Leveling kit and shock extensions? Help please

Petzl88

Petzl88

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Staff members:

I installed a Teraflex leveling kit a little over a year ago on my JK unlimited. I read that the poly spacers would compress but I didnt think they would compress this soon, especially without any additional weight in the front. I purchased some 2" billet aluminum coil spring spacers for the front so I can replace the piece of chit Teraflex polycrapurethane spacers. The Teraflex spacers are not as robust as the industry would expect them to be.

With that said, I also purchased some front 2" bump stops and the Synergy front shock extension brackets. I thought they were 2" extensions, but I measured them tonight and they are 3" extensions.

Am I going to have issues with the front shocks being 3" longer with the extensions? I am not interested in installing new frint drive shaft, exhaust crossover, etc.

Please advise.

Gracias me companeros.
 
Petzl88 said:
Staff members:

I installed a Teraflex leveling kit a little over a year ago on my JK unlimited. I read that the poly spacers would compress but I didnt think they would compress this soon, especially without any additional weight in the front. I purchased some 2" billet aluminum coil spring spacers for the front so I can replace the piece of chit Teraflex polycrapurethane spacers. The Teraflex spacers are not as robust as the industry would expect them to be.

With that said, I also purchased some front 2" bump stops and the Synergy front shock extension brackets. I thought they were 2" extensions, but I measured them tonight and they are 3" extensions.

Am I going to have issues with the front shocks being 3" longer with the extensions? I am not interested in installing new frint drive shaft, exhaust crossover, etc.

Please advise.

Gracias me companeros.
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With my setup I tore/melted the boot on my front shaft. 3" longer than stock front shocks with EVO leveling coils. What year is your Jeep? What size tires are you running? What fenders?
 
Good info

Thanks for the information. I have a 2012 JKU with 285/70/17 Duratracs with stock fenders. I will be adding 2" front bumpstops. From what you said, it sounds like I should leave off the shock extensions.
 
Petzl88 said:
Staff members:

I installed a Teraflex leveling kit a little over a year ago on my JK unlimited. I read that the poly spacers would compress but I didnt think they would compress this soon, especially without any additional weight in the front. I purchased some 2" billet aluminum coil spring spacers for the front so I can replace the piece of chit Teraflex polycrapurethane spacers. The Teraflex spacers are not as robust as the industry would expect them to be.
Click to expand...

Are you really so sure it was the spacers that compressed? Were you running bump stop extensions with your leveling kit? If not, more than likely, you've over compressed your coils and that is the real source of what you are seeing now.

With that said, I also purchased some front 2" bump stops and the Synergy front shock extension brackets. I thought they were 2" extensions, but I measured them tonight and they are 3" extensions.

Am I going to have issues with the front shocks being 3" longer with the extensions? I am not interested in installing new frint drive shaft, exhaust crossover, etc.
Click to expand...

3" extensions is only 1/2" longer than a standard 2.5" extension that is commonly found in most BB kits and I think you will be okay with this. Anything longer and you might have some issues.
 
Thanks

wayoflife said:
Are you really so sure it was the spacers that compressed? Were you running bump stop extensions with your leveling kit? If not, more than likely, you've over compressed your coils and that is the real source of what you are seeing now.



3" extensions is only 1/2" longer than a standard 2.5" extension that is commonly found in most BB kits and I think you will be okay with this. Anything longer and you might have some issues.
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Thanks for chiming in Eddie. I really appreciate your help.

I measured the bottom 1" spacer while on my Jeep and it is slightly smaller than 1", maybe by 0.2". There could be some human error in the measuring though. I am going to pull them off this weekend so I will be able to say for sure if they compressed. I have lost about 0.5" of lift on the front.

I didn't even think about overcompressing the coils! That could be part of the issue. I don't have bumpstop extensions on there now. Do you think that I could have overcompressed the coils without disconnecting from the sway bar? I have never really flexed it out, just done easy mountain trails in Colorado, forest roads and rocky high mountain trails that typically don't require much articulation.
 
