How to set your bump stop on a Jeep Wrangler TJ

[PhantomX]

Will do. I only have a 2 inch coil lift w/ a 1" BL so I didn't think I need an adjustable one for a 2 inch lift. However at this point it may be worth it to get this thing done and over with and a great excuse. I will try the ratchet strap but the bar at the axle end is twisted relative to the bracket so I am not not sure it will go in even with a strap.

 

[JP98]

Try bouncing bumper and then pulling back and forth a few times.

 

[Chris]

I'm assuming that's the stock track bar? An adjustable track bar would make this a walk in the park.

However, you don't need an adjustable track bar at only 2 inches. At this point you're going to need to try the ratchet strap and bouncing up and down on the bumpers as much as you can. That should hopefully re-align things to their natural state (center).

 

[PhantomX]

This is a total PITA. I am thinking to release lower CAs at frame and rotate the pinion down to allow track bar to go in to bracket since it is twisted relative to the bracket and then jack up the front of the pumpkin to move the lower CAs back into place. Thoughts?

 

[JMT]

I'm assuming you're talking about the front trackbar?? Didn't read the whole thread.

If so, I had the same trouble and seen it multiple times in threads on this forum. I used a ratchet strap to get it re-aligned. When you get it pretty much lined up at the axle side, it will still be twisted, as you're experiencing, so have someone turn the wheel back and forth slightly while you slip the bolt through. There is usually enough play to get it in.

Also, sometimes at 2" lift you can get away without an adjustable front trackbar, but sometimes you can't. After you get it back together, measure from the frame to the inside of your tire on each side and see if they are close. Chances are you're axle is shifted toward the driver's side, so the measurement on that side will be greater. If it's more than 3/4" you will need an adjustable front trackbar. Currie, Metalcloak and JKS in that order. I went with the Metalcloak.

If you're talking about the rear trackbar, the twist problem occurs there too. Don't tighten down the driver's side or the passenger side. Get one in loose, then work with the other one till you can hammer it in with a rubber mallet, usually goes, you may have to raise and lower the jack under one or the other axle side to get it aligned sufficiently.

 

[PhantomX]

I'm assuming you're talking about the front trackbar?? Didn't read the whole thread.

If so, I had the same trouble and seen it multiple times in threads on this forum. I used a ratchet strap to get it re-aligned. When you get it pretty much lined up at the axle side, it will still be twisted, as you're experiencing, so have someone turn the wheel back and forth slightly while you slip the bolt through. There is usually enough play to get it in.

Also, sometimes at 2" lift you can get away without an adjustable front trackbar, but sometimes you can't. After you get it back together, measure from the frame to the inside of your tire on each side and see if they are close. Chances are you're axle is shifted toward the driver's side, so the measurement on that side will be greater. If it's more than 3/4" you will need an adjustable front trackbar. Currie, Metalcloak and JKS in that order. I went with the Metalcloak.

If you're talking about the rear trackbar, the twist problem occurs there too. Don't tighten down the driver's side or the passenger side. Get one in loose, then work with the other one till you can hammer it in with a rubber mallet, usually goes, you may have to raise and lower the jack under one or the other axle side to get it aligned sufficiently.

It is the rear track bar so you suggest loosening the frame side and axle side to give it more play? I will try that first thing tomorrow. Hopefully that along with the other suggestions will get that crazy, stubborn, ornery track bar in its rightful home.

 

[JMT]

It is the rear track bar so you suggest loosening the frame side and axle side to give it more play? I will try that first thing tomorrow. Hopefully that along with the other suggestions will get that crazy, stubborn, ornery track bar in its rightful home.

Ok, wait, do you have a rear trackbar relocation bracket?

Edit: ok, I went back and looked at the pics. I have done this. Loosen the passenger side enough to give you some play (or vice versa). Find some attachment points and ratchet that sucker in line. I know It's twisted, but without an adjustable trackbar (1st best solution) or a relocation bracket (2nd best solution), your only option is to ratchet. Your handy rubber mallet might be necessary to get the bolt in and a buddy might too

 

[JMT]

Resurrecting this thread. So, my build is 2.5”OME with 1.25” BL and just added 33’s, so I need to re-check my bumpstop. Apparently, my shocks are about an 1 1/2” too long. They’re RE but I called and they’re Bilstein 5100, not sure on the valving though. They sell them with a 1.75” BB, but on their site they’re the same shocks they sell with a 3.5” SL. The extend collapse values confirm this.

