Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Rubi03 jef on May 12, 2009, 08:33:55 AM

Title: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 12, 2009, 08:33:55 AM
so i did an over night instal on my 4 inch ..

so now its been about 28 hours of being awake and im kinda tired

so its off to work i go

but the install wasnt to bad . a few things i had to look over a few times before it looked right
thanks to Neol  my lift is in and rides nice      needs an alinement and thats about it


pics will be up shortly
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: tubby on May 12, 2009, 09:02:08 AM
Jeff...my name is Noel! I can't believe you managed to butcher it. LOL!
Spellcheck is your friend. Look into it. Is it because you have had no sleep?
I didn't mind helping you. You don't have to take me out for beer. That is what friends are for. I just wish you didn't have such bad gas during the install. Gross! Lay off the poutine.
All kidding aside; your TJ looks awesome with the new lift.
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 12, 2009, 02:38:32 PM
ya its cuz im just so tired my spelling sucks sooooooo bad
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: WhiteOut on May 12, 2009, 02:47:00 PM
I was gonna help but no one called me :'(
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on May 12, 2009, 03:22:33 PM
I know ya just put in the lift... but what is your opinion on the initial quality of the lift and how easy it went together? Would you recommend the kit to someone else? How long did you have to wait to get it?

I have had one (4" RC X-series) on order for about a month now... its backordered... still waiting :-\
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 13, 2009, 10:40:39 PM
ya sorry Fraser i didn't call .. but i figured an over night install wouldn't fly so well since you do work during the day

as for the lift
its a bit rough but being my first lifted TJ i really don't know the difference
it wasn't to hard to install
drilling holes in the frame for the adjustable track bar was probably the hardest job to do . because they have to line up on both sides so mine arn't perfect but nothing a nice bead wouldn't fix  ;D

springs fit in with out having to compress them to much so that was nice
the read was simple as well same with the rear springs they fit in nice not hard to get into place
and its nice the passenger side rear uses a bigger spring (thicker steel) so it reduces the rear passenger squat

mine took a month to get here
apparently there selling like hot cakes and are on back order
i ordered mine from (lowriders   in surry BC )   never deal with them again
gave use the run around    we ordered 3 lifts and they just BS'd us for the last two weeks saying it was there and they were waiting on the driveshafts or it was at the boarder just waiting for pick up just BS

if i had to do it again i would go straight to RC

just double check your boxes make sure every bag and every box is there
mine was missing the bag of bushings for the control arms    lucky my buddy that ordered the other lift wasn't installing till next week so i stool his
and when i get mine ill give him it

from the 80km Ive put on it so far  it rides good ,corners OK ,not to much body role and I'm still running my stock drive shaft and i didnt have that much of a vibe
all i feel is my boggers so its good in my books  ;D ;D

i would suggest doing the lift on a weekend and making sure you have all the tools and parts before hand
i did mine over night so after being awake for 28 plus hours my mind was getting a bit tired and i was frustrated



Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: LAHAL on May 14, 2009, 12:21:07 AM
Hey Jeff, did you get the 2.2 shocks? I'm looking at this lift for my JK.
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Bnine on May 14, 2009, 09:22:58 AM
Bring my socket back yet?
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on May 14, 2009, 07:20:23 PM
I went through Lowriders in BC as well (put down a $750 deposit on April 18th)... everytime I call... its 10 days away ???

I bit the bullet and ordered the SYE & CV driveshaft. I really should cancel that and just see how it goes. Can always put that stuff in later.

Did u go with the upgraded shocks?

Thanx for sharing... nice to hear that I'm not waiting on a backordered POS  :P

Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: rangerdanger on May 14, 2009, 07:34:35 PM
I ordered direct from RC, got my lift delivered to the border in a week for free  ;D After wheeling for a year everything is sagged and the rear shocks are blown out. Thats after less than 500km of driving, 90% being offroad, but you get what you pay for  >:(
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on May 14, 2009, 07:53:48 PM
Do you have the new "X-series lift" with the rod end control arms?
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: LAHAL on May 14, 2009, 09:37:42 PM
where did you get it shipped to? border fee and tax are kicking my wallets arse.
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 14, 2009, 11:06:00 PM
yes i got the upgraded 2.2 shocks
and the new springs for the TJ are suspose to be alot better then what they used to be
but we will find out in the near future

ive been trying to get some answers out of RC as to why it took so long to get here ..as for lowriders they keep telling me my driveshaft will be here soon
well im getting kinda fed up

but once its here then i wont have to talk to them again

ill keep you all posted on how it all rides in the bush and flex tests when i get back to driving it
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on May 15, 2009, 12:24:22 PM
When I get mine... eventually... I shall update this thread as well.

Thanx.
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 15, 2009, 08:46:41 PM
right on .. message me if you have any other questions
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: FullMetalJeep on May 15, 2009, 09:22:59 PM
Jeff...my name is Noel!

hmm ... dated a french girl named Noel once....  :-*


wheres the pics?
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 15, 2009, 09:49:32 PM
how do i post ..
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on May 15, 2009, 11:08:22 PM
here are some build pics and pics of it done .. more to come

http://s596.photobucket.com/albums/tt43/TJRubicon04/
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on July 02, 2009, 09:30:48 PM
Well... I finally got it and did the install. Here are a few notes:

