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Help! Installing Rubi suspension on Sahara

HoosierUte

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Doing the install today, rear went fine. Front I cannot get to line up, it seems like the whole axle has rotated (clockwise looking at driver side). The spring is contacting the shock. I cannot get the LCA to reach the mounting point on the axle. I am using the extended LCAs from the Mopar kit. How do I safely adjust the axle position?

20190604_185123.jpg
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Tcijoe

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never been close to that front end but it appears the recoil from the shock is tilting the axle. try to compress the shock and see if that helps
 

AnnDee4444

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I would lower the entire axle down to where you aren't fighting the spring, then (with the UCAs on) shove the jack towad the rear of the Jeep, causing the axle to rotate. If that doesn't work, get physical with the axle and put your arms around it and twist or push up on the pinion. The weight of the pinion and driveshaft will probably fight gravity the entire way.

If you get it close, shove a screwdriver through the mounting hole and use it to pry in the desired direction.

Ratchet straps might help too.
 

rustyshakelford

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I’d let the axle hang, the sway bars will hold a lot of it and put the back on the pinion with a piece of wood to protect it. Slowing jack it up and rotate the axle to the correct orientation. Hard to really tell what’s going on with one pic

Brett
 

JimLee

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Put a floor jack directly under the pinion flange (axle on jack stands or 4x4's) with a piece of wood on top of the pad and gently lift, it will rotate the axle back into position. Install the shocks last so you are not fighting them.

EDIT: Also, disconnect the sway bar links until you are done, no help fighting the sway bar while you are trying to get the control arms hooked up.
 

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Gregj

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Is the lca disconnected? Take the shock off and leave both control arms connected just loosen the bolts so they rotate freely. Lower the axle till the spring will slip in then raise the axle to compress the spring.

That’s how I did it and it was easy.
HTH
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rustyshakelford

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Pro tip to anyone else doing this upgrade, just need to swap the springs and shocks. LCA are the same

Brett
 

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Yep, the shocks are making the axle rotate downward. Unbolt the shocks. The easy way is to jack it up under the axles and put jack stands under frame. Remove the brackets on the LCA’s and the plug on the FAD. With no shocks attached, let the axle droop down. Watch the ABS lines going tor the brakes. May need to pop the runners out of the clips. Should be able to let the axle down with the jack without removing the control arms or driveshaft. Install springs and make sure they are inserted correctly in the lower perch mount. Jack up axle and install FAD connector and ABS lines rubbers if removed. Once everything is back in place and axle is still on jack stand, remove one LCA at a time. Install you new Mopar arm at the axle first then in the frame mount. It is easier to pry the LCA forward front the frame than at the axle. I suggest heating the LCA nuts. Some gorilla installed them from the factory. Torque is 165 ft/lbs. Good Luck!
 

rustyshakelford

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He said mopar LCA, 1/4” longer. It helps
Missed that part but wouldn’t that add to much caster? The Rubi lift is only 1.5” and the mopar lift that the LCA would be for is several inches higher

Brett
 

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Missed that part but wouldn’t that add to much caster? The Rubi lift is only 1.5” and the mopar lift that the LCA would be for is several inches higher

Brett
I don’t know numbers, but id recommend what he is doing. I put jlur springs on my 2dr sport. Got 1.75” lift with rubi shocks and the mopar arms like him and 35s drove better and more stable than stock suspension on 35s
 
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HoosierUte

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Update - Thanks for the advice guys this forum is great! I recruited a buddy with a second floor jack and set of stands. We loosened everything and dropped the axle again resting on the stands. With the two jacks on the axle, we were able to find the sweet spot to get the lca in, which preserved the geometry preventing the axle from rotating with the spings/shocks. Moral of the story is don't be afraid to ask for a second pair of hands and buy a better floor jack. Finished up last night, ended up getting around 1.75". And truth- the LCAs are in there tight, dont want to mess with those again.
 

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Doing the install today, rear went fine. Front I cannot get to line up, it seems like the whole axle has rotated (clockwise looking at driver side). The spring is contacting the shock. I cannot get the LCA to reach the mounting point on the axle. I am using the extended LCAs from the Mopar kit. How do I safely adjust the axle position?

20190604_185123.jpg
Disconnect the sway bars. That should have been done before swapping out the shocks and springs.
 

TTEChris

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Update - Thanks for the advice guys this forum is great! I recruited a buddy with a second floor jack and set of stands. We loosened everything and dropped the axle again resting on the stands. With the two jacks on the axle, we were able to find the sweet spot to get the lca in, which preserved the geometry preventing the axle from rotating with the spings/shocks. Moral of the story is don't be afraid to ask for a second pair of hands and buy a better floor jack. Finished up last night, ended up getting around 1.75". And truth- the LCAs are in there tight, dont want to mess with those again.
Glad you got it sorted out!

Just for my curiosity did you disconnect both front lower arms at the same time? That's the only way I can see the axle shifting like that.

Anytime I swap arms with a Jeep on the ground and the springs in place I do one arm at a time and use a floor Jack at the rear of the pinion(diff) the help rotate it slightly if the holes don't line up.:beer:
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