My YJ...

[MrMindless]

smichaelR22 wrote:
stupid question, arent the front shackles on backwards?

That\'s the alternative to making bumpers like you did to keep them from inverting.

Of course in my opinion they\'re on the wrong end of the spring but that fits with the old school vibe :)  Looks good Arie

[Crusarius]

the theory behind the shackles on the front make sense to me but so does shackle reversal. either way does work I think it gets down to personal preference.

usually shackle reversal gives you alot smoother ride but then you need super long splined driveshaft to keep from pulling it apart on droop.

[rejeep]

Ive been thinking about a shackle reversal for years...
never pulled the trigger.

I have been driving and wheeling with the standard for years... I know how the jeep handles, pros and cons...
I feel if I do the reversal I will need to \"learn\" all over again..

[smichaelR22]

lets not get into a shackle reversal debate, that wasnt my consern...

[rejeep]

ok.. some initial driving impressions...

Floaty as hell...
I now understand why people keep their sway bars..
I may be looking into returning mine under the jeep..

turns and even going strait are a bit scary.. when I jump on the throttle it wants to steer itself..

[carchameleon]

i know how you feel, i don\'t have sway bars, my shocks (3)are worn out (1)is broken...
my springs are all worn out too
leaf springs are fun, haha

[rejeep]

as is the story of my life nothing is ever easy...
got my discos today and went to install... they are short..
long story short, both quadratec and JKS can not figure out what the problem is..
I got the ones for a jeep with 2.5-6\" lift.. I have a 5\" BDS kit..

They are 5\" short of the suggested 5deg variation of the sway bar for horizontal.

I installed them anyway.. helped a bit.. still a little loosy goosy in the steering.. not so much a return to center of the wheel issue, just loose.. I replaced my steering box a while ago.. may need to be tightened?

Il try and get some pics of the sway bar up ...its worth getting another set of eyes on it..

I also got my caster angle measured.. im at 5.2deg..
I have read many different \"good\" angles from 4-6 to 7-8...
anybody can shed some light?

[rejeep]

pics

[MrMindless]

put up some fullsize pictures, I can\'t see a thing in those thumbnails....

loose steering can be any of a million things.  Get someone to saw back and forth on the wheel and look at everything in front and see what shouldn\'t be moving that is.  Can be the steering shaft or box, any rod ends, ball joints, spring bushings, loose ubolts, bad bearings or a few other things.  Looks like you\'re not running a track bar anymore? With the taller springs that may be needed to get real tight steering back, but I\'m no YJ expert.

[rejeep]

All steering, Box, bearings are new within the last year.. and I saw little miles due to engine swap and winter..

Good idea with the steering test thought..  Balljoints are the one thing that I didnt replace..

However, steering was ok with my previous springs.. they were stiff as hell though..

The only X factors are the springs and the new steering box..  This is why I am quick to blame one of them as the culprit..

[rejeep]

http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee343/rejeep/Picture004.jpg

http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee343/rejeep/Picture001.jpg

[MrMindless]

Looks like those discos are the perfect length for a springover :-/

I\'d probably take the easy route and just weld a plate with a bolt to the top or front of the axle (wherever it lines up for a flat swaybar) and go that route.  Or you could just lengthen the arms and keep them where they are, but moving them up would keep the ends from getting beat up on rocks as a nice benefit.

[rejeep]

I was thinking that...
if I do a U bolt flip on the front it should be perfect.. but the whole issue being JKS sells these for YJ\'s with 6\" of lift..
my jeep isnt a red head or a stepchild..  so what gives?

[MrMindless]

You\'ve got me.  Ubolt flip would be another good way to go, and would gain you an inch or two in clearance for the cost of 4 ubolts.  I think you can just swap the plates side to side on top, right?

[meangreen]

no he will probably need to make some new plates for it. Is the drivers side u bolt on the pumpkin? if so it will take a lot of work to do it correctly. I have seen blocks that were placed on top of the leaf spring agianst the axle tube and u bolted into place for the sway bar and for the shocks to keep them out of the way.

You can also cheak your angle from the pitman arm to the axle if it is to much of an angle it will cause that \"loose\" feeling too. my cj did that untill I went to a drop pitman arm. also your steering stablizer may also need replaced.