Bad Mopar Lift?

[noloc45]

Hey friends! Long time! Hope everyone has been doing well!

Back in November 2021 I bought the Mopar Lift from my local dealership. My very good mechanic friend that has a professional if at his house helped me install it. I went this route because I'm not much of a car guy and I like to learn about what Im installing so that I can troubleshoot any issues later on.

That being said, I took my Jeep in this weekend to get an alignment done (Pepboys LT) and they said that my right rear strut and sway bar link are bad. That wheel "sags" further than the rest and that my strut is most likely leaking.

How can I visually inspect this the easiest way? I look at my jeep from the back now and I cant tell if Im being paranoid or if infact it is sagging. I'm going to see my friend that helped me install it to check but wanted to see what my JL friends here have to say first.

Background: I dont do any crazy offroading. Some mudding. Ive gone on trails in GA and TN but nothing insane that I couldnt get myself out with my winch if I was alone. No accidents. No nothing. Regular riding. And I work from home so my driving time has been much in the last couple of years due to covid.

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[Dyolfknip74]

The JL lists to the fuel tank side. By any chance had you just filled up when you went to Pep Boys? Why are they saying a sway bar link is bad? That seems odd. Do they mean the bushing?
Why were you getting it aligned? There is literally bo way to adjust anything other than the drag link to center your steering wheel. Caster can be adjusted but not with the Mopar lift. Do you have aftermarket track bars as well?

It's not hard to tell if a strut is bad, usually visually it may be leaking but of not, taking it off and testing it will also tell you.

 

[noloc45]

The JL lists to the fuel tank side. By any chance had you just filled up when you went to Pep Boys? Why are they saying a sway bar link is bad? That seems odd. Do they mean the bushing?
Why were you getting it aligned? There is literally bo way to adjust anything other than the drag link to center your steering wheel. Caster can be adjusted but not with the Mopar lift. Do you have aftermarket track bars as well?

It's not hard to tell if a strut is bad, usually visually it may be leaking but of not, taking it off and testing it will also tell you.

On their print out it just says "Right rear strut is weak, rear sway bar links"
When I asked they said that the the wheel sags lower and the strut seems to be bad and that there is "play" in the sway bar links

I did not just fill up.

I brought it in because it was pulling right and to drive straight I had to keep my steering wheel at like 11 oclock. I do have adjustable lower control arms but thats the only additional suspension piece added aside from the Mopar lift.

As stated, I'm not good with vehicles, so could you explain how there is nothing to adjust? I would assume all vehicles can get an alignment? Seems odd a Jeep cant get aligned?

 

[Remorseless]

On their print out it just says "Right rear strut is weak, rear sway bar links"
When I asked they said that the the wheel sags lower and the strut seems to be bad and that there is "play" in the sway bar links

I did not just fill up.

I brought it in because it was pulling right and to drive straight I had to keep my steering wheel at like 11 oclock. I do have adjustable lower control arms but thats the only additional suspension piece added aside from the Mopar lift.

As stated, I'm not good with vehicles, so could you explain how there is nothing to adjust? I would assume all vehicles can get an alignment? Seems odd a Jeep cant get aligned?

You can adjust the drag link and the tie rod to center steering wheel and adjust tires for toe in/out (think making the tires more/less pigeon toed or splayed if you're looking head on at the Jeep, that's what adjusting toe does).

As far as pep boys, IMO, don't trust their assessment as far as you can throw it. Jeeps have had an offset gas tank on the passenger side since the JK model in '07. It has created a lean that many Jeepers have noticed over the years and is completely normal.

You can check the rear sway bar links yourself - grab them and push and pull and see if they clank.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

On their print out it just says "Right rear strut is weak, rear sway bar links"
When I asked they said that the the wheel sags lower and the strut seems to be bad and that there is "play" in the sway bar links

I did not just fill up.

I brought it in because it was pulling right and to drive straight I had to keep my steering wheel at like 11 oclock. I do have adjustable lower control arms but thats the only additional suspension piece added aside from the Mopar lift.

As stated, I'm not good with vehicles, so could you explain how there is nothing to adjust? I would assume all vehicles can get an alignment? Seems odd a Jeep cant get aligned?

See below.
Basically not the same adjustments you would see on a traditional alignment.

You can adjust the drag link and the tie rod to center steering wheel and adjust tires for toe in/out (think making the tires more/less pigeon toed or splayed if you're looking head on at the Jeep, that's what adjusting toe does).

As far as pep boys, IMO, don't trust their assessment as far as you can throw it. Jeeps have had an offset gas tank on the passenger side since the JK model in '07. It has created a lean that many Jeepers have noticed over the years and is completely normal.

