If you tuned in last month, you saw us outfitting the exterior of our '97 Wrangler with some serious body armor from Kilby Enterprises along with a Superwinch winch and a M.O.R.E. rear bumper and tire carrier. We also upped the tire and wheel package to some Rubicon 245/75R16 rubber. While we're digging the look and functionality of the modifications, the added weight caused the stock suspension to sag. Plus, the factory control-arm bushings have been clunking since we bought the Jeep.
Although the tires don't rub, our plans will eventually call for some 33-inch 285/75R16 rubber. To give us the flexibility of anywhere between 2.5-3.5 inches of lift, we ordered a Fabtech 2.5-inch adjustable system, comprised of four adjustable coil spacers. The spacers slip over the factory bumpstop brackets and employ billet adjusters that can be turned up or down with the included spanner wrench.
To cure our control arm clunk and allow for up to 3 inches of adjustment, we ordered a full set of upper and lower control arms from JKS, as well as two of the company's adjustable bumpstop kits. The adjustable arms are incredibly sturdy, have a rotating design that won't bind when articulating, employ quiet rubber bushings, and allow the pinion angles and front caster to be dialed in without the need for eccentric cam bolts.
Before
After.
Because we planned on using...
Because we planned on using four Bilstein 5100 shocks for a 4-inch lifted TJ on our smaller 2.5-inch lift, we ordered a front and rear set of JKS adjustable bumpstops (PN 1100). The JKS replacement upper and lower control arms are works of art and really complement any short arm lift since they not only allow you to dial in the pinion angles but their adjustability allows you to regain the wheelbase normally lost when a lift is added.
The Fabtech coil spacers slide...
The Fabtech coil spacers slide over the factory bumpstop mounts and reuse the factory bumpstop cups. The rear attaches to the frame via the extended bolts, while the front is held in place with six small-set screws. TAG's Jay Miller advises against the use of poly spring spacers in the rear taller than 3/4-inch because the larger diameter rear spring can punch through the spacer, a problem we shouldn't have with the steel Fabtech kit.
Only the '97 and some '98...
Only the '97 and some '98 Wranglers came from the factory with cam eccentric bolts on the front control arms to adjust caster and pinion angle. There are some aftermarket lifts that offer this feature, but if the bolts aren't adjusted evenly it can put a torsional load on the axlehousing and cause the Jeep to steer funny. Other lift kits employ fixed arms, which do nothing to regain lost caster or pinion angles.
At their lowest setting (where...
At their lowest setting (where we ran them) the rear coil spacers give a 2-inch lift. The fronts at their lowest are 2.5 inches. Notice the factory bumpstop making contact with the coil bucket. At this position, the 4-inch Bilstein 5100 (PN F4-BE5-6242-H5) had about 5/8-inch of shaft travel left. The setup allows for insane droop, but the bumpstop's lowered position only allows for about 2.5-3 inches of uptravel at ride height.