coil spacer install help???

2

288sunny

New member
I need to install some 3/4" coil spacers on my 03 jeep.
I dont think its a difficult job however im unsure on a few things. The jeep currently has a 4" lift, when i install them in the rear, i have to disconnect the rear track bar which i think is stock, just curious if after i install these spacers will the track bar still reach after the coil spacers are installed?

Next is basicall the same ? for the front will all the bars hook back up, I currently have JKS disconnects. the steering arms im pretty sure are stock. I do not plan to remove the factory spring isolaters, gonna leave those in and add the 3/4" spacers. Also will I need an alignment?

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Get rid of that back track bar. Front should stay....get some quick disconnects....the spring pin type. The front track bar may still be long enough. Did you get some sort of bracket extension/new bracket when you did the 4" lift? Also, did you get a drop pitman arm with the 4" lift? If it was a kit...then you should have. An alignment wouldn't hurt either. Anytime you change the suspension around, it can't hurt. Later!
 
So there wont be any issues taking the rear track bar out, and just having the upper/lower control arms and springs? I do not hav the track bar in the back thats at an angle like in the pic u sent, mine wraps around from one side to the other has to clamps on the upper frame/body and connects to the axle, looks very sim to the one in the front but in the rear..


i do have JKS quick disconnects in the front already:)
 
Mines been gone in the rear for a long time (about 1 week after I got it) BUT, mine has springs all around. I had a buddy that had the control arms setup and ran fronts and backs with no track bars all the time. He had no problems, but I would keep the front connected myself.
 

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT remove your rear track bar, that is what centers your axle under the jeep. Unless you have a triangulated 4-link setup or leaf springs you need the track bars front and rear. Running your jeep on the road with no track bar will get someone killed.
 
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A spring compressor will make the job a lot easier as well. You can rent a strut spring compressor from an auto parts store and you won't need to take the track bars loose.
 

Just curious if its possible to jack my jeep up high enough with a bottle jack to place jacks stands under the frame, jeep has 4" of lift on 35's, i have to jack it pretty high just to get tires off? would i be better off using a lift? The lift would be the one where you place the arms under the jeep frame and then it lifts it, not the drive on type.
 
It would be easier to compress the springs if the control arms are all the way down yes. But, you will not be able (should not be able!!) to jack it up by the frame and relieve tension off the coils. If you are asking about putting the bottle on the frame and jacking it up, then do this...put the jack under the axle...jack it up roughly your travel+your lift+some gimme room...then put the frame under jack stands. When you let it down, if the suspension is relaxed, and your have at least your coils spacers height between the tire and the ground then you re in good shape.
 
Like mentioned above, under no circumstances should you drive a TJ without a rear trackbar.

You shouldn't need compressors, removing the swaybar links and trackbars and letting the axle droop completely should be plenty.

3/4" of a spacer isn't much change in height so your trackbar lengths should be fine, the change in axle position side to side should be minimal. A 2" spacer only shifts the axle about 3/4" to one side.
 

I've put in 4" lift springs on TJ's with out removing trac bars or control arms and wit hout using spring compressors.
 
Ok...I'll bite...How's this done. I'm not at all familiar with TJ's, but it would seem to me that with the control arms "hanging" i.e weight of jeep being held by the frame, shouldn't the springs still have some kind of tension on them. If not, it would seem to me that they could sort of fall over and out given the right circumstances on the trail. Am I missing something here? Learn me something.:?|:?|:?|
 

actually saw someone else do it once, so we tried it. put the jeep on jack stands just behind the LCA mounts. take off tires, sway bar and shocks while someone pulls up on the pass side rotor, use your foot to push down on the drivers side. you should by hand ba able to compress the spring enought to slide it off the lower coil bucket, then pull it down and off the upper mount. the shorter the spring the easier this is. then do the other side. reassembally is just the oposite. for the longer springs you need to knock the bump stop off to get the spring off, don't forget to put the new bumpstop (if included) inside the spring prior to re-installing. in the past, i just duct tape it to the coil, then pry it in with a pry bar and a liberal amount of litheum grease.
 
The springs will not fall out normally because of the shocks. They will not let the axle fall low enough. With long travel shocks of the WRONG size for the lift you might have trouble, I don't know.

Johnny's "tip the axle" method works very well and can be done alone with a couple of jacks. One jack to push up the opposite end of the axle and the other to carefully pry down on the side you are working on (by jacking between the frame and the axle) - only jack lightly on the down side - you don't want to bend anything - just jack down until you "bottom" the travel of the LCA. Then you should be able to carefully pry the spring into place with a crowbar. Be careful that nothing flys out and hits you - you don't need to compress the spring with the crowbar, just pry it up and onto the spring pad. Best of luck - John
 
I've seen coils fall out on the trail, it happens and is generally very funny (for everybody else). It shouldn't happen with the proper setup of bumpstops and limiting straps.
 

Ok...I see how the system works. Like I said...never dealt with a TJ. Thanks, now that I understand the setup, then yes, it would be very bad to remove the rear track bar.
 
You can easily remove it to install a lift, it's been my experience that it lets the axle droop further to negate the need for spring compressors. Just don't drive without one.
 

If you are removing the track bar to gain more droop to install springs, which does help. I have found it i much easier to remove the track bar at the axle end with the jeep sitting on the tires before jacking it up. When you reattach it I have found it to be done pretty easily if you wait until everything else is done and the Jeep is sitting back on it's wheels then have a helper get in and turn the steering wheel while you hold the track bar in the pocket on the axle, as they turn the wheel it will shift the front end and the holes will line up and just push the bolt in and tighten it.
 
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