Topic: Losing the body lift...

[YJWralph]

Hey all!  It's time to get rid of my body lift and t-case drop.  Along with a new tranny, SYE, possibly 8.8, I want to add a couple inches to the suspension and ditch the body lift.  My Heep had the BL when I bought it, so my question is am I going to need to replace engine mounts and radiator mounts as well?  How about the steering shaft and brake lines?  I live in kind of a remote area so I'd like to have everything I will need here and ready to go!  TIA! 

[grumpygy]

How big is your body lift.  Brake lines will depend on how big you go with the suspension lift.

[Jeffy]

Hey all!  It's time to get rid of my body lift and t-case drop.  Along with a new tranny, SYE, possibly 8.8, I want to add a couple inches to the suspension and ditch the body lift.  My Heep had the BL when I bought it, so my question is am I going to need to replace engine mounts and radiator mounts as well?  How about the steering shaft and brake lines?  I live in kind of a remote area so I'd like to have everything I will need here and ready to go!  TIA! 

Unless they lowered the radiator, it will move down with the body.  It's bolted to the grill.  I doubt they raised the engine.  You're removing it all so everything should go back to normal.  The steering shaft will colapse like it's supposed to.  If they used brakeline extensions then those will have to be watched but really, they usually jsut pill the lines further out and have them bolted to flanges that stick out further.    If the body lift was 3" then the fuel filler hose may have been cut and an piece of pipe added.  If it's 2" or lower then it might not have.  You might want to loosen the clamps on the fuel neck once you lower the body.

Pics would he helpful.  Pics of the front brakeline at the frame where it passes the shock towner and connects to the rubber line.  A pic of the radiator.  It should be as high as the grill itself.  A pic of the lift puck.  If it's a 1" lift then there might not be OEM mounts and it probably wouldn't be worth it to remove them.  2-3" generally use pucks.  Oh and you'll have to buy all new bolts and washers.  This is a good idea anyway as most YJ's will have eroded bolts that are probably unsafe.

[YJWralph]

Thanks, guys!  It's a 3" body lift.  Nothing was changed with the fuel filler and vent lines-I have stock replacements for those.  I've had my steering shaft out twice to replace the steering bearing, cup, and retainer.  It has been stretched out so hard it will not collapse anymore.  I've tried in a vice with a dead blow to no avail...  As for the brake lines, I can pick up some bulk flexible line, I suppose.

It has a 2.5" suspension lift right now.  I want to go with a 4.5" suspension lift and remove the 3" body lift, as well as get rid of the 1.5"? T-case drop.  This should give me better ground clearance while lowering my COG...  I hope.  It's really the removal of the t-case drop that is worrying me about the engine mounts...  By raising the tranny and transfer case, would that not change the angle of the engine? 

I can't take pics right now as I am in a work camp for another week and the Heep's at home, but I will look through my phone and photobucket to see if I have any...

[Jeffy]

Thanks, guys!  It's a 3" body lift.  Nothing was changed with the fuel filler and vent lines-I have stock replacements for those.  I've had my steering shaft out twice to replace the steering bearing, cup, and retainer.  It has been stretched out so hard it will not collapse anymore.  I've tried in a vice with a dead blow to no avail...  As for the brake lines, I can pick up some bulk flexible line, I suppose.

It has a 2.5" suspension lift right now.  I want to go with a 4.5" suspension lift and remove the 3" body lift, as well as get rid of the 1.5"? T-case drop.  This should give me better ground clearance while lowering my COG...  I hope.  It's really the removal of the t-case drop that is worrying me about the engine mounts...  By raising the tranny and transfer case, would that not change the angle of the engine? 

I can't take pics right now as I am in a work camp for another week and the Heep's at home, but I will look through my phone and photobucket to see if I have any...

Most brakelines are relocated on the cheap.  Like I said before they usually jsut pull the line further down and put an extension on it.  If it's in the stock location then it should be bolted to the frame.  You can relocate the hardline so you don't have to buy new lines and have about 4-6" of additional length.  There's a post in the FAQ I think.  You could also buy OE lines for a C/K20.  That's also in teh FAQ or somewhere on the forums.

The biggest difference you should see is that now you'll be able to reach the shifters.  The engine will pivot on the engine mounts if you remove the transfer case shims.  But like I said, you'll have to check and see if the radiator or fan shroud was moved.  It's not a big deal though.

[sharpxmen]

usually you relocate the fan shroud, when i did my 1'' b/l i used self tapping screws to move the shroud up 1'', you probably just need to do the same backwards.

[grumpygy]

usually you relocate the fan shroud, when i did my 1'' b/l i used self tapping screws to move the shroud up 1'', you probably just need to do the same backwards.

That is what I had to do when I went Electric and moved everything back.

[Bounty Hunter]

Shouldn't have needed a TC drop with only 2.5" of lift, let along 1.5" TC spacers 

[YJWralph]

Thanks for the replies, guys.  Well due to exterminating circumstances beyond my control, I have to spend as little as possible on my Heep.  I'm going to have to live with the body lift for now.  I am going to replace my clutch and rebuild the tranny so I can wheel at least.  So, Bounty Hunter, I can safely ditch the t-case drop without worries of vibration or shitting out the slip yoke? 

[Bounty Hunter]

So, Bounty Hunter, I can safely ditch the t-case drop without worries of vibration or shitting out the slip yoke? 

In most cases, yes.  A TC drop isn't generally needed with a moderate lift on a 2.5L Wrangler.  Every Jeep is different so be sure to check the amount of slipyoke spline engagement with the TC drop removed.

Your breakover angle will thank you

[YJWralph]

Your breakover angle will thank you

True that.  Been hung up once or twice...

What would be the best way to check the spline engagement?

[Bounty Hunter]

You can usually see the shiny section of the slipyoke where it used to engage the seal.  Or measure the slipyoke from the ujoint and measure again once installed.