Long Arms install Party!

shawn wrote:

send me that link. i've noticed on alot of lifts they make you do stuff the hard way for no reason. and honestly it's not that i can't weld overhead it's just that it comes out ugly as sin afterwards but that's what they made grinders for. i just prefer to do it the easy way so it comes out clean and semi professional looking with alot less work

Here is the link http://claytonoffroad.com/documents/PD-WJ60.pdf I am assuming that's the kit but I am not sure. Kristi??

holy crap they couldn't have made that anymore difficult if they tried. i designed my own suspension and it's easier to install that that thing is.

i like how under the suggested tools it says plasma cutter and mig welder. good thing i have both.

is this kristi's only vehicle?

couple questions

1.how big of a lift is this?
2.will she need a sye kit or does she already have 1? not very familiar with grand cherokee but i know a cherokee newer then 96 once you get over 3" lift you have to have an sye or it'll shake itself to death.
3.prolly gonna need a flap disc, 1 or 2 grinding discs, and maybe a cutting disc or 2, a can or 2 of etching primer and a can or 2 of a good undercoating paint. does she have all of this?

this install will most likely take an entire weekend not just a half day saturday and sunday. i do have everything here to do it(plasma cutter,grinder,welder,air compressor and tools) but like i said until my jeeps out of the garage it's not possible here.

if i can get my axles blasted and painted this weekend i should be able to get them installed during the week then figure out some way to rig up some steering(just got back to work after a 5 week lay off and don't have the cash to order my steering parts and wheel spacers yet) then i could push my jeep out of the garage and drive hers in to do her stuff. we'd have to be sneaky about getting her jeep in though so my neighbors don't find out i work on other peoples vehicles occasionally.

also has she done an inventory of the kit to make sure everything is there. kinda sucks to get it halfway built and find out half the hardware is missing

Hey shawn, what bolt pattern and size wheel spacers do you need? I have 4ea 1.5" 5x5 wheel spacer from when i was running stock rims. If they fit you can have them.

thanks but i'm running 8 on 6.5 and i need 2 1/2" for my front unless i can find c and c hubs and backing plates for my 14 bolt

Kristi?? Are all parts here, double check. Is the link with instructions that I posted the correct lift kit? If not scan and send them to me. Need to know if we have everything we need.
I am still concern about the overhead welding.

I have all the parts. I dont need an SYE if we get the pinion angle right. This is my only car. 95% of the welding requires overhead. The only part I canthink of that isn't is when you're welding little brackets onto the axles.
The link is correct Raul. It might also help to look a that one link from mallcrawlin.com I posted on the first page.

well i didn't get anything done this weekend, had something important come up but i'll see what i can get done this week otherwise we won't be able to do this at my place. plan for someplace other then mine just incase

Thats fine. If there's anything I can help with let me know. I'd be glad to help. I get out of work around 5 and can help out for however long.

Was reading the instructions again.

A few things that concerns me:

“175A or greater mig welder” is recommended, I have is a 90A flux welder. I don’t think we would really require a 175A but this will affect the weld penetration.

“1 7/16 wrench is needed to tighten the upper control arm jam nuts, and a 46mm wrench is needed to tighten the lower control arm jam nuts.” I should have them but need to check, not to sure about the 46mm.

“Adjust new upper control arms to this measurement. Your caster angle should be around 4 degrees. If you set a proper pinion angle your springs will bow forward, which may also cause interference with your swaybars.” We need to check how to adjust the caster in the WJ

“Set proper pinion angle depending on lift height and driveshaft type.” What driveshaft do you have?

“Remove muffler. It will have to be rotated or replaced later with a smaller unit to clear control arms” What are you planning to do about this?

I've got the double cardan driveshaft. As far as the muffler goes, not everyone has to do that. If I need to, I was just going to take it to flannagans muffler.

ok got the rear end back in. should have the front end in on thursday so the jeep will be rollable by friday. still trying to figure out what to do about steering, might just lock the front tires straight and call it good. it only needs to roll forward 25' then roll backward the same

shawn wrote:

ok got the rear end back in. should have the front end in on thursday so the jeep will be rollable by friday. still trying to figure out what to do about steering, might just lock the front tires straight and call it good. it only needs to roll forward 25' then roll backward the same

what stuff do you need for steering?

1 ton tre's, some 1.5" dom, high steer arms and 2 1/2" wheel spacers

If we are doing the install at Shawn’s maybe you can start earlier than 3pm and I will meet you guys at 3pm. This looks like a long install so the more daylight we have the better.

Shawn,
I am off this Friday, I will be installing new brakes on my GF's car but I can help you after if you need me to.
Let us know and thanks for the help!

shawn wrote:

1 ton tre's, some 1.5" dom, high steer arms and 2 1/2" wheel spacers

I might be able to get my hands on the tie rod ends but not sure about the others but I'll see what I can do

don't worry about it. i won't need them for awhile. that list is just to get it driveable, i still have to finish building my stroker motor before it'll move under it's own power and i still need to have custom length axles shafts made.



ok now about doing this at my place, couple folks wanted to work on their own stuff. sorry but there's no room for that. besides my vehicles, kristi's jeep and r_unda i might have enough room for 1 other vehicle and i really don't want to have to chase down tools we need for kristi's stuff.

also no alcohol or drugs at my place. period, end of story, don't even ask. i have plenty of water and koolaide(grape and tropical punch) available but that's about it.


i live in the worst neighborhood in portland and the place i'm renting is far from nice so fair warning. the only good thing is i have pretty decent air conditioning and i'm planning on closing the garage up from the outside and letting the ac run in the garage so it should be nice and cool

shawn wrote:

ok now about doing this at my place, couple folks wanted to work on their own stuff. sorry but there's no room for that. besides my vehicles, kristi's jeep and r_unda i might have enough room for 1 other vehicle and i really don't want to have to chase down tools we need for kristi's stuff.

I don’t need to work on anything right now. I know gilly_as wanted to install a trans cooler but we can do another install party later before the PINS trip.

Gilly and Tvernon are the only two I know that wanted to help. Can they park outside on the street?

shawn wrote:

also no alcohol or drugs at my place. period, end of story, don't even ask. i have plenty of water and koolaide(grape and tropical punch) available but that's about it.

Your house, your rules. Everyone should respect it. I will bring some Gatorade for everyone.



Also what do you need me to take over there? Any tools, jack, etc?

they can help if they want but there's prolly gonna have to be some car pooling going on because there really just isn't anymore room to park on this street. it's already lined on both sides everyday and the only place that isn't is in front of my house. so with both of my vehicles in the driveway, somebody parked behind them on the street there is only room for 1 more vehicle out there



i should have pretty much everything we need. i'm kind of a tool junky. the only thing i don't have are the big wrenchs for the links but i have really big channel locks that i use on mine links so should work for hers

anybody have a little pit or something? don't know what's being planned for food but if all else fails there's plenty of restaurants close by

Alright so we have thr time set to bright and early at 8am saturday. Things will probably actually get going 9 ish with my non-morning self. Anyone is welcome to show up whatever time but ill be there bright and early!

Shawn, pm me your address and phone please.

Here are the pics you took with my camera.

Long Arm Install Photos

Hope everything went well. Sorry I left early today. Post some pictures of the final product.

Sorry I couldn't make it. I did get my welder running and mounted in my truck. We will have a 225a Lincoln that will come in handy on trips!