issue is you dont want a unloaded spring even at flex. so your shocks are to long for the springs. or you need longer FREE length springs.< has nothing to do with spring height.

You could go with straps. adding a post to catch the spring then you have no load on the down tire.

 

A 2" BB "uses up" the length of post that retains your spring at the top. The puck is sitting in the same location that the spring was designed to be. So you are kind of inviting the spring to come out. A limit strap is a typical fix for this but a lot of people just use their shocks to limit droop. Using the shocks for this isn't ideal but when you are just talking about a 2" BB you are probably not wheeling it too hard to begin with. I have limit straps on the rear axle of my 98 ZJ but no pucks. Just a 7" lift with long arms. It has enough droop to drop a spring without the straps.

Jack up the body of your Jeep and remove the tires on an axle. Then use a floor jack to lower that axle to the point where the spring starts to unload. Then use a tape measure to figure out what length of strap you need. You will also need some kind of mount for the strap. I've seen guys use their sway bar brackets on the axle side. I used these and just welded them on.

 

(I placed my reply inside your reply, so to see it you may have to "Click to Expand" below.)

A 2" BB "uses up" the length of post that retains your spring at the top. The puck is sitting in the same location that the spring was designed to be. So you are kind of inviting the spring to come out. A limit strap is a typical fix for this but a lot of people just use their shocks to limit droop. Using the shocks for this isn't ideal but when you are just talking about a 2" BB you are probably not wheeling it too hard to begin with. I have limit straps on the rear axle of my 98 ZJ but no pucks. Just a 7" lift with long arms. It has enough droop to drop a spring without the straps.

All true, but in my case, the kit ordered comes with new shocks that according to the person who made the YouTube (who had installed the same kit I bought) reported that his spring popped out, so he removed the shock and measured the full extended length compared to the OEM shock he'd removed. He found that extended the kit shocks were 4" longer than he OEM shocks, allowing sufficient suspension extension for the springs to unmount. His solution was to add limit straps JUST long enough to allow the springs to slightly drop off the spacer, but not enough for it to come off.
Indeed, if the new shocks allowed only 2" more extension than OEM the problem would not occur, but apparently this is not the case as they evidently sell the same shocks with their 4" lift kits.

I chose the BB over 2" lift springs because for the same prices as springs alone, I got the spacers plus new shocks (my WJ was strictly a soccer mom vehicle w/ under 100k miles so had the original shocks in decent shape and un-sagged springs.

Jack up the body of your Jeep and remove the tires on an axle. Then use a floor jack to lower that axle to the point where the spring starts to unload. Then use a tape measure to figure out what length of strap you need. You will also need some kind of mount for the strap. I've seen guys use their sway bar brackets on the axle side. I used these and just welded them on.
Yes, the YouTube poster did just that, using the sway bar mount on the axle, and attached the upper part to the "frame" with a thru-bolt. I have not yet received my kit, and was just hoping to get the length so I could get all the parts at once and install them at the same time to save time.

And yes, I do not plan any "serious" wheeling with the WJ. I have to drive a considerable distance to where the intended trails start, so just installed 245/70-16 AT tires on the stock wheels underscoring my mld use requirements for the vehicle. And while I may at some point get a sway bar disconnect (I had a JK brand set on my TJ), until then I suppose the connected sway bar will limit suspension travel enough to prevent spring unmount, as the YouTube poster said until he disconnected his sway bar he'd never had the problem.

I bought the kit for my WJ as I go out in the AZ desert (metal detecting for small gold nuggets) mostly on existing desert trails that vary in condition from good forest fire grade trails to badly deteriorated trails with rocks, holes, and washouts that occasional heavy rains create. I do not yet have any skid plates on my vehicle (I plan to scavenge some from Pull-A-Part yard when I find one with WJs), so the extra 2" is just "insurance" against damage if I "misestimate" the trail. I am very careful and conservative, and usually venture out alone, and am running open diffs, so have no plans for aggressive "wheeling." The GC is strictly for transportation to get to recreation, and not "recreation" in itself, so it will never be "bashed or trashed" by intent.

Thanks,
Bob

 

The length of strap depends on where and how you mount them, so we can't really give you a length. Just got to pick a mounting location and measure.

 

I would just mount them wherever the person offering the length mounted his. The YouTube poster mounted his lower end to the axle sway bar bolt/pin, and the upper to a bolt through the "frame". Unfortunately he didn't quote his length. I'm happy to duplicate his effort, and I suspect most people would do it the same as he did so woulld just follw along.

When I have mine apart to do the kit installation I will measure. Just trying to save me from taking it apart twice.

Thanks,
Bob

 

Not sure if this is supposed to be in a different place, but...