Petzl88 said:
I measured the bottom 1" spacer while on my Jeep and it is slightly smaller than 1", maybe by 0.2". There could be some human error in the measuring though. I am going to pull them off this weekend so I will be able to say for sure if they compressed. I have lost about 0.5" of lift on the front.
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Okay, let's take a step back for just a minute. When you installed your spacers, did you make sure to keep your factory rubber isolators installed and sandwiched between the spacer and your coils? If not, that might be where your problem is. I can't see how you'd be able to "measure" your spacer if it were installed correctly, a better part of it would be hidden under the upper spring perch.

I didn't even think about overcompressing the coils! That could be part of the issue. I don't have bumpstop extensions on there now. Do you think that I could have overcompressed the coils without disconnecting from the sway bar? I have never really flexed it out, just done easy mountain trails in Colorado, forest roads and rocky high mountain trails that typically don't require much articulation.
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Assuming everything was in fact installed correctly and with the factory rubber isolator, yes, it is possible to still over compress your coils as your factory setup is designed to make contact with the bump stop WITH the sway bar links in place. The primary purpose of bump stops is to help prevent the over compression of coils.
 
I reinstalled the factory rubber isolators just like you did in your Teraflex Budget Boost writeup. I turned the steering wheel to the side and slid a plastic ruler and eyeballed the bottom 1" spacer thickness, and it was less than 1". I can't see the top 1" spacer because it is hidden by the upper spring perch surround. I guess I will see this weekend and let you know, but I am concerned that I did overcompress the coils now. Crap.

Thanks Eddie.:thumb:
 
Reading this thread seems to explain what I am experiencing with my JKUR as well. I bought it used with a BB and 35s. The front doesnt seem to sit as high as it's supposed to and the springs just didnt look right to me. I can literally make from front bumpstops touch just by pressing down on the bumper. This picture is as it sits normally. Is this overcompression of the coils?

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Thank you Eddie!!!

You were exactly right Eddie. I pulled everything off my jeep yesterday and found that the spacers did not compress (only 1/8", negligible), the front sagging was due to overcompressing the coils without bumpstops. I lost total of 1".

I replaced my 17 stock coils with some 18 coils and buttoned it back up, with bumpstops of course. Thanks a lot for your help!
 
Petzl88 said:
You were exactly right Eddie. I pulled everything off my jeep yesterday and found that the spacers did not compress (only 1/8", negligible), the front sagging was due to overcompressing the coils without bumpstops. I lost total of 1".

I replaced my 17 stock coils with some 18 coils and buttoned it back up, with bumpstops of course. Thanks a lot for your help!
Click to expand...

Glad to hear I was able to help and that you got your lift back up to where it should be again :cool:
 
Petzl88 said:
You were exactly right Eddie. I pulled everything off my jeep yesterday and found that the spacers did not compress (only 1/8", negligible), the front sagging was due to overcompressing the coils without bumpstops. I lost total of 1".

I replaced my 17 stock coils with some 18 coils and buttoned it back up, with bumpstops of course. Thanks a lot for your help!
Click to expand...

Glad you got it figured out! You didn't happen to take any pictures along the way did you?
 
So after reading this thread, I realized that I did not reinstall my factory rubber isolaters after I installed my AEV budget boost. This was two years ago, should I be looking for any kind of issues/reinstalling them?
Thanks
 
12-mile said:
So after reading this thread, I realized that I did not reinstall my factory rubber isolaters after I installed my AEV budget boost. This was two years ago, should I be looking for any kind of issues/reinstalling them?
Thanks
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No issues but you really should reinstall them.
 
IBeHeWhoIsJoshua said:
Glad you got it figured out! You didn't happen to take any pictures along the way did you?
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I didn't take any pictures along the way. I bought some 2" aluminum spacers from Rokmen Offroad here in Denver because I thought the Teraflex spacers already compressed. I ended up putting those on along with 2" bumpstops and JKS quick disconnects.
 
wayoflife said:
Glad to hear I was able to help and that you got your lift back up to where it should be again :cool:
Click to expand...

Sorry to jump in here Eddie, just wondering with my recent OME 2" lift on my JKUR should I be thinking about extending my stock bumpstops to avoid the over compression problem?
 
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