Fan Hitting Shroud. Motor Mount Lift Needed?

josephbelttj

josephbelttj

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I recently had a 3” body lift removed from my TJ. It was replaced with a 1” Currie body lift and a +2” springs/shocks. The first immediate problem was the fan impacting the top of the shroud. I was able to oval the holes as a temporary fix, but the clearance is way too close and I still occasionally get some noise. Raising the shroud higher doesn’t seem possible because it impacts to top coolant hose.

All my reading suggests a motor mount lift, but I’m not sure raising the engine would help the situation. In fact, if the body is 1” higher than usual, I’m not sure why the fan is impacting the TOP of the fan shroud. Logically, I’d think it would be impacting the bottom.

Anyone have a good idea where to look to figure out what is going on?

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I had to go over this in my head first

So you replaced a 3 inch body lift with a 1 inch correct? So you have a 2 inches that you need to account for. What do you have for bushing and spacers under the grill?
 
Sounds like the radiator and/or shroud was lowered for the 3” and now it’s too low with the 1”. A MML will only make the problem worse. Take photos of the radiator mounting and fan shroud mounting. You will either want a MML or the shroud/radiator lowered 1” from stock. A 1” MML isn’t perfect because it lifts the middle of the engine 1”, which lifts the fan more like 1.25-1.5” or so. But it usually works out fine.

So if you put the radiator/shroud back to stock height on the core support, then a MML would probably work to solve the rubbing at the bottom of the shroud that you will get when you fix the radiator height.
 
As others have pointed out and if you compare the radiator to the air conditioning condenser you have lowering brackets on your radiator that need removed.
 
P man said:
I had to go over this in my head first

So you replaced a 3 inch body lift with a 1 inch correct? So you have a 2 inches that you need to account for. What do you have for bushing and spacers under the grill?
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These are the bushings under the grill. The 1” body lift bushing is there. I’ll take a look at the radiator brackets. Thanks for the tip!

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Thinking through this:
1. The original 3” lift most likely required radiator drop brackets that are still installed.
2. Lowering the body 2” has caused the top of the shroud to impact the fan.
3. Drop brackets must be removed which will raise the radiator and shroud.

I’d like to try and avoid this being taken off the road waiting on parts. Is a 1” motor mount lift typically required or preferred with a 1” body lift?
 
josephbelttj said:
Thinking through this:
1. The original 3” lift most likely required radiator drop brackets that are still installed.
2. Lowering the body 2” has caused the top of the shroud to impact the fan.
3. Drop brackets must be removed which will raise the radiator and shroud.

I’d like to try and avoid this being taken off the road waiting on parts. Is a 1” motor mount lift typically required or preferred with a 1” body lift?
Click to expand...

Not needed, just drill new holes to move the fan shroud.
p.s. I wouldn't drive it with the fan that close. It could break the fan shroud.
 
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josephbelttj said:
Big thanks to everyone here. I located the drop bracket. This should be fun. I’ll probably use this as an excuse to drain and replace the coolant, add some silicone hoses, and replace the worm clamps with constant tension clamps. 👍

View attachment 516681
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You can drill another hole in those brackets and use them to relocate the fan shroud into the proper position if you want to.
 
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