1) I went with the  4" Rough Country X-series lift, Rugged Ridge SYE and Tom Wood's CV driveshaft and didn't drop the Tcase. No vibration once SYE was installed.
2) 3 guys working fairly steady "got ur dun" in about 20 hours using basic air & hand tools
3) Kit went together pretty good (except for front track bar). All parts were there... nothing was missing.
4) Front track bar bracket in combination with the drilled holes & frame bushings design is kinda unrealistic. This is some fairly precise work being done by eye with fairly imprecise tools. I drilled the 17/32" holes and through bolted the track bar bracket. I didn't drill the 29/32" holes and install the frame bushings. If anythings works its way loose... I'll weld it in place. 
5) The spring compressor worked well on the front coils but for the rears we pretty much had to drop the diff... put in the springs and jack the diff into place... but that's not the kits fault.
6) Upgraded 2.2 shocks are a little stiff but not too bad
7) Vehicle drove straight and tracked very well before the 4 wheel alignment was completed. Not even a hint of death wobble. 
Ate) I went out wheelin with it once so far and I'm pretty happy. Articulation seems decent, no weird sounds and I didn't break anything
9) Checked all bolts when I got back... all were tight.
10) Checked ride height... no sagging and it sits level.
11) Greased everything... the only issue I have is with the driver side lower control arm "Johnny Joint". The only way it takes grease is if I loosen the control arm bolt... then the grease just squeezes out around the bolt & bracket. If I leave the bolt tight... the grease just hydraulics. Pretty sure the grease is not going where it needs to. The rod end is rebuildable... so I'm gonna pull it apart and see what the problem is. If I need a new one... I'll let ya know what RC customer service is like.

What would I do different?

1) Consider different shocks
2) Order direct from Rough Country and quiz them hard about when it is going to ship
3) Make sure you have all the "hard to find" tools like the 29/32" drill bit before you start (Only need if you are actually going to install frame bushings)
4) Budget 3.25 days to do the job (1/4 day... lay the kit out, build and grease control arms, get tools, get ready for people showing up to help. Day 1... front end. Day 2... Rear end, Day 3... SYE)
5) Build a drill bit guide (like valve guides in a cylinder head) that clamps to the frame for drilling the 17/32" (though both sides of the frame) & 29/32" holes (through one side of the frame) so they can be precisely located. Having said that... so far so good with my 17/32" only holes & no frame bushings ???

Thats all I got :)
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on July 02, 2009, 11:26:17 PM
ok my review

its been 6 weeks or so .

everything is still tight  . no sage . nothing broken . still running stock drive shaft but i carry the tom woods in the back seat incase i need it .

with the motor mount lift and body lift and 4 inch xseries i get 5 1/4 inch in total lift and shes level

the rear passenger side spring gets rid of the arse end sinking when getting on the gas peddle . i didnt change the pipmen arm . was told not to and i have NO death wobble at all

fits 33 inch tire with space to clear .

after offraoding it 3 times now its been great . except that the rear springs almost fall out when at full drop . and the front springs come out of the guide holes on the bottom at full drop

the install wasnt to bad

like i said took 12 hours 2 guys everything in .
the biggest problem or should say the dumbest [art was drilling hole in the frame for the front track bar relocate . its not precise at all and i had to make one hole bigger so the bolt would line up with the other side . just tightened it even more and it hasnt moved .. if it does then like buddy said just weld her in place

the directions mention to install the track bar with the bend down . but when installed like that it interfiers with the diff cover when the driver side it tucked . so i had to flip it and place it in bend over the diff

any questions just ask
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on July 03, 2009, 07:06:17 AM
I changed the pitman arm... no one told me not to and it came with the kit. No adverse results were noted after install.

It is probably worth noting that... If you are doing your own work... some of this stuff like the pitman arm, big arse hard to drill frame bushings holes, SYE, etc... can always be done at a later date depending on what you get for results. There is no law saying you have to do it all at once.

In my case... I had a wicked vibration from the rear drive shaft... so I am glad I bit the bullet and had the SYE and CV driveshaft sitting there. If not... it could have been a week or two wait buying on-line or "potentially" pay a premium to buy at a local shop to "potentially" get it right away. These are tough situations/choices when you are itching to "git ur out in the mud".

Hope this helps...
 
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: S-FLY on July 03, 2009, 07:57:34 AM
Nice rig!  I think Sprockett and I saw you and a couple other jeeps at McLean store last weekend?
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: S-FLY on July 03, 2009, 07:58:23 AM
hmm ... dated a french girl named Noel once....  :-*

Me too.  :D
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: JackstandJohnny on July 03, 2009, 11:38:35 AM


after offraoding it 3 times now its been great . except that the rear springs almost fall out when at full drop . and the front springs come out of the guide holes on the bottom at full drop
 

simple fix jeff. build spring post extensions...... same problem with my ZJ.......... what i did was grab some 2 1/4" exhaust tube from crappy tires, fitted it on posts (part inside the coil on the frame..... i made a 7" sleeve and bolted it through...... its not ridiculously tough, but all it has to do is stop an uncompressed coil from falling........
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on July 03, 2009, 07:21:41 PM
simple fix jeff. build spring post extensions...... same problem with my ZJ.......... what i did was grab some 2 1/4" exhaust tube from crappy tires, fitted it on posts (part inside the coil on the frame..... i made a 7" sleeve and bolted it through...... its not ridiculously tough, but all it has to do is stop an uncompressed coil from falling........

thanks .. good tip ..
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: muffintop on July 04, 2009, 08:29:45 PM
Bit of a rookie question... but have people actually had coil springs fall out while wheelin? That would make for a fairly crappy day ???
Title: Re: 4 inch rough country install
Post by: Rubi03 jef on July 05, 2009, 05:39:32 PM
Bit of a rookie question... but have people actually had coil springs fall out while wheelin? That would make for a fairly crappy day ???

i have and all i did was get to the flat .. pull out the high lifter and lift the truck stick it back in and lower her down