift is adding to the vibrations or if I need to pull the shaft, throw in new ujoints since I have no idea about their condition. I didnt even disconnect the shaft when I installed the springs, track bar, and control arms. I dont want to do too much to the stock running gear because I am planning on sticking in the 44's in.

 

[AndyG]

Well I drove it on sunday after Getting my shock fiasco fixed, I took off the extension bracket for the lower mount and put on the RS55256’s in the back, now they fit. So now it’s work on getting the death wobble and driveshaft vibrations fixed, tires are getting rebalanced, I have a bad ball joint in the $100 Dana 30, and I will swap u-joints out on the rear shaft once I remeasure the angles for the yokes. I still need to get the frame straightened, service all of the fluids and replace the belt and ilder and tensioner before any long road trips, but it’s not a bad rig for $8k so far into an LJ.

View attachment 92471

It’s very sharp. Head turner.

 

[astjp2]

It’s very sharp. Head turner.

Thanks, but I didn't get any good pics of the dents and dings, the front end was trashed...rattle can to a replacement fender to get the blue close. Hood is all beat to shit, I bought it dent free and had it sitting in back of my YJ, wife took the YJ for a little drive, it got all dented up. I am going to just leave it that way I dont have to worry denting it any more. Here is a couple of before/during pics.

 

[JMT]

Salvage Jeep?

How the hell did the hood get dented up riding around in a YJ?

 

[astjp2]

Salvage Jeep?

How the hell did the hood get dented up riding around in a YJ?

I had it resting on the Warn tire carrier post with the top off, it acted like a chisel and hammer when the hood bounced around. It stretched the metal enough that I wont bother fixing it.