[elks96]

How hard will it be to do a suspension swap on my Cj using just hand tools? I only have a small compressor and no impact gun. If I use lots of PB blaster and start soaking nuts now, will it go easier? The bolts are all teh originals in a 85 CJ 7, but over all teh jeep has very little rust.

I have a small garage, and a pretty good set of hand tools. Think it can be done? If not there is a shop intown that will install for around $350.

PS I have the RE 2.5 lift .

[hdroadkingc]

It can be done. It will take longer, but you need to take you time on things like that anyway. Good luck on the project.

[ReconRabbit]

Great idea to start soaking them now. I BFH will come in handy as well as an angle grinder on stubborn bolts.

[illinicj]

I did it on my 79. Some bolts are tough, but you can get them. Just get a breaker bar or pipe to fit over your wrench. Or buy new bolts and just cut the ones you can't budge.

[elks96]

Originally Posted by nzirbel

Great idea to start soaking them now. I BFH will come in handy as well as an angle grinder on stubborn bolts.

So is a BFh mean a beer free hand? Not sure if I will come across one of those in the garage. LOL! Have the grinder for sure.

[ademster]

BFH = big f*cking Hammer.

[crusty75]

I'd keep a propane torch handy also. Useful for heating rusty bolts in combo with a PB presoak, burning out old bushings, etc. Also, my compressor is nothing great, Has a little 6gal pancake tank, only puts out about 5.2 cfm @ 90psi. A cheapie impact works great. Usually only need to be on the trigger of an impact gun for a few seconds, so it's not like trying to run an air sander or something that runs all the time. Most any old home depot compressor will run one for 30 sec or so, then ya gotta wait. PB, heat, quick pop with the impact has always gotten the job done on my 33 yr old heap...Harbor Freight for a cheapie gun.

[bluwtrsurfr]

i put my lift on with only hand tools and a dremel for cutting the Ubolts...it took me around 4 hours to do the whole lift...but theres nothing like stepping back and saying...I did that...IMO

[John Strenk]

A lot of the times it's not the nuts that are the problem but the sleeve in the bushing that gets siezed on the bolt and you can't pull out the bolt becuase the sleeve won't fit through the hole in the hanger. Even with an impact the rubber sleeve will just suck up the impact blows and never loosen up. Twisting the bolt will shear the rubber off. Then you have to cut the bolt out.

Sometimes you can pound them out, sometimes you can't.

[JeepHammer]

As long as your 'Hand Tools' include an electric angle grider and cut off disc and/or a Saws-All and you are getting new 'U' bolts in the kit you will be fine...

"Armstrong" isn't the ideal way to get all those suspension bolts loose, but it will work.

GET GOOD JACK STANDS!
At about $20 a set at Wally-World, there is no reason NOT to have good jack stands!
You will probably need AT LEAST 2 sets, one of the frame, one for the axle...

Safety FIRST!
We don't want to read about any Jeeper in the 'Darwin Awards' where it tried to use a concrete block or lawn chair to hold up the vehicle!

[Slawth]

When removing 25+ yr old suspension components that are being replaced anyway, I too am a big fan of the ol' hotwrench. Whether to use with the PB/ heat routine or to burn out the old rubber spring eye bushings. Less time, less strain, less yanking on a Jeep sitting on jack stands.

[Hybrid Jeep]

I had to use an angle grinder to cut the old U-Bolts... also.. a big pain was getting the pivot bolts out. I needed the BFH.. a punch.. and a punch holder. Oh and a friend to hold the punch holder / punch. You really need to wind up and smack it to get those pivot bolts out! Helps if the friend trusts you enough too!

[81Sparky]

+2 on Crusty75: Cheap harbor freight impact wrench has been my best friend!!

[80cj]

Not a problem. I've been fooling with my Jeep suspension off and on for the last year or so. No power tools, all hand tools and I'm not a big guy. I was lucky that my spring pivot bolts were not frozen to the bushings. That's normally the biggest PIA. I guess it depends a lot on where you're located. If they salt the roads a lot, I guess sutff will be corroded and difficult to remove. No problem here.

[JoonHoss]

for a 'simple' set-up like a CJ, I'd much rather invest a few hundred in additional tools 9for myself), and turn it into a DIY project than pay the same for a one-time quickie at a local shop.

I did one of my previous YJ's at home, by myself, with only hand tools, just under 3 hours, and believe it or not, the hardest part was getting the new sock bushings on over the studs.

Hoss