Front Spring Retainers

EJD

TJ Overlander
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I have to ask...does anyone else only have a driver side spring retainer and is missing a passenger side one?

I did a google search and it seems like there might have only been a driver side retainer installed from the factory. Anyone have any knowledge of this? I meant to look into getting one for my passenger spring but never got around to it...necessary? or no need to get one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DTCXTJO/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
Mine didn't come with spring retainers. I haven't seen a need for them. But my shocks also aren't too long.

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I don’t have them on either side. At full articulation I haven’t had a problem without them
 
I don't have one on the passenger side, but do on the driver's side. While in Moab a couple years ago, and flexing over a rock, the bottom spring on the passenger side popped out. Got it back in and got a spring retainer for that side when I got home.
 
My last Jeep, a 2000, did not have a passenger side spring retainer, so I added one. Maybe they forgot on the 2000's :)

My 2004 has none.
 
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I don't have one on the passenger side, but do on the driver's side. While in Moab a couple years ago, and flexing over a rock, the bottom spring on the passenger side popped out. Got it back in and got a spring retainer for that side when I got home.
Not that I do much flexing but this was my concern in not having one on the passenger side. Seems like a no brainer to have these retainers in place.
My last Jeep, a 2000, did not have a passenger side spring retainer, so I added one. Maybe they forgot on the 2000's :)

My 2004 has none.
Yeah mine is an '00 and seems to fit the pattern. Not sure why some wouldn't even have any...did you get a set for your '04 or do you see it not being an issue?
 
I had one on the drivers side, I forgot to put it back on but as I understand it, they’re only on that side because of the track bar allowing more droop on that side at stock height. I also heard that if you have your suspension correct with bump stops and jouncers that it is not necessary to have it. I believe I read it not in those exact words from a mrblaine post somewhere.


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Whaaaaaa...? Are TJs supposed to come with these from the factory? None of my TJs ever had spring retainers, never.

I learned the hard way after wrestling my coil for a minute that I had one. I think some years had them and some didn’t. Weird huh ..
and of course mine is pure rust so I’m gonna keep it on my Jeep tool bag when on trails just in case i guess

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Whaaaaaa...? Are TJs supposed to come with these from the factory? None of my TJs ever had spring retainers, never.
They apparently all have the holes near the spring for where they're supposed to go but many don't have any and some have a driver side one and not a passenger...super weird but the link above is exactly what they look like...trying to make sense of this. Lol.
 
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I have to ask...does anyone else only have a driver side spring retainer and is missing a passenger side one?

I did a google search and it seems like there might have only been a driver side retainer installed from the factory. Anyone have any knowledge of this? I meant to look into getting one for my passenger spring but never got around to it...necessary? or no need to get one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DTCXTJO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

@Jerry Bransford explained this a while ago and made sense to me:

87302936-CD5F-46E4-84F4-A313004E5208.jpeg
 
From all I can find on the interwebs (so take this with a grain of salt), the 1997-2001 usually have a spring retainer clip on the drivers side and none on the passenger side, though there are instances where both sides had one and some where neither side had one. The owners may have added or removed these or someone on the assembly line didn't eat their Wheaties that morning. The issue was the trackbar on the driver's side is attached to the frame and allows greater droop. The 2002-2006 did not have retainer clips. Why I don't know, since the trackbar setup is essentially the same.

They could be useful in limiting the springs during extreme articulation from coming unseated. Currie once made clips that attached to their bumpstops (and they may still???). However, it seems to me that the Currie Anti-Rock is probably the best solution, since it allows greater articulation but less than quick disconnects, presumably keeping the coil springs from coming unseated and promoting useful articulation at the same time.
 
I'm so glad I read this. I only had a clip in my driver's side too and just assumed I lost it when I installed my OME springs.
I do have clips in both sides now however. The passenger side was put in when I put in a front HP Dana 30.
 
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.... I also heard that if you have your suspension correct with bump stops and jouncers that it is not necessary to have it. I believe I read it not in those exact words from a mrblaine post somewhere.


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Bump stops only limit up travel. Shocks should be the limit to droop. The shocks should not be longer than the coils at their free length. Meaning that if your shocks are too long for your springs then your springs might fall out.

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Bump stops only limit up travel. Shocks should be the limit to droop. The shocks should not be longer than the coils at their free length. Meaning that if your shocks are too long for your springs then your springs might fall out.

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Yes thank you. I just ramble things sometimes but yes that’s correct. I was trying not to directly misquote anyone but pretty much if your suspension is set up correctly than you don’t need to worry about the spring retainers.


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Reviving this one.

I have the Currie setup which uses the bump stop to lock the spring in place and also my shocks are appropriate for the droop.

That said, I was out playing around and when I hit the washboard road after I had a clunk noise coming from the front. Got home, searched high and low for any loose bolts, bushings or JJs and all was in order.

Went back out, clunk still existed and again looked high and low. Finally spotted the drivers side spring had popped out of the bottom spring notch in the perch. How this happened is beyond me because I had to take the shock off to get it dropped far enough to put it back.

I’m installing spring retainers, easy fix for a just in case situation.
 
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Reviving this one.

I have the Currie setup which uses the bump stop to lock the spring in place and also my shocks are appropriate for the droop.

That said, I was out playing around and when I hit the washboard road after I had a clunk noise coming from the front. Got home, searched high and low for any loose bolts, bushings or JJs and all was in order.

Went back out, clunk still existed and again looked high and low. Finally spotted the drivers side spring had popped out of the bottom spring notch in the perch. How this happened is beyond me because I had to take the shock off to get it dropped far enough to put it back.

I’m installing spring retainers, easy fix for a just in case situation.

Probably wasn’t in the retainer to begin with. There’s no way a washboard road could dislodge a spring from the retainer.