Rusty's 3" CJ5 lift

Well here is how it all started!!!! Decided the Green machine need a new suspension. ( I didn’t name it my friends daughter did and it stuck) So I decided on a Rusty’s off road 3” CJ5 lift. Good price, AMERICAN made, over priced shipping!!! But decided to go with it any way.

I started a few weeks back by WD40ing the bolts every week and using penetrating oil every few days to help with removal. Ya it was a good thought but I still snapped one upper shock mount. So after 6 hours of cutting, grinding, and drilling I got the old mount off then fixed up re-bolted, then re-welded back on. It sucked but I guess it was a good experience kind of.

Today after a week of waiting the lift came in. KIND OF


If you notice it’s missing all the shocks, u-bolts, and hardware!!! UPS says Rusty’s never shipped. Rusty’s says UPS lost the 5th package. So now here I sit after all my expectations of good weekend project go to???? Well who knows not on the UPS truck or in my garage!!!!! MOTHER BUCKERS….chainsawguy

I plan on posting pics. and details of this project as I go.

Here is one question for you all. Rusty’s web page doesn’t list new spring eye bushings with there kit and the new springs didn’t have any installed in them . So with out getting the missing package in and knowing weather or not they truly don’t come with bushings . Can I reuse the old ones???? At a quick glance it looks like the PO did replace the old with new Poly bushings. Thoughts and comments are welcome!!!!

 

odds are the old ones buy the farm when you take em out id have some on hand for when i need em

 

just my luck me and murphy are good pals...your results may vary...

 

I can't wait to see what yours looks like with the new lift, keep posting pics! I'm planning on the same height lift as you so I look forward to a progress report

 

Well here's the good news so far. The Po bushings were in great shape and with the use of a hammer and a 1/2" nut driver they pushed out with no problem so I got to reuse them also the rear springs went in great. So far!!!!! I'm still missing the last package so not sure if I'll have a spare set of bushings or not.

I'm not real sure if after everything is all on how much lift I'm looking at getting but if it ends up like it's looking right now. I'll have gained way more than 3" out of it. Right now I'm kind of wondering if it will fit out of the garage when it's all said and done. I did take measurements before starting and I was averaging around 20" from ground to bumper all the way around. So we'll see.... At full drop I'm about 27" from center of wheel hub to fender. here's so pics of it so far.





Does any one have a proper drive line angle that they could tell me? I'm guessing I'll need to lower my T case and was wondering what angle I should look at trying to get to.... I forgot to take that measurement....

 

Keep an eye on your rear shackles when you put weight on the springs. They may pop forward instead of back like they are supposed to. If you experience that you may have to go with a slightly longer shackle. That will straighten out the angle a little. If the shackle pops forward when you are offroad, you can bend the main spring or tear off the shackle hanger if it's the weaker point. Just something to keep an eye on.

 

Here are a couple of links I found useful when I added my lift. The first has several links at the bottom of the page that are good (though some are not working).

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Driveline-101.shtml#Introduction

another useful link..

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-shaft/index.html

Basically the double ujoint type(single cardan shaft) needs the output of the Tcase and input of the diff (pinion shaft) to be parallel (optimum). However, the angle the joints operate at will affect the life span of the joints. from what I read the angle the joints opeate at is not the real consideration, just that both ends need to be at the same angle. A double cardan is different. The pinion shaft (diff. end) needs to be pointing at the Tcase output.

If your angles were good at the beginning of your lift installation and all you installed were the springs, then the angles may have changed but the overall effect will be unchanged since both sides will cancel each other out in their rotations. However, if you added shackles, then you will likely need to angle the diff downward to correct (in the rear). I read on the first link that the static pinion angle needs to be 1-2 degrees less than the tcase out put to allow for the upward rotation of the pinion angle under load and while cruising.

The links also provide methods for measuring your various angles..

I think his shackles will correct when he lowers the rig onto his tires.. at least mine did..

Before..

[/IMG]


After..

[/IMG]

 

Good to know on the shackles!!! Also thanks for the articles!!! Thanks guys. I love this site for just these reasons.......

 

Did you get the front springs in yet? I bought that kit and the front springs would not fit. Way to short. I still have them because Rustys has Horrible service. The guy is full of BS. He said he would send me new ones.... still waiting for them. Its only been 3 years. I went with BDS fronts instead of messing with rustys. Hope you have better luck!

