Back from paint and ready for lift install

Well I got the Jeep back from Maaco on wednsday. Not a bad paint job. I will use them again.

I started the lift on thursday. I decided to start with the front. I had to remove the track bar, sway bar links, tie rod ends, center link, and shocks. I used some advice I read on another site. Loosen the control arm bolts. I had the jack stands on the frame, and the front axle was as low as the control arms would let it go. I used a floor jack to lift the driver side of the axle and the passengerside dropped a little more, just enough to slip the spring out. remember to remove the srping retaining bolt.You might want to use a braker bar to convince the spring to come out. Repeat for the other side. jack up the passenger side and the drivers side will lower enough to remove the spring. once both springs were removed I installed Warrior tubular upper and lower control arms. then installed the new front springs. They will install the same way you removed them.

day 2

I decided to replace the ball joints, all tie rod ends and center link, and I used polyurathine bushings. Be sure to rent or purchase a good ball joint press. Do not use a hammer!! the press is the way to go. I rented one from Advance auto. I also used the press to replace the front axle u joints. Another tool you might want is a copper sweating torch.( butane torch) I used that to heat the nuts to ease removel. Also, PB penatraiting oil or liquid wrench to spray on the nuts and bolt will help.

Day 3

the dreaded rear suspension.

Let’s start with the shackle to frame bolt.Remove the bumper and there is a small access hole where you can see the end of the bolt. (If you have a hitch, like I do you’ll have to remove it to do this)Spray down with PB or liquid wrench, do the other side. Wait a little while and spray down again. Then I used my copper sweating torch to heat up the end of the bolt by the nut. Get it smoking hot. Then use a big breaker bar and remove. This works if your bolts are not rusted to the sleeve. Before I did any of this I tried to move the bolts with a breaker bar and no luck, after I did this the bolts came right out.

The shackle to spring bolts. Spray the nut down with PB, wait and spray again.Heat the nut with a torch and it comes right off. (Only if your sleeves are not stuck to the bolts)

Now the real task is the front spring eye bolts. Mine were rusted to the sleeve. I did not want to cut into the frame, so this is how I went at it.I cut the spring as close as I could to the eye. Then I rotated the bolt 180 degrees so the spring eye opening is up and I made another cut, and cut the spring eye in half.The next thing I did was to cut the metal skin off the bushing, this requires 2 cuts.I pulled the metal skin off, and then used a razor knife to cut the bushing off. This required 2 cuts. Pulled the rubber bushing out and now we have the sleeve. As I was turning the bolt I noticed the sleeve has line in it from where it was rolled and pressed together.So I opened the hole up using my dermal and a cut off wheel. Then I sprayed it down with bp. Because I bellied it open the PB was able to get inside onto the bolt.After that sat for a while and numerous spraying with the Pb, I put the torch under it and heated it up till it was smoking hot, I kept the torch on it and use my impact gun tighten and loosen. You’re going to want to loosen it till it starts pushing the spring mount out then tighten it. I did this about 10 or more times till the bolt came out. You might have to grab the sleeve with some channel locks or vise grips once it backs out past the bolt.There you have it. Not cutting to the body or frame, just a little extra time.