Help a rookie out

[lhc_cj7]

It's a 96 4x4, 3rd owner, 120k miles, auto, 4.0, my son's first vehicle but doesn't have his permit yet, and lifted. I can turn a wrench pretty good but I know little of suspensions and what to look for, right now anyways.

I'm not sure of the lift but looks like about 4", maybe you can help? Not even sure what kit or when it was put on. Anyway, reading this forum I finally was able to figure out what to call the tilted front tires, negative camber. The PO put on new 33's and I want to keep them in good shape.

Here's what I've done. Took it in several weeks ago to a local shop with a specality in suspensions. He looked at it and said he could make adjustments with the bushings. So I pick it up and he told me the spring spacers helped with the caster and camber along with adjusting the bushings. Which it did, the neg camber is gone. What do I know? I took the d-side wheel off to change the wheel bearings and found this.

The d-side spring is twisted/tweeked

Soooo, are the spacers a common practice? What else could be done? Did this guy pull one over on me?

The shocks are Dick Cepeck but what do you think of the springs?

As far as the some of the front components go, are these OEM

It has a dropped pitman and the guy put on a new inner and outer tie rods on the p-side. It also has a 1" body lift. It drove straight before but since the adjustments fades to the right while driving and pulls hard right when braking. I want to hold off on the alignment until I feel comfortable with this fix. Does this look like a complete lift kit from years ago? Would things be better off by updating to a new kit?

So help a rookie out, I plan on going back to the shop Friday to chat with the owner and want to sound intelligent.

Thanks

 

[pillen140]

the spring is normal, its not twisted, its lifted. measure that bump stop extention someone cobbled on there, that will probably give you an idea of how much lift was put on. the springs may be worn, making the camber off? that would explain the rubber bumper in the spring. idk? but those are some big springs.

 

[dogboy]

I'd say ditch that spacer, that's scary lookin!!!

I'd say See how much that spacer lifted the truck, and put in the same amount of washer/ spacer UNDER the coil (coil spacer/ leveling kit). In my opninion putting things like that IN the coil is a very bad idea, and dangerous too. By putting a spacer UNDER the coil on the mounting bolt, you really aren't harming anything and you get the ame effect just in a much safer way.

I put washers under my coils and they work fine. Ideally you'd get an actually leveing kit, but with the washers, you can change the ride hight if you want (add/ remove washers).

The Technical Library (link at the top of the screen) has a few things on leving washers/ spacers.

That's just my 2 cents worth.

 

[pillen140]

I'd say ditch that spacer, that's scary lookin!!!

I'd say See how much that spacer lifted the truck, and put in the same amount of washer/ spacer UNDER the coil (coil spacer/ leveling kit). In my opninion putting things like that IN the coil is a very bad idea, and dangerous too. By putting a spacer UNDER the coil on the mounting bolt, you really aren't harming anything and you get the ame effect just in a much safer way.

I put washers under my coils and they work fine. Ideally you'd get an actually leveing kit, but with the washers, you can change the ride hight if you want (add/ remove washers).

The Technical Library (link at the top of the screen) has a few things on leving washers/ spacers.

That's just my 2 cents worth.

x2. i have 2inch spacers under my springs(fatbobsgarage.com), those spacers you have there, create pressure points on the coil, causing it to break easy, and compress oddly.

 

[pillen140]

or.... jack up the front of the truck(without the stupid spacers) enough to make the camber "look" straight, then measure difference. then use correct spacers, it will be easier to align that way... if ithe front is higher than the rear, you could always get add-a-leafs for $50 for the rear.

 

[canyoncritter]

go back to the shop and smack the guy up side the head. Those spacers are junk, they will pop out if you take it off road or flex it out etc.

you need a new pair of springs. if you can measure your traction beams/axle piviot brackets we can tell you if its a 4 or 6 inch lift brckets. IF you can get some pics of the traction beam piviot brackets we might even be able to tell you what brand it is.


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whats hitting the driveshaft yoke , looks like marks on the u joint.

 

[pillen140]

or look at the radius arm drop bracket. measure lower bolt to upper bolt??

 

[BlackBII]

Take the 'spacer' out stat! They can go flyin out and or bust a spring, it's happened to a buddy of mine, like forementioned, get a spacer Under the spring to level out the suspension if the springs have sagged.

The radius arms and brackets are OEM, but the drop bracket, the one between the Rad Arm bracket and the frame, are not, they are part of the lift.

Looky Here

Probably best to use the 'Washer' method, as it looks like you don't need to much lift, these spacers usually only come in 1-1/2" to 2", looks like your need about a 3/4 to 1 inch or so, if that

 

[pillen140]

if only he would reply.

 

[lhc_cj7]

if only he would reply.

Ok Ok OK. I'm still try to understand the measurements and such. Lots of good info. I will take the spacers out this weekend and go with the spacers.


jack up the front of the truck(without the stupid spacers) enough to make the camber "look" straight, then measure difference.

What measurement am I taking here? From ???? to ????? Please stay with me on this until I get it.

I will post some pics of the front in the a.m.

 

[lhc_cj7]

So are these the points you guys are talking about to mearure??

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Spring2003/TTBTuning.htm

 

[canyoncritter]

if you need a smaller spacer than the 1.5 or 2 inch spacers. look in to sperical washers, the female half's they are about 3/4 of a inch in height, and run about $16 each for the normal steel ones.


if you can measure your brackets like so

and your piviots like so

 

[canyoncritter]

after taking a close look looks to have a "drop plate" lift kit. BDS and trailmaster are the two companys I know that make a drop plate kit.

 

[lhc_cj7]

As far as the order of parts go, is it bushing, spacer and then spring?

Take the 'spacer' out stat! They can go flyin out and or bust a spring, it's happened to a buddy of mine, like forementioned, get a spacer Under the spring to level out the suspension if the springs have sagged.

The radius arms and brackets are OEM, but the drop bracket, the one between the Rad Arm bracket and the frame, are not, they are part of the lift.

Looky Here

Probably best to use the 'Washer' method, as it looks like you don't need to much lift, these spacers usually only come in 1-1/2" to 2", looks like your need about a 3/4 to 1 inch or so, if that

 

[lhc_cj7]

canyoncritter

Your measurement points will give me an indication of the original lift height????