I am about to add a 2" BB to my '03 4.0 WJ and watched a YouTube where a guy installed one w/ new shocks in a kit, and when he disconnected his sway bar, when the front suspension flexed, his front spring fell out.

His solution was to add a limit strap that allowed the spring to just barely drop down a tiny distance from the top spacer so the spring could NOT fall out.

Anyone know a good length for such a strap for the WJ? They make them 12"-25" (See: Amazon.com: Suspension Limit Straps for Shocks Heavy Duty Blackout (12") : Automotive)

Another solution is to install a long post into the center of the top spring mount seat so the spring can drop a few inches on flex (but not past the bottom of the post), but the post guides the spring back into position as the suspension collapses again.

Is there a preference between the strap and the post?

Bob

I have similar question, but for a different reason/s... ...Additionally, FWIW, I do have a very modest 'suspension lift' using OME 1.5" HD Lift Coil Springs, Front (OME part# 2936) & Rear (OME part# 2945), front JKS Front Sway Bar Disconnects, IRO Adjustable Upper & Lower Control Arms, IRO Upper Coil Spring Retainer set, and a coupler other 'goodies' on the front of my 03' WJ....

...Anyway, there are a couple of potential what I consider to be serious breakdown issues that would be prevented, or at least greatly minimized with 'correctly installed' Limit Straps...

...1- The potential for extending enough to pull apart a brake hose. Although there are easy ways to reconfigure the mounting of the brake hose mounting to prevent that. That's really cheap and easy to do so. That's not the main issue.

2- My main concern is overextending the front shock absorbers when fully flexed downward because I don't want my front shock absorbers to be the limiting factor of the downward droop. As far as I'm concerned, the front shock absorbers should not be used for limiting downward flex IMHO.

3- Also, even though I have the IRO Spring Retainer set, that keeps the top of the spring from leaning outwords and completely falling off onto the ground, getting tangled in the suspension and/or wheel, etc.; I think the angle of the front Control Arms should not go too far downward otherwise there can be a forced rotation from an obstacle like a rock or log or something like that which could happen on the trail, and could potentially break and mangle things really badly, IMHO.

4- I tried to attach an IRO lower front coil spring retainer set and they just didn't fit right with the OME HD coil springs so I got my money back on those... ...The reason I mention that is because when fully flexed 'diagonally', [one wheel all the way up and the other all the way down], I am concerned about how the springs go askew, so to speak, and I want to limit how much of and which way that 'tilt-twist' movement happens...

...Also, with those considerations in mind, when the downward wheel comes up, I want to be relatively sure that the spring will seat correctly in the same position it was when I installed it when it goes back onto the coil spring isolator with full weight, particularly on the top Isolator.

That being said, IMO, it's not so much the length of the Limit Straps per se because that can be calculated using full flex positions vs 'desired/calculated' limits and using the particular strap speck sheets to be measured for the 'stretch factor'...

...However, because of the uni-body construction of the WJ, my main concerns are exactly where should/could someone locate and configure the body/frame end of each of the limit strap mounts?... ...Whereas, for one thing the drivers side with the steering box has less room than the passenger side does for the limit straps to move and not rub or catch on something, etc, etc...

...Anyway, I am not so sure if there is an existing place on the body/frame of the WJ that can withstand the limit straps mounting 'directly' to without some kind of additional body/frame strengthening/modifying to accommodate a robust bolt-on mount location for the limit strap to be attached to.

So far, I have asked a few people at the Trail Hero 2023 event in Sand Hollow, Utah and the reality is that they are so much into real rock crawlers and other Jeeps and other Makes of 4x4's that Jeep WJ's are not something they have much experience with for adding limit straps to, or anything else to for that matter.

My conclusion so far:
I still have no definitive answers on that particular 'conundrum' of correctly mounting front limit straps on a WJ... ...and I am not so sure anybody here has much experience adding/installing front limit straps onto a modestly lifted WJ; IE: basic OEM control arm lengths having no long control arms)...
...Possibly with limit straps on 4 inches and up lifted WJ, but not one that's 'moderately lifted'.

 

My comments are imbedded in your reply so you may need to "Click to Expand" to see them.

I have similar question, but for a different reason/s... ...Additionally, FWIW, I do have a very modest 'suspension lift' using OME 1.5" HD Lift Coil Springs, Front (OME part# 2936) & Rear (OME part# 2945), front JKS Front Sway Bar Disconnects, IRO Adjustable Upper & Lower Control Arms, IRO Upper Coil Spring Retainer set, and a coupler other 'goodies' on the front of my 03' WJ....

...Anyway, there are a couple of potential what I consider to be serious breakdown issues that would be prevented, or at least greatly minimized with 'correctly installed' Limit Straps...