 

Well here is where I'm at now. I got all the parts in last Wednesday. 4 days after the springs showed up. Rusty's kept there word and did have everything to me with in 14 days like they promise. So no reason to get up set with that part of the deal. JUST that part. The kit ended up including Bushings, 9 U bolts w/hardware, 4 springs, stickers, rear axle shims, and shocks. Here's what I had to buy so far. New grade 8 hardware for all shackles and rear spring body nounts, new 7/16" fine thread nuts (2) for the upper shock mounts, and new 1/2" fine thread nuts (2) for the lower shock mounts and I also bout a 7/16 and 1/2" fine thread, threader/die just to give me a piece of mind on the shock mounts.

All in all I'm happy with the look of there products. Haven't had a chance to drive it yet. The install went.....OK.. It took me a bit longer than I thought it would but hey with a 74 I guess you'll run into problems. Some of them due to the age of the Jeep and some due to lack of intermediate CJ5 knowledge from Rusty's. They have tried to help over the phone but so far, there's been a lack of knowledge.

I'm not real sure just yet on the total lift I have gained. All my before and after measurements are all over the place. Some measurements say 4 1/2" while others say 1 3/4" SO IDK.

Now time to ***** a bit and ask for some HELP!!!!! First off the kit did not come with ANY directions or tid bits of knowledge/hints. Second the U bolts they sent were all 1/2" grade 8 (cool) but the front lower spring plates/shock mounts were 3/8" so I had to drill them out. Now causing the U bols to sit at an angle due to no longer having 1 3/4" spacing in between holes. 3rd they say I do NOT need longer brake lines with this kit but after installing the springs the axle will not reach the springs due to the brake lines. I was able to jack up the springs and get them mounted to the axles with out ripping off a brake line but I guess in my head when the Jeep flexes wont the brake lines be too short??? 4th the new springs have a spring wrap on them that is riveted on and is so perfectly placed right where the tie rod is (WAS). So now this is where I heed help. I can't turn my tires do to clearance issues. So I guess my question is can I "flip" the tie rod to the top side do a bit of drilling and call it good or do I replace it with some sort of after market high clearance tie rod. I have searched JF and earlyCJ5.com with no luck. Any HELP would be greatly appreciated.... Here are some pics.

 

Two options come to mind. The simplest would be to place spacers between the axle and the springs. That is the most common fix that I have seen. You can take the knuckle housings to a machine shop and have them weld up the holes for the tie rods and then re-drill them with the correct taper of bit from the top down. I have seen that done as well.

 

Simplest option. I for see 2 problems. 1 how do you get the leaf spring to axle perch nub thingie to line up. 2 I just lifted the Green machine to the point I had to also give the garage door a 2" lift to get it out. So more height might not be a good idea. haha Thanks for your ideas though!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As far as a machine shop that's not a bad idea. Thank you..DVW86

 

Do a search for "high steer" You could also have some brackets made that would do the same thing. Here is an example for a D44 front axle.

 

Search for "tie rod flip". A) Lift block fro the front are not generally accepted as a "safe" way to gain space. B) The high steer arms pictured above is only a small part of what needs to be done to do the conversion. For a true high steer setup expect to pay close to $1,000 when it's all said and done. Only worth the expece if you are doing a springover. AFAIK there are no high steer arms available for the D30 knuckles and there is no room on top of the 30's to machine a mount point for the high steer arms. Check out the tie rod flip option. Rather inexpensive to do and should get you where you want to be.

 

Check this out: http://www.goferitoffroad.com/products.htm

 

Thanks Posimoto!!!! I came across that product just a bit ago also. (from JF.com) The more I look at it and after an hour of searching options at Advanced Auto this afternoon. I'm feeling this is my best option!!!! Do you happen to know if the drag link end is the same as the tie rod???? Looks like it is to me. Now that I have the tie rod removed and can turn the wheels, I'm seeing that the drag link hits also. Gotta love CJ's when one solution pops up another challenge comes with it!!!!

 

Is 1 enough???? I really don't know I thought about just cutting the rivet moving it 1" forward and re-tack welding it back on. BUT with there customer service I could see one of the springs bomb shelling in 2 weeks and then being told YOUR SOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL