Frontend Stretch

RD3

RD3

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
272
Location
Tullahoma, TN, United States
Good afternoon folks,
Last winter I outboarded my shocks stretched my rear 5.5" with a lot of great advice and help from many of you on this forum. It made an incredible difference both on and off road. This winter I plan to stretch my front 3". I've been doing some research. I like the TNT customs approach of moving the spring perches back which allows the front to move forward. I'd like to consider all of my options before I commit. I already know that the consensus is that it isn't worth the effort and cost. That said I plan to do it anyway. Couldn't find any threads on this on here but I'm not the best searcher. Have any of you done this and have advice to offer? I like to drive my jeep both on and off road and do not want to lose any handling quality so it must be done right. Any help is appreciated (other than trying to talk me out of doing it) and I'll update my progress on here once I begin.
Thanks
RD3
 
I did 2” on a yj, steering was a bitch to get right. I wound up moving the steering box forward with a Mike’s relocation bracket and that caused radiator interference problems. I also had to us a dodge pitman arm and crossover steering on the waaggy 44 I built. Not a fun project and not worth it. If you need a longer Jeep, buy an LJ
 
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The first obstacle will be the track bar hitting the diff cover. Bend the track bar a bit and bring the axle housing up to the frame side track bar joint at full bump. That will get you about 5/8-3/4" stretch depending on where you started from. After that, the frame side track bar mount needs to move forward. At that point, the limit well be where the drag link and tire rod wipe past each other. Keep bending links to get a bit more. That should get another 1-1.5". From there, move the steering box.
 
Extend the steering shaft, then the transmission cooler lines, sway bar, front driveshaft, brake lines, radiator has to either go up or forward, oh move the intermediate steering shaft bushing, I know there is more
 
astjp2 said:
I did 2” on a yj, steering was a bitch to get right. I wound up moving the steering box forward with a Mike’s relocation bracket and that caused radiator interference problems. I also had to us a dodge pitman arm and crossover steering on the waaggy 44 I built. Not a fun project and not worth it. If you need a longer Jeep, buy an LJ
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If I wanted a lj my thread would have said help me find a lj
 
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jjvw said:
The first obstacle will be the track bar hitting the diff cover. Bend the track bar a bit and bring the axle housing up to the frame side track bar joint at full bump. That will get you about 5/8-3/4" stretch depending on where you started from. After that, the frame side track bar mount needs to move forward. At that point, the limit well be where the drag link and tire rod wipe past each other. Keep bending links to get a bit more. That should get another 1-1.5". From there, move the steering box.
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Already have an inch by using longer control arms. Everything was easy to that point. Next 2" will be the challenge. Tnt makes kits/brackets for steering box, spring perches, shocks, track bar, etc. Just mostly wondering who has actually done this and how.
 
RD3 said:
Already have an inch by using longer control arms. Everything was easy to that point. Next 2" will be the challenge. Tnt makes kits/brackets for steering box, spring perches, shocks, track bar, etc. Just mostly wondering who has actually done this and how.
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You got this inch only by lengthening the control arms and not doing anything else?

Yes, there comes a point where the spring and shock mounts need to be brought back into alignment. That happens after the frame side track bar mount gets in the way of the axle.
 
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jjvw said:
You got this inch only by lengthening the control arms and not doing anything else?

Yes, there comes a point where the spring and shock mounts need to be brought back into alignment. That happens after the frame side track bar mount gets in the way of the axle.
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And driveshaft. Yes thats where I'm at. Have to start moving other stuff
 
Here's where mine is after what I call a 5/8" stretch where I used a press to bend the track bar around the diff cover. I'm assuming you have pulled the springs and brought the axle up as far as it will go.
20200216_154656.jpg
 
jjvw said:
Here's where mine is after what I call a 5/8" stretch where I used a press to bend the track bar around the diff cover. I'm assuming you have pulled the springs and brought the axle up as far as it will go.
View attachment 205173
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Don't have a picture handy but my control arms were the limit. I am getting close to the trackbar and my springs are on more of an angle than I would like. So I wouldn't go further without moving the track bar mount and straightening the springs
 
mrblaine said:
I do but not like that. If I can get 116" of wheelbase in a TJ Unlimited on 40's with a tank under the back, RJ 60's, and not cut through the tail light panels, I see no reason to mess with the steering gear and I leave it right where it is at.
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If I was starting over I would start with an unlimited no doubt. Like many things in life, "if I only knew then what I know now". I do see opportunity for improvement in approach angle by moving the front axel out.
 
mrblaine said:
I do but not like that. If I can get 116" of wheelbase in a TJ Unlimited on 40's with a tank under the back, RJ 60's, and not cut through the tail light panels, I see no reason to mess with the steering gear and I leave it right where it is at.
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That was my point, I learned my lesson trying to move a front forward.
 
astjp2 said:
That was my point, I learned my lesson trying to move a front forward.
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Oh I got it. If I could easily and my easily is likely a bit different that other's easily, do them without spending an inordinate amount of time and not have to dick with radiator, fan shroud and all that other bullshit, I would but I don't see a clear path there.
 
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mrblaine said:
Oh I got it. If I could easily and my easily is likely a bit different that other's easily, do them without spending an inordinate amount of time and not have to dick with radiator, fan shroud and all that other bullshit, I would but I don't see a clear path there.
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I may be missing something but I can't see a reason to have to move the radiator or fan shroud in order to move the axel forward 3"
 
You will have to move the steering box forward, it sits under the radiator, then the radiator gets in the way and you have to either do a body lift or move the radiator forward.
 
I'm in the process of moving my front axle forward to help the axle clear the engine but I have a V-8 in mine. And I'm running into clearance issues without moving the steering box or using the TNT kit. But I did it differently as I moved the upper spring/shock towers forward 2". That gets the diff bridge I have forward of the engine. I used Artec for the upper mounts.

I need to get my engine assembled so I can set it in the frame and verify clearances before I weld everything up.

20200807_165723.jpg




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20200808_162721.jpg




There isn't a lot of room now for the steering linkage and trackbar to fit.
 
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