...1- The potential for extending enough to pull apart a brake hose. Although there are easy ways to reconfigure the mounting of the brake hose mounting to prevent that. That's really cheap and easy to do so. That's not the main issue.
Good point and before I mount straps I will look at that carefully. The youTube guy that had a spring dismount attached his straps in front of the springs using the pin for his sway bar disconnect at the wheel end, and a through bolt on the "frame" directly above it, I think from memory well out of the way of brake lines. I will have to see if I can re-locate that YouTube video to refresh my mind.

2- My main concern is overextending the front shock absorbers when fully flexed downward because I don't want my front shock absorbers to be the limiting factor of the downward droop. As far as I'm concerned, the front shock absorbers should not be used for limiting downward flex IMHO.
In OEM trim, what restrains the suspension downward? The sway bar tension? The OEM shock? I suspect mostly the sway bar restricting flex in the first place, but not sure.

3- Also, even though I have the IRO Spring Retainer set, that keeps the top of the spring from leaning outwords and completely falling off onto the ground, getting tangled in the suspension and/or wheel, etc.; I think the angle of the front Control Arms should not go too far downward otherwise there can be a forced rotation from an obstacle like a rock or log or something like that which could happen on the trail, and could potentially break and mangle things really badly, IMHO.
The IRO spring retainer "posts" should limit the spring from falling out, but I have to take it on faith that the springs will re-seat properly as the suspension returns to normal height. They DO allow MORE flex than straps selected to allow only minuscule unseating of the spring tops, of course. In my intended application use, I don't want extreme downward suspension travel, just less resistance to extension than the sway bar will allow, and less extension than would use the shock to stop it (In the case of Rough Country Shocks, the shocks are 4" longer extended than OEM). Over rotation of the short arms rearward would be a disaster. Not sure if it's possible given he geometry of the suspension, but it might be in extreme conditions where a lot of "momentum" is used to clear an obstacle.

4- I tried to attach an IRO lower front coil spring retainer set and they just didn't fit right with the OME HD coil springs so I got my money back on those... ...The reason I mention that is because when fully flexed 'diagonally', [one wheel all the way up and the other all the way down], I am concerned about how the springs go askew, so to speak, and I want to limit how much of and which way that 'tilt-twist' movement happens...
I didn't even know IRO made lower retainers, but one wouldn't either end to get loose. I haven't heard of that happening, but my experience level is low, so maybe it does. In any case, personally I don't anticipate me personally driving that "enthusiastically" given my lift is just for increased ground clearance as insurance against damage.

...Also, with those considerations in mind, when the downward wheel comes up, I want to be relatively sure that the spring will seat correctly in the same position it was when I installed it when it goes back onto the coil spring isolator with full weight, particularly on the top Isolator.
YES, as I mentioned above. The IRO posts keep the spring from falling outward, but doesn't "guide" the spring home terribly well.

That being said, IMO, it's not so much the length of the Limit Straps per se because that can be calculated using full flex positions vs 'desired/calculated' limits and using the particular strap speck sheets to be measured for the 'stretch factor'...
True. Personally I plan to measure so that the spring is just slightly off the mounting pad-nothing extreme.

...However, because of the uni-body construction of the WJ, my main concerns are exactly where should/could someone locate and configure the body/frame end of each of the limit strap mounts?... ...Whereas, for one thing the drivers side with the steering box has less room than the passenger side does for the limit straps to move and not rub or catch on something, etc, etc...
Again, I need to track down the YouTube I saw as his placement looked reasonable.

...Anyway, I am not so sure if there is an existing place on the body/frame of the WJ that can withstand the limit straps mounting 'directly' to without some kind of additional body/frame strengthening/modifying to accommodate a robust bolt-on mount location for the limit strap to be attached to.
I think driving style/aggressiveness and how often and how hard the strap is depended upon to do its job dictates how strong the mounting point needs to be.

So far, I have asked a few people at the Trail Hero 2023 event in Sand Hollow, Utah and the reality is that they are so much into real rock crawlers and other Jeeps and other Makes of 4x4's that Jeep WJ's are not something they have much experience with for adding limit straps to, or anything else to for that matter.

My conclusion so far:
I still have no definitive answers on that particular 'conundrum' of correctly mounting front limit straps on a WJ... ...and I am not so sure anybody here has much experience adding/installing front limit straps onto a modestly lifted WJ; IE: basic OEM control arm lengths having no long control arms)...
...Possibly with limit straps on 4 inches and up lifted WJ, but not one that's 'moderately lifted'.
I agree with you, and I also suspect MOST mildly lifted (1.5"-2") WJ users are careful and conservative drivers or they would have opted for more lift for bigger and heavier tires and wheels (that would pull harder on straps). FAR more Wranglers are "serious" off-roaders than even XJ people, though I see a LOT of hard core XJs running around.