RE
Front 23.5/14.9
Rear 23.8/14.8

OME 2"
Front 22.42/13.15
Rear 22/13.3

I’m going to change to Rancho 5000x, but can’t afford it now. I was thinking that in the meantime I could just set my bumpstop about 3” and I’d be good till I can get them in April or May. Just don’t want to go to all the trouble twice, when it would only benefit me for a couple months. Thoughts?

Also, can someone recommend a good bumpstop for the lower spring perch? And I’ve never tapped for a bolt, but I’m assuming it’s not to hard?

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Resurrecting this thread. So, my build is 2.5”OME with 1.25” BL and just added 33’s, so I need to re-check my bumpstop. Apparently, my shocks are about an 1 1/2” too long. They’re RE but I called and they’re Bilstein 5100, not sure on the valving though. They sell them with a 1.75” BB, but on their site they’re the same shocks they sell with a 3.5” SL. The extend collapse values confirm this.

RE
Front 23.5/14.9
Rear 23.8/14.8

OME 2"
Front 22.42/13.15
Rear 22/13.3

I’m going to change to Rancho 5000x, but can’t afford it now. I was thinking that in the meantime I could just set my bumpstop about 3” and I’d be good till I can get them in April or May. Just don’t want to go to all the trouble twice, when it would only benefit me for a couple months. Thoughts?

Also, can someone recommend a good bumpstop for the lower spring perch? And I’ve never tapped for a bolt, but I’m assuming it’s not to hard?

I’ll help where I can, drilling and tapping a bolt is stupid easy, just use a quality drill bit and tap and use tap oil.

 

[bobthetj03]

It's not too difficult to drill/tap the lower perch. Get a 5/16 SAE tap. The tap will have the appropriate drill size stamped on the tap. A lot of times you can get away with the appropriate 1/4 drive socket to fit the tap so you can turn it, but they also make an adjustable holder for the tap. Maybe consider getting a small tap-n-die set. They do come in handy. I use hockey pucks for bumps, and stack 5/8" USS flat washers for fine tuning. You'll need minimum 2" added bumpstop front, rear. you should already have 1" bump extensions in the rear from your OME kit.

 

[JMT]

It's not too difficult to drill/tap the lower perch. Get a 5/16 SAE tap. The tap will have the appropriate drill size stamped on the tap. A lot of times you can get away with the appropriate 1/4 drive socket to fit the tap so you can turn it, but they also make an adjustable holder for the tap. Maybe consider getting a small tap-n-die set. They do come in handy. I use hockey pucks for bumps, and stack 5/8" USS flat washers for fine tuning. You'll need minimum 2" added bumpstop front, rear. you should already have 1" bump extensions in the rear from your OME kit.

I’ll look into a tap-n-die set.

I only have OME HD springs. The bump stops the RE BB kit came with were 2”. They are in the cup now. Maybe that’s sufficient. But I was thinking I’d need 2.5-3” bumpstop with these longer shocks. So I could cut the ones in the cup down to 1 inch and add two hockey pucks to the lower spring perch for a total of 3”. When I get the new shocks I can remove the upper 1” bumpstops and play with the 2” hockey pucks. Make sense? Or just leave my bumpstop at 2” for now?

 

[bobthetj03]

I’ll look into a tap-n-die set.

I only have OME HD springs. The bump stops the RE BB kit came with were 2”. They are in the cup now. Maybe that’s sufficient. But I was thinking I’d need 2.5-3” bumpstop with these longer shocks. So I could cut the ones in the cup down to 1 inch and add two hockey pucks to the lower spring perch for a total of 3”. When I get the new shocks I can remove the upper 1” bumpstops and play with the 2” hockey pucks. Make sense? Or just leave my bumpstop at 2” for now?

You really aren't going to know for sure until you get in there and pull springs and full bump it and flex it each side. Bolt the shocks back up while doing this to see where they lay at full bump. Be ready for 3" bumps and pay close attention to the front jounce bumper when one side is drooped. The jounce bumper is going to be hitting the spring. Adding the bumpstop to the lower perch with help with that.

 

[ac_]

Resurrecting this thread. So, my build is 2.5”OME with 1.25” BL and just added 33’s, so I need to re-check my bumpstop. Apparently, my shocks are about an 1 1/2” too long. They’re RE but I called and they’re Bilstein 5100, not sure on the valving though. They sell them with a 1.75” BB, but on their site they’re the same shocks they sell with a 3.5” SL. The extend collapse values confirm this.

RE
Front 23.5/14.9
Rear 23.8/14.8

OME 2"
Front 22.42/13.15
Rear 22/13.3

I’m going to change to Rancho 5000x, but can’t afford it now. I was thinking that in the meantime I could just set my bumpstop about 3” and I’d be good till I can get them in April or May. Just don’t want to go to all the trouble twice, when it would only benefit me for a couple months. Thoughts?

