RE 5.5LA complete...almost

barry1me · 03-12-2007, 10:06 PM

I finished the Long arm kit this weekend. Total time to install 18hours..including down time. This was done by me and and another buddy who have never really done a full suspension kit. a few little issues..HOPEFULLY! I have a 8.8 in my TJ, and I have some questions. I bought the jeep used with the 8.8 already in it. I put all the control arms to length that RE recomends for the 5.5 LA kit. I have two issues right now. Worst of all it makes the jeep look terrible: mad:

1) the rake of the vehicle is huge. The rear is 3.25 inches higher then the front. Granted I dont have the rear bumper carrier on yet, or the spare....but 3.25"

2) the axle is not centered in the fenderwell. And I dont think I have many options. I have about 1" clearance from the driverside shock shaft and the gas tank, and the track bar is close to the gas tank.

Update: The rear end has settled quite a bit since I added the weight in the back, and flexed out the suspension. The rear axle is centered perfect in the fenderwell. Now with the new Monotube shocks this thing rides great. I have to give Rubicon express's customer service a big thumbs up!

**numchuck** · 03-12-2007, 11:24 PM

your tire carrier and spare will help alot to balance out the weight of your winch on the front . . . better to be high in back than low . . . could you improve the clearance of your rear shocks and track bar by adjusting the pinion angle ?

**ziaholic** · 03-12-2007, 11:32 PM

Looks great! Feels good to get those ol' shorty's outta' there ...

Rake ... hmmm ... r u sure the springs in the front are the right ones? Your pic is on an incline, so it's hard to tell how bad it is flat ...

Which axle's not centered? I'm tri-link in the rear, so not much help with measurements etc. but you can mostly eyeball the rear alignment by adjusting the track-bar and shorten/lengthen the arms half-turns at a time ...

**JeepRocks86** · 03-13-2007, 12:03 AM

are you sure you got the 5.5 coils in the rear and not the 7.5s?

**ziaholic** · 03-13-2007, 12:08 AM

Here's a shot of the 5.5's next to the stock ones ...

imbezol · 03-13-2007, 04:16 AM

Yeah, this looks a little bit ridiculous. Sure it's only 3.25 inches? Looks like more.

Front and back tires are equidistant from the bottom of the picture so this is dead level.

raskull · 03-13-2007, 04:43 AM

Just kind of stabbing in the dark here, maybe someone else can offer some input that has a 8.8.

Perhaps the 8.8 is higher than the d35/d44 where the shock mounts are? The kit is intended for the stock axles, and maybe they offer different springs for 8.8 owners?

**sduncan** · 03-13-2007, 06:10 AM

I'm guessing that you got the wrong rear springs. Those look like the 7.5s.

barry1me · 03-13-2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepRocks86

are you sure you got the 5.5 coils in the rear and not the 7.5s?

that was my first thought...checked part numbers and Im running the 6070 rears (5.5) and the 6040 fronts (5.5)

Quote:

Originally Posted by numchuck

your tire carrier and spare will help alot to balance out the weight of your winch on the front . . . better to be high in back than low . . . could you improve the clearance of your rear shocks and track bar by adjusting the pinion angle ?

yeah I know the tire carrier will help some. I adjusted the lower control arms 5/8" longer last night. Havent driven it since I did this but the pinion angle looks good, and the rear seemed to come down a lil bit (cant give an accurate measure, cuz I have to deflate rear tires to get in the garage right now

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by raskull

Just kind of stabbing in the dark here, maybe someone else can offer some input that has a 8.8.

Perhaps the 8.8 is higher than the d35/d44 where the shock mounts are? The kit is intended for the stock axles, and maybe they offer different springs for 8.8 owners?

now your on the same page as me...I believe the axle shaft OD is 1/2" larger, but that only gives a 1/4" taller then D35. I dont believe the shocks mounts would affect vechicle height, but I could be wrong. I was checking out the rear spring cups last night and they dont seem to have any more noticable height above axle tube vs. a D35??

GreenJip · 03-13-2007, 08:32 AM

Glad to see you got the kit installed. I have a few comments about your "problems".