Bob

 

I don't remember off hand if Josh used limit straps or not on his WJ build. You may be able to scan through those videos and find out. First video of the series is here. Personally I would weld a double shear strap mount like the one I posted to a plate and then weld the plate to the WJ. For the back of my ZJ, I welded the mount to a plate and then bolted the plate into the factory holes for the OEM bump stops since I'm not using those bump stops any more.

 

Re:

I don't remember off hand if Josh used limit straps or not on his WJ build. You may be able to scan through those videos and find out. First video of the series is here.

I did watch Project Bumble on BleepinJeep YouTube a couple-few months back. I am not 100% sure if there are limit straps on that beast, but I am 100% sure that is not a 'moderate' lift either.

 

The front of my ZJ doesn't need limit straps. The track bar and drag link stop the droop before the springs unload, the shocks limit out or the brake lines get tight. I had to put it on a lift to find out though. No jacks go up that high.

My front springs are retained by thick plates that came with the truss kit. I need to make some spring retainers for the bottom of the rear axle coils though. Even though I have limit straps in the back, the little factory spring retainers just are not enough. I exploded one of my hubs half way up a really big rock climb the other day and had to back down it as best I could. I landed pretty hard on the back axle and the sudden compression at an odd angle popped the bottom of the coil right out of the factory bucket and retainer. I still don't understand exactly how that can happen since the control arms keep the axle from twisting, but it did. I was expecting one of the rear control arm mounts to tear off first but so far they are holding up.

 

So I’m new to all this stuff guys so bear with me and my noobness.
I have an 02 WJ with a 6.5 in lift. We are in the middle of swapping axels right now due to the tube on the front and rear being slightly bent. We found stock axels from an 04 WJ to use. So it’s a Dana 30 swap on the front and a Dana 44a on the rear. Should be just be unbolt and bolt in new ones.

Have the jeep up in a lift, disconnected all the bolts and stuff and dropped the axel in front.

The springs came right out but now that we are putting it back together they won’t seem to stay in place. We are trying to figure out what keeps them from dropping out if we flex. We added new brackets to lower front and new isolators. What keeps the top of the springs in place. Shocks are hooked up, sway bar links are bolted in, we still have to drill out the track bar mount on the new axel cause that bolt is too big for the new axels we are using.

 

I have Something like this from IRO WJ Front Upper Coil Spring Retainers.

The lift on my 03' WJ is very modest and nowhere near 6"...
...On the front axle, even with the longer shocks, it can flex enough to bottom-out the shocks before the any suspension part limits it when the Sway-Bar is disconnected, so I have yet to figure out how and exactly where to install limit-straps. I figured out that if I need to, I can make a brake hose retainer bracket and use an OEM brake hose or just get a longer steel outer braided brake hose...
...I did not have any luck installing the lower spring retainers, but I am using OME HD 1.5" 'lift' coils and apparently the location the installation instructions show did not come close to working for me.

 

Frankly I cannot imagine a 6.5" lift on a WJ even with long arm mod and driveshaft control even after a T-Case drop, but if your shocks don't stop the suspension from allowing the springs to dismount, you could use straps or ways that guide the springs back into position and the suspension returns to it's pre-flexed condition.

Seems to me that's a pretty aggressive suspension

Pictures? I'm not sure I've seen a 6.5" lift and it would be interesting to see one

As to WHERE to install limit straps I believe I posted a link at one of my posts above that illustrate a decent spot

Bob

 

Frankly I cannot imagine a 6.5" lift on a WJ even with long arm mod and driveshaft control even after a T-Case drop, but if your shocks don't stop the suspension from allowing the springs to dismount, you could use straps or ways that guide the springs back into position and the suspension returns to it's pre-flexed condition.

Seems to me that's a pretty aggressive suspension

Pictures? I'm not sure I've seen a 6.5" lift and it would be interesting to see one

As to WHERE to install limit straps I believe I posted a link at one of my posts above that illustrate a decent spot

Bob

Sorry, I take that back.

6.5" Lift

 

Sorry I work a ton and have so much I am trying to do to this thing in between jobs. We put on limit straps for now till we can dial it in better and come up with something else. Did my tank tuck a few weeks ago but am now throwing 0442 and 0445 codes (large and medium evap leaks). I am pretty sure it is going to be the hoses or something with all that movement we did and putting the evap stuff on top of the tank now that its been tucked up. Might try to find a used stock evap bracket somewhere and put it back to stock location as well and just move it back a little to clear the tire articulation.

 

What is better than limit straps?
You can put centering cones so when the springs are unseated, but do you really NEED that much flex?

Those hoses are a PITA. Found thjat the ones that are moulded generally hold up well-suspect the long straight one-they don't have reinforcing cord in them and split where they are stretched over the flares on the tubing Fuel hose is much better.