YJ Springs install question

I am well over the two year mark installing my wrangler suspension. I just don't move all that fast any more I guess. Anyway, I think I have encountered a problem. I pretty much followed the instructions on the laid out in the tech pages.

Now I have an issue that I am not sure how to address. I know I have multiple options but I am curious what others have done.

I used a BDS 4.5" lift kit for my parts. In that kit they use a 3.5" lift spring with a 1" lift shackle. I used CJ spring mounts at the center ends. I used the front hole of the original mount in the front hole of the new mount for alignment. (front end) In the kit was a drop pitman arm that puts the drag link almost parallel with the tie rod.

My issue;
With the wheels centered and the steering box centered the pitman arm is barely clear of the tie rod. It looks (I haven't confirmed) that upon spring compression that the tie rod will move forward enough to contact the pitman arm. (or the TRE)

My thoughts on a cure;
I figure I could either move the axle rear ward or move the steering forward. Neither looks like a pleasant option... Of course I welded the mounts after I bolted it all together. I also have a bumper/winch mount on the front that would have to be cut off to access the steering box mounts.

How have others addressed the issue of steering on the intermediates after installing the wrangler springs? I am inclined to cut the spring mounts back off and move them back an inch. That would align the axle back with the divet in the bump stop from axle contact.

 

I finally convinced myself that I just had to dig in and do something. So the first thing I did was a spring compression test to see just exactly where it sat upon compression. The pictures tell the story. I already have one mount cut off. Will be cutting the second one off in the morning. Not sure yet if I am going to replace the mounts again or just fix up, and clean up what I just cut off. More work but i have them....

I found that the string and plumb bob test wasn't very accurate. In fact, not even close. With the spring compressed the axle was well forward of the bump stop. About 2 inches. I haven't measured it all out yet but it looks like I can use the rear most stock hole from the original spring mount for the front hole on my new mount. I am going to bolt it together using that hole and compress the spring again to see how it lines up on the bump stop. I am sure one inch would be plenty to cure my pitman arm woes but I will probably go two.

 

I hope you didn't buy those u bolts at pep Boys. I purchased a set, thinking they were grade 8. Due to the gold color, but the threads stripped before they even got tight. Then I went to a spring company, and they told me that grade 5 is what I should be using. just the word to the wise, should those u bolts come from pep boys.
Doug/Tucson

 

Thanks for the input Doug. The U bolts were part of the BDS kit... I have the same ones on Black Jeep. They have been beat to submission by rocks. I have one that is bent at a pretty good angle but still hanging in there. I was a tad slow in getting the cut off. Lesson learned, no wheeling on new U bolts until the excess is trimmed off!

 

Interesting when I was running the stock tierod and drag link with a drop pitman arm in that configuration I never had a broblem. It was not until I had a custom tierod and drag link made that they started interfering. In may case its not a big deal. I switched to Heims instead of TRE's. The bolt contacts the tie rod at full compression but does not interfere with steering at all.

 

I have it pretty much fixed. Just need to finish up. Mounts are bolted in with one bolt on each. I cut about an inch off the shackles while I had it apart. I am sure I will have plenty of clearance now. I ended up using the rear hole from the original mounts for the front hole on the new mounts. It was three inches that I moved it back. Given that the new springs are about 6" longer than the old ones I guess that makes sense...

 

I used Rubicon Epxress Cj to YJ conversion springs for the front not YJ liftsprings. That is probably why I did not have that problem. I did move my front hangers forward a couple of inches to increase the wheel base and still did not have any interferance issues.