You can check the rear sway bar links yourself - grab them and push and pull and see if they clank.

^This.

Find a reputable offroad shop and get their opinion.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

I think with the Mopar JL lift they make the driver and passenger side coil springs different heights to account for the gas tank weight (I could be wrong). If that is the case and if you put the wrong spring on the wrong side, that will make the passenger side droop even more. If that is the case, the shop may not realize that it is the spring and are blaming the sag on the shock. As far as the sway bar links, just check them to make sure that you tightened the bolts on them.

 

[GATORB8]

Take a couple quick pics, and post the part numbers on the rear springs.

Look for hydraulic fluid leaking from that shock just in case.

 

[Nitehawk92]

Hey friends! Long time! Hope everyone has been doing well!

Back in November 2021 I bought the Mopar Lift from my local dealership. My very good mechanic friend that has a professional if at his house helped me install it. I went this route because I'm not much of a car guy and I like to learn about what Im installing so that I can troubleshoot any issues later on.

That being said, I took my Jeep in this weekend to get an alignment done (Pepboys LT) and they said that my right rear strut and sway bar link are bad. That wheel "sags" further than the rest and that my strut is most likely leaking.

How can I visually inspect this the easiest way? I look at my jeep from the back now and I cant tell if Im being paranoid or if infact it is sagging. I'm going to see my friend that helped me install it to check but wanted to see what my JL friends here have to say first.

Background: I dont do any crazy offroading. Some mudding. Ive gone on trails in GA and TN but nothing insane that I couldnt get myself out with my winch if I was alone. No accidents. No nothing. Regular riding. And I work from home so my driving time has been much in the last couple of years due to covid.

I would not trust shops like Pep Boys or any other place like that. Get a second opinion, from somebody you trust or somebody you know trusts. Don't tell them what Pep Boys said, just ask them to check your suspension. If you friend can check ot, that would be the way to go.

 

[davewald]

I think with the Mopar JL lift they make the driver and passenger side coil springs different heights to account for the gas tank weight (I could be wrong). If that is the case and if you put the wrong spring on the wrong side, that will make the passenger side droop even more. If that is the case, the shop may not realize that it is the spring and are blaming the sag on the shock. As far as the sway bar links, just check them to make sure that you tightened the bolts on them.

The springs for the Mopar lift are side-specific. Here's a chart.

 

[noloc45]

Did PepBoy's tell you, you have "struts", haha. fYI, https://www.monroe.com/technical-resources/shocks-101/shocks-vs-struts.html A loose swaybar link will not cause your pulling issue. As mentioned, PepBoy's Isn't the best place to get this pulling to the right issue resolved.
Your pulling could be caused my many things, shocks and swaybar links, No.
Is it really pulling or is the steering wheel just not straight up/level ?

Ha! yes they said struts. It really is pulling. Any time I do any trips to the mountains, after a bit my steering pulls right. Its been so since delivery. They did adjust and now its tracking decently, as much as a jeep can I guess.

 

[AlgUSF]

I would not trust shops like Pep Boys or any other place like that. Get a second opinion, from somebody you trust or somebody you know trusts. Don't tell them what Pep Boys said, just ask them to check your suspension. If you friend can check ot, that would be the way to go.

THIS!!!

For years I've had great luck with the local Firestone shop, but lately they've been terrible. All they seem to do is want to sell tires, even trying to replace a set I bought two years ago because of "cupping". I take it to the Firestone shop by work "no cupping problems", but a host of other problems. Turns out my issue was the rear wheel bearing and a small local shop found the issue. In my mind I didn't think it was a wheel bearing, but it definitely was.

I think with the labor market these days, chain shops are hiring ANYONE. Given the current economic situation, these businesses are squeezing the customer for as much revenue as possible.

 

[Nitehawk92]

THIS!!!

For years I've had great luck with the local Firestone shop, but lately they've been terrible. All they seem to do is want to sell tires, even trying to replace a set I bought two years ago because of "cupping". I take it to the Firestone shop by work "no cupping problems", but a host of other problems. Turns out my issue was the rear wheel bearing and a small local shop found the issue. In my mind I didn't think it was a wheel bearing, but it definitely was.

I think with the labor market these days, chain shops are hiring ANYONE. Given the current economic situation, these businesses are squeezing the customer for as much revenue as possible.

A while back my daughters car had no brakes, I used the E-brake to stop. I drove it to Firestone because they were the closest. They told me $1500 to fix it. And this was 15 years ago. I said screw that, and took it to a family owned shop down the road. They fixed it for $350. I never trust these franchises at all. They wanted to replace just about everything having anything to do with the front and read brakes.

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