1) When we installed my buddies LA kit he had a little rake due to the front winch. I noticed you have a heavy front bumper and winch up front. That will cause it to sag in the front. The 8.8 does create about 1" lift in the rear because the axle tube is bigger in diameter than the D35 and D44. Plus you don't have any tire weight in the back. When you add the net affect of those things, it makes since that the Jeep would rake that much. Get 2" coil spring pucks for the front and put your spare tire on the back and see if that helps. Looks like you will be able to run 37" tires!

2) your track bar should be adjustable. Disconnect it on level ground and adjust it until your rear axle is centered. RE didn't take into account that you have that 8.8 in the rear, so there suggested track bar length is not going to be accurate.

That reminds me, if you install the pucks up front, you will have to adjust the front track bar as well.

I know how frustrating it is to have to tweak projects when you are near the end. I am cursed with that expectation. Good luck with the adjustments.

barry1me · 03-13-2007, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenJip

Glad to see you got the kit installed. I have a few comments about your "problems".

1) When we installed my buddies LA kit he had a little rake due to the front winch. I noticed you have a heavy front bumper and winch up front. That will cause it to sag in the front. The 8.8 does create about 1" lift in the rear because the axle tube is bigger in diameter than the D35 and D44. Plus you don't have any tire weight in the back. When you add the net affect of those things, it makes since that the Jeep would rake that much. Get 2" coil spring pucks for the front and put your spare tire on the back and see if that helps. Looks like you will be able to run 37" tires!

2) your track bar should be adjustable. Disconnect it on level ground and adjust it until your rear axle is centered. RE didn't take into account that you have that 8.8 in the rear, so there suggested track bar length is not going to be accurate.

That reminds me, if you install the pucks up front, you will have to adjust the front track bar as well.

I know how frustrating it is to have to tweak projects when you are near the end. I am cursed with that expectation. Good luck with the adjustments.

Yeah im glad its done too. It was actually a pretty fun project. I would go to 37's but I honestly dont want to go that high right now. 35's are where I want to be. Gearing is good for it, and I dont want to start building up either axle right now

I may have made a mistake and mispoken. When I meant the axle isnt centered in the fender wells, I meant that the whole axle assembly is closer to the front of the vehicle, not centered in the middle of the fender well opening.

GreenJip · 03-13-2007, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry1me

I may have made a mistake and mispoken. When I meant the axle isnt centered in the fender wells, I meant that the whole axle assembly is closer to the front of the vehicle, not centered in the middle of the fender well opening.

I started thinking about that and wondered if I misread your #2 question. The only thing I can think of is to adjust yor control arms further out. It sucks you only have an inch or so between your gas tank and track bar.

beryl · 03-13-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imbezol

Yeah, this looks a little bit ridiculous. Sure it's only 3.25 inches? Looks like more.

Front and back tires are equidistant from the bottom of the picture so this is dead level.

HOLY CRAP! its definitely not supposed to have that much rake! even when there is going to be a load in the back and even with a heavy bumper and tire it still probably wouldn't level it out

**SlinkyTJ** · 03-13-2007, 10:03 AM

It looks like you have the front springs in the back and the back springs in the front.

barry1me · 03-13-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlinkyTJ

It looks like you have the front springs in the back and the back springs in the front.

lol

no I have the right springs in the front and rear

03-13-2007, 08:32 AM	#10
GreenJip Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 578 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Glad to see you got the kit installed. I have a few comments about your "problems". 1) When we installed my buddies LA kit he had a little rake due to the front winch. I noticed you have a heavy front bumper and winch up front. That will cause it to sag in the front. The 8.8 does create about 1" lift in the rear because the axle tube is bigger in diameter than the D35 and D44. Plus you don't have any tire weight in the back. When you add the net affect of those things, it makes since that the Jeep would rake that much. Get 2" coil spring pucks for the front and put your spare tire on the back and see if that helps. Looks like you will be able to run 37" tires! 2) your track bar should be adjustable. Disconnect it on level ground and adjust it until your rear axle is centered. RE didn't take into account that you have that 8.8 in the rear, so there suggested track bar length is not going to be accurate. That reminds me, if you install the pucks up front, you will have to adjust the front track bar as well. I know how frustrating it is to have to tweak projects when you are near the end. I am cursed with that expectation. Good luck with the adjustments.