Also, can someone recommend a good bumpstop for the lower spring perch? And I’ve never tapped for a bolt, but I’m assuming it’s not to hard?

I didn't have to add any to the front of mine, but when I had it apart, I noticed that there was already a small hole in the pad. If that is the case for yours it makes it super easy, because the pilot is already there. You can't screw that up. You probably don't need to buy a whole set, you can just buy the one tap you need. you may need to by a tool or a square socket to snap it into and you can use a regular ratchet. Also to save money you can use wd40 or pb plaster to keep it cool while you are tapping but there isn't much you have to tap through so I would be surprised if it really gets hot at all.

Seriously if you are nervous, watch a couple of youtube videos on tapping a hole. Well maybe not google that specifically, but you know what I mean.

If I did have to add @bobthetj03 gave me a link to the metalcloak bs and I don't believe you have to tap a hole for it, but I thought they were pretty cool looking so if you really don't want to tap a hole there are these:

http://www.metalcloak.com/Adjustable-Bump-Stop-System-1-4-p/7040.htm

 

[Franco]

Hello, first post. I bought my first Wrangler TJ a few days ago and I will try to get it ready for a trip Colorado in July. It has stock suspension but 31x10.5 tires. Because it has oversized tires and because the current "jounce bumpers" are almost gone, I thought it would be good to follow the procedure to cycle the suspension and set the bump stops so that tires don't rub, shocks don't bottom out, etc. The part that I need some clarification on is, if I need to, how do I make the bump stop longer? Do I buy a longer jounce bumper? I'm confused by this statement on the original post: "Bumpstop extensions for the front should always go on the axle pad". Does that mean installing some sort of thick disk on the bottom metal plate? Thanks in advance.

 

[IPerkWVU]

Hello, first post. I bought my first Wrangler TJ a few days ago and I will try to get it ready for a trip Colorado in July. It has stock suspension but 31x10.5 tires. Because it has oversized tires and because the current "jounce bumpers" are almost gone, I thought it would be good to follow the procedure to cycle the suspension and set the bump stops so that tires don't rub, shocks don't bottom out, etc. The part that I need some clarification on is, if I need to, how do I make the bump stop longer? Do I buy a longer jounce bumper? I'm confused by this statement on the original post: "Bumpstop extensions for the front should always go on the axle pad". Does that mean installing some sort of thick disk on the bottom metal plate? Thanks in advance.

The jounce bumper is intended to collapse fully into the cup. To add bump stops to the front you'll want to either buy adjustable bump stop kit like the one Metalcloak sells OR use hockey pucks and a self tapping bolt (cheap and easy). The hockey pucks are typically able to slide between the springs if you don't have the opportunity to remove them prior to your trip, using epoxy to secure it will work in a pinch.

 

[Franco]

The jounce bumper is intended to collapse fully into the cup. To add bump stops to the front you'll want to either buy adjustable bump stop kit like the one Metalcloak sells OR use hockey pucks and a self tapping bolt (cheap and easy). The hockey pucks are typically able to slide between the springs if you don't have the opportunity to remove them prior to your trip, using epoxy to secure it will work in a pinch.

Thanks. So normally what stops the motion is the cup hitting the bottom plate? Metal against metal?

 

[Chris]

Thanks. So normally what stops the motion is the cup hitting the bottom plate? Metal against metal?

Yes, but it's rare. That jounce bumper is very, very stiff. In order to fully collapse it and have metal-on-metal contact, you'd need to do way more than just flexing out your suspension. You'd probably have to drop your TJ off a ledge or something extreme, where there was a large amount of brute force.

 

[Franco]

I think I have the front figured out. Now the rear, the original post says “extensions for the rear should always go on top”. Can somebody explain that? The rear looks similar to the front, so why wouldn’t I screw a hockey puck to the bottom? Thanks in advance.

 

[jjvw]

...Can somebody explain that? The rear looks similar to the front, so why wouldn’t I screw a hockey puck to the bottom? Thanks in advance.

There is no reason not to add the rear extension to the bottom. It's just easier to lower the cup. If there is a lot of extension, then it would be a good idea to split it between the top and bottom.

 

[Franco]

There is no reason not to add the rear extension to the bottom. It's just easier to lower the cup. If there is a lot of extension, then it would be a good idea to split it between the top and bottom.

Thanks. I think I understand now. It’s not a good idea to extend the top on the front axle because it’s already long and if you make it longer then the jounce bumper can hit the coil. But with the rear that’s not an issue, so you can extend the top or put something on the bottom.